Truck shortage

Most terminals have trucks available depending where your out of. The bigger ones have more and new ones. I think being fresh out you get what you get and maybe a new one down the line. I havent seen just heard about newbies getting new trucks. I'm fresh out and have a Freightliner Columbia with 660000 miles no apu and the first qualcomm ever made. But I made due she ran like a champ and we got the job done. You go into a fleet you have a truck more quick than if you want your own.

 

I'm meeting newbies constantly with newer trucks.

 

you need you FM to plant a seed with the truck assignment guy. Sure he keeps it first come first serve, but that doesn't mean that you can't get on his good side. His job is to hand out trucks, you can try to persuade him to be partial towards your drivers. It aint that hard to do, sure you're not always going to get what you want, but the office staff's job is to work the system. Friend up to the planners, friend up the shop, friend up to safety. It's all politics, well other than the part where you dispatch drivers. Than again, that's all a game of give and take. Make the driver feel like they are getting something special, when it's really just business as usual. Learn people's hot buttons and work them, the world of trucking is pretty much all mind games (well the office side of things anyways, the drivers and mechanics are the only ones that actually work)

 

well hopefully my MPG issue gets solved sometime this week...I tightened some stuff maint missed...maybe that will improve things...(hopefully)...

I see more NOOBs with new trucks than I see the experienced guys with new trucks...but if you look at it we all will eventually get a Newer truck (not brand new but new to you LOL) hopefully they get it all figured out here eventually...cause we have some ugly looking ones on the road..

 

I'm with Meltom on this one. Thinks its some politics and also some timing. My FM was given a truck to give to his team and I was in Marshfield where the truck was. I got the truck.
Now on the brown nosing part, I did plant the seed that I needed something with an APU or a new truck as I didn't have an APU. And I don't #$!@% and complain, just run what they give me and ask for more...

 

yeah complaining doesn't help......I just tell my FM about maint.. issues and she gets me taken care of the best she can...maybe sometime Maint, will say sorry..call your FM your truck is FUBAR...but I am not holding my breath since she is still one of the youngest girls at the prom mileage wise for her age...so I will hang on to her for awhile...just as long as she doesn't leave me on the side of the road I am happy...

 

I went to a safety meeting and got a new truck.......I thought that was how it worked.

 

Wait six months....the newbie will be gone, average stay in trucking is not long!

 

They have an entire row of new Silver Flatbed and red "door swinger" trucks. Start speaking softly whispering sweet nothings into your FM's ear and you just might get one.

 

Does any one have pics of the new flatbed trucks to post?