If You're Worth More and Know It, Show It. Demand Better.

Some drivers are worth more than others. They have more power. At least in the eyes of a decent company manager. Look here:

Driver A: Has 5 years of experience, has a speeding ticket, maybe a preventable DACcident (or two), and has a wife and maybe a kid or three on company insurance. Needs to be home at least once every 2 weeks, if not every 10 days.

Driver B: Has 5 years of experience, no tickets, no accidents or DACcidents, is single with no dependents, is alone on company insurance. Doesn't need to be home but about once a month for a day.

Don't tell me some drivers aren't worth more than others. At least to a manager. If you're Driver B, know your power.

 

As long as the DRIVERS see it this way, bean counters' opinions and views are moot.

 

A real Driver B has the power to say NO a lot more than Driver A. That IS for sure. "I have you going on this two-drop to Brooklyn, New York in January." Driver B can say NO, I'm not doing that. I see it as a backbone problem. Too many Driver Bs don't know the meaning of NO. Or they don't know how much power they have compared to Driver A.

 

I know how much the normal dispatcher knows about the industry. Usually they don't have a CDL. Some have never been inside a rig. So getting 3000 miles in 5 days, with a run home for a reset, week after week? That's fantasy talk.

 

I'd say you rolled over and took it. Know that the next driver, who may be me, may also not get that layover, as you accepted not getting yours. Thanks, man.