Anybody ever just abandon your co. truck?

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Hurst said: ↑

I have. I came here on TTR asking what the legalities were. The owner of the company came on here pretending to be someone else and make me look like trash. It was a pretty heavy moment for me. He was found out and banned LOL!

Today I feel justified for doing it. At the time I was afraid, as the company owner was trying to convince me that I would be arrested if I didnt return the truck to his yard.

I had a 15 yrs absence from trucking and was shocked at how things had changed since I last drove a truck. I had never heard of 'recent' experience, vs past experience. I mean its not like you ever forget how to ride a bike. I had 7 yrs of heavy haul experience. Incident free, accident free. None of that matter when I needed to get back to work.

I answered a Craigslist ad here in Fla and hired on with a company based out of Tacoma Wa. This guy was a tyrant. Nothing you did was good enough. I wanted to quit, but knew if I did I risked losing site of my dream. My dream to become an O/O. I knew I needed to show some seat time in order to use this first company as a stepping stone to move on to something better.

I was shown how to step by step edit and rewrite my logs in order to run 800 - 900 miles a day. Really pushing the extremes of human endurance. I ran coast to coast from Londonderry NH, to Oakland Ca and back. 4000mi a week on a consistent basis was routine. Sad part was I was only paid a flat $750 a week salary on a 1099. When ever I tried to get home time, I was told they were trying, because I lived in Fla, it was difficult. I was forced to be away from home for 4 - 5 months at a time. In 2011, out of 365 days,.. I spent 22 days at home.

I watched what happened to other drivers who disobeyed instructions. They were pulled from the trucks at Weigh Stations and accused of illegally operating the trucks. This was done at places in the middle of no where,.. as far as possible from the drivers home state. I had made up my mind that when I quit, it was going to be on my own terms. I was one of his best drivers. I knew how to run the miles, I knew how to steal sleep when and where ever I could get it. I made it 12 months with out any incidents.

The final straw came when I asked to be home for Christmas. I hadnt seen my family since Sept. I picked up a load going to Fla. When I scaled the load, I was 2400 lbs over gross. I went back to the shipper and asked to have product removed. They responded that the owner knew the load would be 'heavy'. I argued that it was beyond heavy,.. it was illegal. I called the operations manager. He gave me 2 options. Since it was Friday,.. I could sit until Monday and get product removed,.. missing Christmas with my Family. Or Cowboy up and run the load. I decided at that moment, when I got home, I would call and give my resignation notice. My last load would be to bring the truck back to Washington.

I made it into Fla dodge every scale from NH all the way down I95. When I got home I let them know my intentions. I knew the consequences and tactics my A-hole owner would try to do to me. So I demanded that the only way I would return the truck would be to have either a plane, train or bus ticket back home and in my possession before I would go under a load. This made the owner livid. Yelling, cursing, threatening me with arrest of theft of his truck, all kinds of BS. I stood my ground told him if he wanted his truck, I needed to have that ticket over nighted to me or he could go pound sand and find his own way to get the truck.

The final delivery was at a WinDixie DC in Miami. I figured that was as far from Tacoma Wa as I could get the truck. Would be a great place to leave the truck. I contacted the Windixie management there. Told them the situation. I took pictures of the truck. I got the security guard to sign off on the condition of the truck. Handed him the keys, my wife had followed me there. I got in with her and went home.

At the time I thought my driving career was over. I knew that truck abandonment was the equivalent of shooting your foot off in this business. How ever,.. another member here was following my story and for some reason read through all the BS and took a liking to me. He informed his company owner and I was soon contacted by the carrier I am still working with today.

As an O/O I now know all the lies I was told. I look back at all the BS I was told and made to believe. How someone can take advantage of someone during a low point in their life is beyond me. So I understand both ends of the trucking spectrum. I have seen the bad and paid my dues. I have learned how to take my experience and use it to prosper as an O/O.

So yeah,.. I left that truck and dropped it like a bad habit.

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what was the company name out of Washington?

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Fatboy42 said: ↑

Well sort of, I was working for Roadway as a casual city P&D guy. I was and still am full time Police Officer. Terminal Manager called me one morning to see if I could work. I told him I could but had to get off in8 hours cause I had to go to work that night. He had no issue as we had done this before and I came in, picked up my bills and started my route. I got sent out of town on an all delivery no pickup stops. All went well until truck broke down and walked about a mile to call terminal (no cell phone in the good old days). I called in talked to dispatch she got a service truck in route ( I waited an hour. Made it to next stop truck breaks down again and I call dispatch. She started yelling at me about screwing around and not working. I reminded her if I was screwing around I would have broke down both times at a phone not walking down a state road. She said will send repair service. I wait, nothing I call back said she did not have time to call. Ingot the paper work and keys told stop someone will be there to get truck or fix it I riding back to terminal with another driver from another company. Business was ok with leaving the truck and off I went with the other driver. I arrived at the terminal went in to see the dispatcher and gave her the paperwork and keys and went home to sleep before going to my full time job. I went in next day to see Terminal Mgr. he was cool with my decision in what I did. Asked if I would still work for then said not as long as the dispatcher was still there. I left and got a casual job with CF for about 24 months and cot a call one day from the Roadway terminal Maniger said she is gone want to come back. I stayed and worked for them until they closed that Terminal. All in all total of 5 years with Roadway. So I guess I did abanoned there truck but no customer freight left on it and they understood but still was not the best thing to do but I had no real choice.
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I worked at roadway express terminal 825 in Orange, California and we always had Law Enforcement working as casuals, LMAO....alot of young sheriffs deputies...

I never understood what the appeal was for Cops to work as casuals at Roadway when you guys make so much money with long shifts in Law Enforcement....I think the salary at that time was $80,000 per year as a sheriffs Deputy with all the benefits of course

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑

Most MAJOR carriers don't do employees the way being discussed here....the fly-by-nighters , the Mega's , etc do....that's a problem folks have with defining companies these days...the Mega's are in business only because there are so many folks looking to gain entrance into trucking , the fly-by-nighters exist only for those drivers that can't get a decent job because of past bad , stupid choices they've made ....the Major outfits have been around for decades because they know how to treat drivers......HUGE difference.
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LMAO! ....you wanna know why the Teamsters exist? its because Major Companies DO NOT know how to treat drivers!

Most Major companies have been in business all these years because they have been SCREWING over drivers as long as they have been in business

Get you head out of from under your steer axle my boy

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Grumppy said: ↑

I have never abandoned a truck, but its not to say I wouldn't if the situation was right. I have learned to be a little more patient now at 55 years old, rather than when I was 25. But, I also have to say, I will put up with crap for a little while through my increased patience, but when I have been pushed long enough... when I have had all I'm gonna take... I'm done. Pushing me into a corner half way through a run ain't gonna get that load delivered for you.

Someone said that you should always deliver your load because the shipper isn't included in your beef with the dispatcher/boss/company etc. Its not my customer, its his (companies) customer. If its important to him to get that load delivered, he need to treat me like he needs it delivered. Otherwise....... well, anyway.

I'll treat you like you treat me.... & that's the end result. How this ends, depends on how you treat me. Again, it aint my customer... its your customer.
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Everything you said is EXACTLY how I think, feel and operate myself !!

Kudos and RIGHT ON!

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Tonythetruckerdude said: ↑

Why would you say it's not "your customer." You , the employee depend on your employer for a wage. A wage earned when you , the employee , deliver that customers product/service. If you don't deliver that product /service your employer doesn't get paid..... then by default he can't pay you.....sooooo , it "is" your customer.

Also......dont treat that customer with the respect they deserve ......see if they don't say you represent that employer....whether you say it or not , the fact remains you , the employee , and your boss , the employer , both of you have a direct relationship with that customer. It's a really simple and easy concept to learn/understand , once learned and practiced , you get to get and keep a really good job.......if not...Otherwise.....well, anyway.
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Drivers depend on the owners to be truthful and keep their word! ...like a marriage....if your wife cheated on you would you stay and put up with it ?

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

oops

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Rollin'Coal said: ↑

That's kinda funny, never crossed my mind to tear up anyone else's stuff that I didn't pay for. I just quit if I had to drive junk
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I wouldn't tear up equipment either....Just quit and report about my experience here in Truckers Report for others

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

Stone Express said: ↑

I have been asked to run 2 log books and take an illegal load across the border. Refused to do both, thought I was fired both times, but never heard another word about it, and ended up receiving nothing but respect.

I was even told when I left later by the owner, that I would always have a position waiting for me if I ever wanted to come back. When we throw our integrity out the window, expect to be treated accordingly.

I do not understand abusing equipment. I guess my World War II B17/24 mechanic Dad taught me better....
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you dropping bombs like Hiroshima

Hollywoodsaint · Jan 2, 2022

MercuryLine said: ↑

As a person who has their own trucking company and is looking to hire, I have to agree with your reasoning. Your previous employer sounds like a real ###. Im sorry this happened to you!
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Hey! you sound awesome! ...whats your info? I wanna check it out

Lennythedriver · Jan 2, 2022

I once got pissed off at dispatch and told him to get me a load back to the yard immediately and I was cleaning out the truck and quitting as soon as I got back. What did they do? Kept me running all around the country for three weeks straight. Avoiding the yard. Lol hoping I would change my mind. I didn’t say a word, I just kept running load after load. Gave me more time to line up my next job.

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