My new adventure with Gordon Trucking

: ) I feel you're frustration...

Gotta go. We fuel at the yard, only rarely on the road on the further out runs. I can get to St. Paul, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis and back to Indy and fuel here again. I check all tires very carefully, tractor and trailer. Air up as needed and that alone takes time, inners and outers, drives, tandems, steering. Fill fluids. It's different from a truck you're in every day, believe me. And these are older KW's. An hour is about average. I also adjust my brakes before I pull out, grab a creeper from the shop. I don't leave that up to the shop.

Gotta go. Starting to get late here.

 

And I know where you're going next. Slack adjusters have been automatic since '94, which is true. You don't know if you've got a bad one 'til you put a wrench to it, get it tight to the drum and it starts to click within a quarter turn or so backing off. Then it's okay. I know they're okay before I pull out. And I know they're all the same.

 

I liked Gordon, just not the pay. I'd like you to think about how long it took you to learn the ropes and not make it sound like all you've got to do is keep the left door shut and the money will roll in. Gordon is force dispatch and at night talking to Pacific, they were appalled at what some of the drivers, the rookie drivers especially were trying to live on. The anger in the Pacific Northwest wasn't just rookies, either. Very experienced drivers in mountains and snow with older Columbias convinced that it was a much better company a couple years ago.

As CougFan said,

Gordon controls your pay check and it's not all pretty. I think you need to moderate your braggadocio. Lots of Gordon drivers out there are working their tails off 100 hours a week with little to show for it.

 

tow614 said something similar about standing up for yourself

I got a good chuckle out of that. Gordon is a big system to learn. What would make this thread seem less like a cheerleader thread would be respect for the Gordon drivers getting lousy dispatches, and not say that all they have to do is just 'work harder' or 'work smarter' and the dollars will roll in. It's not that simple. Drivers don't quit jobs that pay well. Gordon has a whole apparatus in place to feed the machine with new drivers and many do not have a clue.

Lousy dispatches = Lousy dollars. And Gordon controls it. Lots of Gordon drivers deal with lousy dollars and lousy dispatches every week and telling them to just work harder and smarter doesn't cut it.

Maybe you and tow614 can give lessons in cussing out dispatch... Dunno. Maybe.

Worms are fed. Still running around Bloomington, IN.

 

Sure they can. You can have as many winners and different definitions of success as you can squeeze people into a room. There's no reason they should be the same. We are on the best ground when our definition of winning, though, comes from somewhere inside and not imposed from the outside. We can't all be Tiger Woods, and maybe neither can he. Some would feel successful seeing him play up close and personal. Another only if he/she could make him sweat... give him some real competition. A picture with Tiger Woods would please some. And apparently he pleased a whole lot of ladies... and satisfied their idea of success. Go figure.

After taking care of the worm bins at a food pantry on Monday nights a buddy and I visit a 94-year-old friend. A retired Episcopal priest who has been either an agnostic or athiest throughout his life. Winning for him was getting into the Navy band during WWII and avoiding combat. He rode a full-dress Indian motorcycle until his mid-80's and only stopped after it was stolen. Got his PHd in Psychology at 70 to add to his two Masters in Religion and Music. Has 2 sons and a daughter. Wasn't the best dad. Drove his Sebring convertible every day until 2 years ago. But never mowed his own lawn. He's on his second read of a history of the Vikings (ah, not the football team).

You're proud of running hard and never turning down a load. That's fine if that's your definition of being a winner. It's not the only definition of a winner by far... just yours and it'll change. But if it is from inside, you'll be satisfied that you achieved that even after your goal/definition of success changes.

: 0 )

 

I think you should park 'Gotta learn how to work kid'. I understand (now that you've explained) that it's part of your 'inner mantra'--and that's a great inner mantra. Very motivating, I'm sure! Sounds like a put down, however, and if you don't mean it that way--and it sounds like you don't, why not park it for a while for public consumption and keep it for yourself? OR... lengthen it. "Every day I tell myself 'Gotta learn how to work kid' and it motivates me. To work harder. To make money. To be better. Every day." My 2 cents. Has a whole better feeling. IMO. But you do what you want. (I know you will!)

But hang on to the thought...