Running with JCT, Part Deux

Thanks for all the useful info here. Thinking about it. What about dispatchers micromanaging drivers break times, duty statues, etc. ?

If you have proven yourself to be reliable and on time, do they pretty much let you manage your own time as you see fit? I would think yes since you are leasing, but it is still their equipment. So just wondering if they think they own you as well if or until it's paid off.

 

This is a hard one to answer in what I'm trying (I said trying guys) to make briefer posts; yet still give needed info. I'll try a new format.

It's not a mega w/ a company driver they have to push to keep their numbers high. You got 11 hours driving time and a 10 hour break and an E-Log on a Qualcomm that tells them exactly every minute of every movement you make. At break hour 10:05 you are getting a message about getting it moving. You shut it down on your 9.5 hour running - you get a message. KEEP MOVING!! Doesn't matter how that puts you at the customer way before your scheduled time - just KEEP MOVING on all 11 and only a 10 for down. Sound familiar? No worries at JCT about that.

Pick up and deliver on time and they don't care how you do it. As long as it's legal. Run hard, run soft. Your choice. Just be ON TIME for whatever you DO run and they don't care how you do that . . . as long as it's legal. Check your hours, current location, p/u date and time, hours and delivery location and time and if you want that load; take it and run it however you want to . . . but be on time. That's pretty much all they ask and it is a BIG ask. Be on time. If you can't do it on time for ANY reason; tell them when they offer it. Might have to put another one out there for you or might be able to wiggle that one so you can do it.

Time management and how hard or soft you run are ALL on you. BUT, whatever you SAY you will do - they DO expect you to do it. Something goes wrong and the load you THOUGHT would be on time isn't gonna be? They probably figured it out while you were worrying about it. Best to go ahead NOW and call and talk about it. You'll find them very reasonable.

 

Well said. I couldn't have said it better than that.

 

I haven't experienced quite that extreme, but kind of like that. And had a dispatcher call and tell me to go in sleeper and don't move because he was going to have me swap a load at midnight and run it all night for early morning delivery. I understand having to do this kind of thing sometimes but becoming way too regular where I am now. And it's not a mega but I think is trying to get there.

Well good to hear JCT does not micromanage. I should have gone there after leaving last company. It's such a pain switching companies when you get older and costs. I wanted to stay at least a year where I am now but don't know if I'll make it if they dump many more of these midnight specials on me. And I do run hard. I just can't always be turned off and on like a switch.

 

Thanks, Love the new signature BTW. Esmeralda looks real sharp. Unfortunately, someone clipped Darla's right front Rig-Guard so her right side RG is bent and needs replacing and she needs a bath as well. PM and repair on the book for Sunday AM, though, and a (hopefully) courtesy wash there in Sapulpa and she'll be shining like a Triple Diamond too. I'll say this also, Rig-Guard brand deer guards - excellent investment. They deflect more than just members of the Cervidae Family (though I do believe a Moose might not just get "deflected"). Work well on Heavy Chevy 2500's whose driver made an error in judgment too. I'll post what I learned about Rig Guard brand on Darla's thread, but EXCELLENT investment for sure. JCT chose the brand very well.

I have seen some with no letters at all too. Curious about that as well if anyone has info.

Hey Alpha you (avatar) look kinda familiar. Like a younger version of me. We related? I dated this Faminal back in the day.



If you our Love Child, don't come lookin' to Daminal for no Royalties. Maminal doin' much better than me! Just sayin' . . .

Feel ya on the "switch" and I'd be totally lying through my teefes if I said you won't run night shift at JCT. Holding up for a long down to switch to nights on this run myself. Couldn't work a reset w/ delivery time. In order to make OTD I'm had to run out the last of my 70, then go to ground for a long down and start my shifts at midnight to recap enough to make OTD. Sux, but did JCT ask me to do that? No. They offered me a load. I accepted it because it went where I wanted, when I wanted. I need some shop time. This put me delivering 50 miles from the shop and passing right by it on the way up. No delivery time because I was asked if I'd be willing to give a driver a ride from where I was p/u to our shop and (up to me) we could team it up if we wanted and get there real quick like. I talked to him and his truck MIGHT be fixed and MIGHT not need a ride. I took the load knowing that if I got to give him a ride - smooth as silk on a day run for me and he'd run night shift one night and we'd be there. If not, they'd set the appointment in a way that would work but be there ASAP w/ my hours (produce DON'T like to sit in a box; cool or not, it's still aging - it must me delivered ASAP) and it would mean switching to night flight. Roll the dice and take your chances. His truck got fixed and he's rolling solo. Which I'm very happy for him. Me? It means I have to switch to night shift and be rolling at Midnight O One when my E-log gives me back recap hours or I won't make OTD. Or I violate. No go there. Not the first time this has happened (having to switch to Night Flight to make OTD) because my 70 balloon popped and I'm on recap and accepted a load that, that's the only way I can get there in time for OTD. Legal. Sux; but this is trucking, not banking, and Schnizzle do Fizzle in the wee hours sometimes. Nature of a 24/7/365 business. Point is (and hear this please):

JCT in NO way, shape, fashion or form made me feel in ANY way that's what I had to do. They offered me a load. "It picks up X and delivers sometime Y. Don't know the time yet. Got a driver that needs a ride and is willing to help. When it delivers Y will depend on what we can do if you p/u the driver. You want it?" I said yes. Will they watch me ? You bet. It's reefer. It's produce. I bet on the Grey and the Bay won. So I gotta pony up and run this perishable product at night and get rolling by Midnight O One to make OTD.

00:30 rolls around and they see my truck is still turned off where I parked, will I get an ATTENTION message; "Hi, just checking to see if you are still OK for OTD."? You betcha!! Will it be pushing me? Well, I guess every driver sees things their own way. I see it as NO. Just a back-up alarm clock in case my others didn't wake me up on my switch to Night Flight when I know and THEY know I have to get up and rolling in order to make OTD.

How do they know? Because I told them so when I accepted the load. So, are they "pushing" or "watching my back" so I don't get in a jam, and if I AM in a jam; they know early enough to help fix it? I guess every driver has to answer that question for themselves.

Are JCT trucks solar powered? Maybe some, but not most. Do WE decide when to use solar power? Yes. If WE decide to NOT use solar power, do they check and nudge us out the barn if need be? Yes! Just didn't want you to think you'd never run night shift at JCT. DID want you to realize that if you do; YOU HAD THE CHOICE.

Pushing you . . . or backing you up



Your call on THAT too.

 

Hell I have never had them tell me to get moving. When I was with swift I got called after 5 mins over my 10. I like running when I like running and jct let's you do that. They give plenty of time to get a load where it needs to be. Unfortunately sometimes shippers screw you up and eat up all your chill time like the load I'm on now but 1 quick call to my dm and they changed my appointment by the 2 hours I needed and all is good. Love this place .

 

OK thanks understood. I know sometimes that can't be avoided.

 

The "LO" is an owner who either finished their lease or brought their truck over to JCT.

As far as the bambi basher mine has stood up to 2 idiots backing into my rf. Just some scuffs (which sucks cause mine has been polished to a shine. Well when it is clean anyways). One was a box truck north of Indy at the TA other was outside of Seattle at another TA (notice a pattern there. LoL) with a flatbed backing into the same side and almost spot.