Good night from...

Consider signing for a lease truck. The pay is about the same as a company driver anyway, but the upside is freedom to take home time when you want, they can't give away your truck, you can take it to an outside vendor for work to be done on it, pets, and a large dose of pseudo respect and buttkissing from office staff.

Any other details? I love, I mean I hate gossip!

 

Because he took a leave of absence, trying to "punish" Swift for getting him home after his requested dates. He took an extra day for each day he was late getting home. I thought I remembered a statement like "taking 8 days off, so had to fill out a LOA form" and clean out the truck. Nowl he's finding out why it might not have been such a great idea.

For everybody (because I'm seeing some of this) If you need to be home on a specific date, set your home time for a couple of days before you need to be home. When home time gets close and you are sent preplans routing you the opposite direction, refuse the preplan and check "Hometime Request." A couple of times of this and you will most likely get something going the right direction. Don't buy the "we don't have anything else" excuse because some weekend guy is desperate to cover a load. If it's becoming a real probem, talk to the Fleet Manager....and work your way up the food chain.

Drivers are bullied by planners because they allow themselves to be. Planners and DMs get into the habit because drivers are afraid to set limits. It is possible to do this without hard feelings. It has to be done with tact. Of course, if you're a slacker crybaby, you won't get very good results. Not saying anyone here is. But put yourself in your DM's position and do a fair and realistic assessment of yourself. Would you want to work with you? Be persistent about your home time.

If it comes down to it, ask your DM where he or she puts their feet up each day...when's the last time they saw their kids....have they missed any really important family events.... Sometimes they forget we have people we love too...and need to be reminded.

 

well said

 

The only way someone can take advantage of you is if you let them! There are ways to make sure you are not taken advantage of without losing your temper. You don't always have to be nice, but you do have to be polite.

 

[jack]
at this point i'm not so worried about getting assigned another truck as i plan to go through the lease purchase program. i have no intention of making a lot of money, i just want to drive for a few weeks at a time then spend a few days walking the beach with the wife. i had tried all the company tricks with setting hometime a few days early and requesting specific loads/directions, but was still consistently late getting home. i just figure i live in a hard spot to hit with freight.
i get a lease truck, i spend three weeks out, request hometime in fontana, drop my mt and bobtail to san diego on my own dime. spend a few days with the wife, pick up a load out of otay mesa, and be on my way again. it's more cost effective than driving the car round-trip twice to fontana, and less frustrating than waiting for tractor assignment once a month. again, the intention is not to get rich, but to drive. [/jack]

 

chouteau, ok. loves off of u.s.69. finishing up my 34 reset.

 

That Loves has the best showers.

 

your not lying the water pressure will nearly take your hyde off. It felt good to actually get a shower that had water pressure.

 

Service plaza in Plattekill, NY. I think that time for my DM and me to have another talk again. She is forgetting that I am planning on going L/P on the 29th and made a comment today on the QC that I did not care for. Told me that she had a spare key to my truck, and I told her that if all goes well, will be turning in the truck next home time so can get the new truck, and her answer, we will see.