Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

that groundhog must die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This winter is NEVER going to end.

 

So, last wednesday had that little local mentioned above. Big storm a coming, mention to boss and boss's boss. "hey, there are no chains in the yard, i have had maybe one truck in the last two months that had chains on it, it's a hard problem to solve at 2;30am, it's rather easy now at 1pm. (not that I should have to tell management this, it's a trucking company, chains are freaking required in this state, shouldn't be this hard)

sure enough, get in thursday morning (in serious snow, chain law up pretty much everywhere according to state DOT page) and guess what isn't on my truck for the night? (assigned trucks, what's that? luck of the draw)

yeah, guess what isn't in the yard?

guess what ryder (10 miles away) doesn't have?????

morons

and guess who can't use salt on the parking lot? cheap morons.

Spent 2.5 hours trying to get the tandems to slide to be legal and get chains. Actually used bolt cutters on the chocks by the loading docks because why would we have chocks available for the yard guys to set tandems? Again, that's crazy, tools to do your job? that must be some other company. Finally ended up at flying J, scaled it to take the ticket back (yeah, why would we have scales on our property? that's crazy talk) and say "fix it, i'm going home" and guess who does use salt? yeah, flying J, give it one last shot, sure enough it slides. (duh, salt, what a concept).

go to buy chains and bungees (the most expensive ones of course, it's not like I"m paying) and they can't print a receipt. Well, i totally need a receipt. Finally left at 5:45. Supposed to leave at 3:30, clock started at 4am. The route normally takes 13:30 to run in good weather. Zero chance of making my last stop for the day (#4). Actually got the first three done. Was so late that they got Raton pass cleaned up and didn't have to use chains (woohoo, my streak continues). Was literally running at the last stop back to the truck between loads trying to make it on time.

Ended up at hotel/truck stop at 14:02 on the clock. Oh well. Put big notes in the elogs. Hopefully they'll suspend me until spring. Can't exactly stop on the side of the road in downtown albuquerque at 13:59.

Guess what's in my car now? I bought 'em, it's my money I'm sick of this #####, they go with me now from truck to truck. When I get paid back I"ll make sure they get left somewhere. Still ridiculously annoyed with all this.

All companies can't be like this. are they? I never actually worked for someone. Got my license, bought my own stuff and moved my own stuff around? (an O/O but a private carrier). This just seems ridiculous and it didn't happen at my little operation. I enjoy the job a lot and I'm getting really good at it, but this type of stuff is both dangerous and annoying.

 

heck I forgot the best part of teh whole trip. They put a special on it. One case (not one pallet, one 30lb bag of pasta sauce mix) to go to a restaurant not on my route. WEll you do these when you have time. No time thursday. Friday Albuquerque gets whacked with an ice storm. It's total gridlock esp on the west side of town. My route runs around the east side and mostly downtown. I finish all my stops (plus the one from teh day before). I still have to drive 175 miles east to Tucumcari to my last two stops. So I have to deliver this one little case. It's 11 miles away on the WEST side of town (i.e. nowhere near where I am). I call in and ask "are you sure? it could take hours and it's definately going to make me late to my last two stops.

Oh yeah, have to deliver it.

1.5 hours later I reach the restaurant. 11 miles away.
ridiculous.

best part? There are two other restaurants in the same shopping complex (different franchises) that I KNOW get delivered friday morning. idiotic.

 

The plow/salt contractor for our yard dropped the ball this morning. 3" of snow and freezing rain. Was not touched all weekend. Punched the clock and had to wait 90 minutes for someone to arrive and lay down some traction, Impossible to move anything. I understand it was 0430 monday morning, Still no excuse, Contract to do a job, do it. Late for my run 2 hours North and crapped just went sour from there.

This isn't a Ma & Pa contractor. If it was wouldn't throw under the bus, No excuse. They know anticipation of Snows / Freezing rain happens come do the yard, No one needs to notify them. EASY MONEY!

 

Never was taught to chain, No chains on board and Never will chain. When that day comes, That's the day we have on site mechanics to apply the chains and remove them. USPS has those folks, I'm not a mechanic and my yard shouldn't require chains to remove oneself to operate further to other areas.This isn't your climate RR. My area requires no chaining, I hear response and not directed to you out of context. don't take the above towards you


Clarify: chains was necessary to move out yard this morning, still PEEED OFF!

 

Where do they get warehouse people? Really, because they must all come from the same place. A Conway guy was delivering at the same mall I was and I looked inside his trailer as I went by and there was an entire pallet at a nice 40 degree angle (still wrapped, just leaned all the way to one side, obviously no straps). I happened to see the driver and said "that's nice"

he was pissed and said "hell that's the 5th one!!!!!!!!!!!!! just like that and there are straps all over the trailer, totally unused"

clearly the same pool we select "experienced warehouse workers" from.

 

Sounds like your con-way acquaintance pissed off a few folks at home base, Still his duty as king of the throne to peek inside and make the loads stable as possible. Easy to blame others when confronted like you did to him ..

Our barn we do extra well securing freight for the road guys ( line haul ). Working the terminal for P&D. Better peek your eyeballs inside and make the changes.
On both sides monthly, 2 way street. Help each other out. My company is the odd ball, Work is work and the dock isn't beneath our value to do.


Lazy driver. Should of learned after the 1st, Wrapped strapped the others and be done. Easy to blame others. Somethings is hard to judge, No matter how much wrapping,strapping, loadbars, zipties,dunnage, dead hookers, duct tape, crap is going to fall over with a aggressive driver.

 

I don't know about his loads, but the only two pallets I can see on my truck are the two on the tail. (and sometimes not even them as the "smalls and chems" are piled up to the ceiling loose). The other 20 are up to the warehouse guys to do right the first time.

 

Yup, load the dang deliveries in the correct order of drops, Forget what exactly what you do or whom the employer is. Don't share the employer if not comfortable.
No warehouse guys here on my end, can only blame yourself not double checking and least to blame is the 3rd shift terminal folks. Still on you to make sure it's correct, captain of your ship sir ( not easy to do ) waste of dang time and yes it should be done right the first time.