Stevens Transport aviary

Hey Smoke - what type of truck did you get? Does Stevens outfit their trucks well or are they a plain jane model?

 

Today was quite the frustrating day here in the Stevens world. This morning I was scheduled to pick up a pre-loaded trailer and start my new trip. While doing the pre-trip on the trailer I discovered it had a bent rim and another tire that was completely bald.

I called Road Rescue and they told me to take it to the nearest TA. Once I made it to the TA I sent in the breakdown message. After that the qualcomm starts beeping. It was a message telling me I needed to immediately call safety because of the bent rim.

I call safety. In a somewhat condescending voice "Driver, can you tell me what happened?". Once he learned that I was merely doing a pre-trip on a trailer that I was just assigned to and had nothing to do with the damage he seemed kind of disappointed. After that I was transferred to insurance who asked for more information and hung up.

I don't know what the communicaiton process (or lack thereof) is in
Dallas but something needs to change. At first it seemed as if the blame for the damage to the rim was headed my way until I was able to explain that I found the trailer that way.

Four long and frustrating hours later I am finally on my way. I really wish whoever had the trailer before me would have had the damage fixed. This would have saved me several hours of just sitting in the sweltering 95 degree heat and explaining myself to safety.

 

Sounds about the same where I am, except we have the (sister/brother) T2000's. Only difference is we do have a refridgerator in them and the touch-less fifth wheel.

Stay safe!

 

I did let safety know what had happened. Have had this argument with operations before, and as far as they are concerned, the load being on time comes first, and the other driver could make on time delivery, I could not on my original load.

So operations rewards a bad driver by giving him more miles, while I set for a day to get repairs....tried to get some breakdown pay, but that did not happen either.

One of my pet peeves, that I have had many discussions about, but the load ****must**** delivery on time. I think the other driver with the bad trailer should be fined for my day of no pay, and that be paid to me for taking care of his BAD decision.

 

I have never heard of Stevens contacting the previous driver...they complain about drivers not taking care of the trailers, but do NOTHING about it, but reward the drivers with more miles that do NOT stop to take care or needed repairs. If you know they have contacted previous drivers, that would be great news.

I have dealt with that attitude of safety myself, and it really pisses me off. I just got this trailer, I did not do the damage, so stop trying to blame me. Communication at Dallas is like The old days of Kingdoms, Kings, Princes, Lords, Dukes, and surfs...each with their own castle and their little area to protect. Well except for the surfs, US.

 

Laredo, I know there were 2 upset drivers when I pulled in at 3pm, and pulled back out with an empty and a load at 6pm. They both were waiting for a trailer to cross, and had been for more than a day. The one was not upset with me, as we walked out to look for his trailer, and I went to check my QC. Had a message to grab an empty, and then call for dispatch.

Walked the yard, did not find his trailer, but found 4 empties, 2 that smelled so bad that death warmed over would have been a better smell...full of blood... third trailer had blood, but it was still liquid, so no smell yet, but the 4th one was clean, with 3/4 tank fuel. Hook up to it, and call...as Thermo King pulls up to work on the trailer...I had started the pretrip, but it had not started. Needed a new battery, and an alternator belt. He did a compete service while he was there.

The other driver walked out and asked me who did I call to get a load so fast...I said, "nobody, just checked my QC and there it was." He asked the other driver that I walked the yard with, and he confirmed, I had made no phone calls. It was a 4 pick produce load from McAllen TX, to Pearsall TX, with a delivery in Kansas. Not a great run, but keeps me working.

A newer company driver was complaining about his miles, and his out of route percentage. A whopping 16%....I have never been over 10%, and now i run 2 to 4%. He did not understand that he was costing himself money, by working for free 16% of the time. On a 1000 mile trip he is driving 3 more hours than he needs to. 3 hours he will never get back....

Then he bragged how he had not logged the time or miles from laredo to dolores and back...The QC knows, and reports it even if you dont.

He has a lot to learn, but will not listen, and thinks he is beating the system. And he was not a young kid. Oh well he will be another one saying how Stevens treated him badly and did not pay him for all his miles.

It is going to be an unproductive weekend for me though...

I will be setting in Hutchinson KS Sunday, for my delivery on Monday at 1600. offered my services to help with other loads, but nothing. So any of you coming out of the Meat patch sunday, wave as you go by on US 50.

 

Greetings!

Spent the last couple of days reading over this thread. Seems like the same old same old for a trucking company I suppose. I'm a former Pumpkin driver and am thinking of going OTR again.

I've always appreciated the way Stevens seems to maintain their equipment. Decent equipment is something one can not underestimate in its importance!