pesky dispatchers?

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by strongworx, Jan 8, 2007.

  1. strongworx

    strongworx Light Load Member

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    Im thinking about getting my CDL.I am wondering,as a company driver,are you constantly being bothered by dispatchers while you are en-route?I hear that CB`s are nasty and bothersome so Id probably turn mine down if not off.How do they contact you?CB only?Do they have tracking devices too?If so,do they get on your case when you stop for mother nature?I dont know anything about it. thanks
     
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  3. luvmyhubby

    luvmyhubby Road Train Member

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    Sidney MI
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    If hubby's dispatcher needs to contact him he will send q-com and tell him to call, hubby calls him every afternoon to get next load info.......they dont bother him at all. His company has his cell phone number and any port or anybody else for that matter can call him if need be.......

    Answering the call of mother nature is not an issue UNLESS your one of those guys that spends more time in the truck stop than the truck, nobody where hubby works has ever got on him about the time he stops to eat/answer mother nature...:toothy4:
     
  4. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    Lot of companies have Qualcomm. They also know if the truck is moving or not. I was sitting at a RR crossing waiting on a slow moving train one time in Chicago. Got this annoying beep. Ckecked my message, dispatch told me I had better get rolling. I had a "hot load" that needed delivered on time. I sent back " should I wait till the train clears the tracks?" :p
     
  5. strongworx

    strongworx Light Load Member

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    Jan 5, 2007
    florida
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    ok,I went and googled qcomm,saw a pic.Guess its all typed then?Maybe a beep to get your attention?No voice?I didnt see a microphone.Please explain.How do you take your eyes off the road to read/write on that thing?By the way,liked the train reply,I think I could come up with a few creative ones myself.
     
  6. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    The qualcomm is like an email. It does beep to get your attention. Most companies you have to stop moving to use the qualcomm if you are a solo driver. If you are a team or a trainer the shotgun can respond. They are nice in a way, but a pain in other ways. I like them if I am having a problem with a dispatcher. They will say call me. The reason is they are trying to cover their backside. On qualcomm you can delete what they send you, but they can't delete what you send them. If they want to talk on the phone it sometimes raises a red flag with me.

    Them knowing where the truck is at all times does not bother me. They being able to be a back seat driver from several states away (like the train ordeal) tends to send me out on a limb! :laughing2:
     
  7. strongworx

    strongworx Light Load Member

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    Jan 5, 2007
    florida
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    cool,I wouldnt mind either.Its safer they know where ya are.I just saw some posts about dispatchers being a pain.Guess that had nothing to do with qcomm,more like driving you hard and re/scheduling issues.Im trying to imagine myself in the seat as much as possible and gain as much understanding before I even go to school.I think it might be the best way for me to save money for retirement.Im 43.
     
  8. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    How about when you get that beep while you are trying to rest?
     
  9. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    I turn it down when I am napping.:toothy6:
     
  10. strongworx

    strongworx Light Load Member

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    Jan 5, 2007
    florida
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    I understand there are hot spots for connecting to the internet.What I dont know is how it works.Is it something that ties into your cell phone?Like,how does it connect?How much does it cost?Which provider/s do you reccommend?Is it as slow as dial up or somewhere in between that and broadband(cable)?Real curious about this one.
     
  11. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

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    Are you still talking about the qualcomm here? If so it is not like your laptop. There is nothing to connect. All I ever had was a cell and qualcomm. Never had a laptop in my truck. You would need to ask some of these other drivers about that. Heck when I started driving all I had back then was the dime to drop in the payphone! :mrgreen:
     
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