Dispatches not legally possible. Do them anyway?

Stand your ground. Dont let any company bully you. To many drivers are push overs that's why these companies do it.

I'd find another company to work for.

Any company that would hesitate and play games with getting you home for your mother's burial services pretty much speaks volumes of how scummy they are.

Find another company, tell that one to kick rocks.

 

What? how far away is your empty? how much hours is on your logbook? 581 miles . at 58 mph average that takes 10 hours. definatly do able if you have the time on your clock. I agree that you should stand your ground but If you have the time on your clock to do the load , you dont have any leverage to argue with them.

i was in a similar situation a while back where i decided to stand my ground on a load of lumber . that wouldve had me out of hours at the shipper with nowhere to park in northeast after 8 pm. i stood my ground and got it rescheduled , althou it was worse than pulling teeth. but at the end of the day i had a better argument then they did, even if i was being a little stubborn which i was .

i know the feeling of being put in a tight spot by dispatch but u have to make sure u actually have an argument against their demands or you will just be shooting yourself in the foot and setting urself up to get ur miles cut in the future and being listed as lazy or somebody who doesnt want to run miles.

 

Look up the FMSCA statute for COERCION (might be 309.6 or 06?) and throw it in their face, and threaten to sue. Then get another job. (Notice I don't memorize that statute too well, because where I am, I've no need to use it~!)

Even if pulling a 'once a week maximum' 16 exempt, you can STILL only DRIVE YOUR 11.

 

I'm so glad I'm not OTR anymore, tbh....LoL~!

 

For your first situation, after you have told them the problems with the trip you can send a message (and take a picture of that message in case they erase it) saying something to the effect "I see you want me to take trip 1234. As I wrote in the other message, or discussed with you on the phone, I notice that due to trip length, appointment times (describe exactly what the problem is and don't give a sentence by sentence replay of what everybody said and they said it like they meant X) that trip cannot be completed as described. My best estimate is that I can deliver at X time on the date of provided there are no traffic, mechanical, road closures, weather circumstances etc. while complying with the Fedral HOS and company policies Please advise if the revised appointment times I just described for me to complete this trip will be acceptable or if you are assigning another driver or a later appointment time."

Make sure your estimate has plenty of time to make it on time. I usually add 2-4 hours per day after I calculate everything using the HOS limits assuming a trip average speed of 55 mph, or 50 mph in mountainous regions and CA.

The point is you don't say "I'm not doing that trip." You say "I can deliver that load at this estimated date and time."

 

What is so hard to understand family is first. You cannot be held to a #### firing squad for saying no.

Do what you need to do if you get fired go get another God #### job. Stupidity is running rampant

 

I simply mentally calculate a trip assignment several ways.

I get a new appt time.

Document the situation carefully by yourself as it evolves.

Never tell dispatch you aint gonna. It will be really easy for them to aint gonna let you work and make money for complaining too much. Tell it to the trees. But never a dispatcher.

DO say that sure thing, you bet. I require a appt time for at least this time and date. That load will get there then.

IF dispatch makes noises that are not pleaseant bring in safety and conference call all three and get the new appt time and date.

Worse case scenario have the company find a team and give the load to them. Thats what teams are for.

Your personal issues are irrelevant. The whole passing was a botched episode all the way around so wash it off and get on with your life.

That does not mean to say that once in a while I will be with someone when they pass. There are two people in this world I will do it for. Employers are irrelevant.

 

i have planned at 60 mph if i know i can average that. depends on where ur going. ur right theres no gurantee u can average 50mph or 55mph or even 35 for that matter. i wasnt guranteeing you. i was saying that if u average 58 u can get there in 10 hours. u can average 55mph thru big cities with traffic, even thru mountains out west u can get 55mph. in a 65 truck.

all that said if u dont feel comfortable to run that then tell them to reschedule. dont just decline it, tell them why, tell them to do their job and reschedule and u will run it. u have to communicate even if they dont.... but just understand ur going to lose that load and if they give it to somebody who gets it done in that amount of time you are going to lose a little credibility in the dispatch room.

Me i am used to flatbed so i am thinking of terms of getting loaded in say 1 hour. , now say it takes me 4 hours to load and tarp ur, right its very slim in possibility i can make it there. but id still do my best and if i cant make it then u have to make the phone call and tell them whats going on, got held up at a shipper, traffic, construction,freeway shutdown etc etc etc ....


but also if u need to get home for family and make a funeral and they not wanting to get you there. man u got to turn that truck towards home and get home. dont rely on dispatch to do it , they dont give 2 rats ### in a crackhouse what goes on at home. worst case scenario tell them you need to get home and u taking a bus or plane home and be back after funeral .

good luck to you driver. but like others said dont let them boss you around. you have the cdl and the keys to the truck. do what you think is the best decision.