OTR deliveries..

There are different types of loads. Sometimes the dispatch times do not acurately reflect the actual window in which the load must be delivered. For example, my company dispatches the delivery time based on how much time the computer says it will take to get there. The delivery window might be any time on Monday, but my info says Monday at 0900. If I can't make it by then they will say OK.

Sometimes a load is "hot" and must be delivered by the appt time. Then, if I can't make it, they might have me relay it.

Sometimes the load needs to be picked up on time, but the delivery time is more flexible, or the other way around.

There are tons of variables at play here. The important thing is to let dispatch know what's going on. As long as you've done that you've covered yourself.

 

Okay, let someone with more than a year answer your question, who has run JIT. NO LOAD IS WORTH DYING OR KILLING FOR, PERIOD!!!
1.) If the load parameters can't be met safely by you as the driver, refuse it. Period. JIT or not. The proper scheduling is not the driver's responsibility prior to accepting the load.
2.) Poor planning on the company part (shipper, carrier, receiver) does not an emergency on my part make. Period.
3.) If I, as a driver can not make that load safely it is my DUTY to refuse it regardless of the consequences. Better I be fired than jailed.

And since it is so important, then someone up the planning tree should be fired for screwing it up. As a driver it is OUR responsibility to act like grown ups and tell the boss NO!, when appropriate. Company drivers especially... this is where you grow a pair.

Your option is to be intimidated into taking a load you know you can't make, just so someone in the office can be off the hook because he was busy playing on his computer or bs'ing around the secretary instead of doing his job. Then when you get in an accident they will tell you it was your responsibility to refuse it. There is no middle ground here. This is also why EOBR's have been ruled against for just this reason. The capability of companies harassing drivers based on information they think is realistic, not you.

Your job is to refuse the load and put the ball in the dispatchers court. Unless they, and I presume you are a Qualcomm user, give you the okay on the Qualcomm that it can be late (not via the phone) you are not required to accept the load. Period. When they change the conditions, you also have the responsibility to refuse it then also. Have done that before too.

 

^^^^^What he said. If you have qualcom get it in writing so to speak. Even if you have forced dispatch and they do not acknowledge your comment that you cannot deliver on time. It will be on record that you reported you could not deliver on time and attempted to contact dispatch about the issue before you accepted the load.

 

Some of these comments just reinforce to me, that you are exactly where you need to be... Company drivers.... I guess I'm in a different mindset because I've got more than a paycheck riding on whether or not I deliver on time, I've got my reputation that I've worked hard to build with companies and brokers that, I don't even get check called any more, because they know if it's on my truck, it's gonna be there....

How many of you that preach about not being able to "safely" deliver, stop off at the truckstop and BS around watching tv, or listening to truckers tales for hours on end?? You mean to tell me that you couldn't "safely" drive those extra hours? Or you just want something else to complain about on the forum about how your company is so unfair.... Now, I've been in the position where I got up at 6am, and booked a load at 5pm that I had to get on right away. I understand that you get tired, I do too... But I can function just fine on a 4 hour nap, and get back rolling to make delivery.

I see the HOS a couple different ways.. Unions pushing to get their people less work for more pay, and the government intervention to set a blanket policy for everyone because some drivers just won't stop when they are beyond their limits. I don't drive beyond my limits.. I might drive beyond Uncle Sams limits, but they just don't work for me... If I stop at my 11 hrs driving, then I will turn into that driver in the truckstop BSing for hours on end. I'm not out here to BS, I'm here to make money, and that doesn't happen in a truckstop.

Rant over.

 

caxpt went overboard assuming that i would kill trying to get a JIT load delivered and dissected my post a bit much,reading way too deeply into my post. It made for good reading for some of you out there plus he was able to espouse HIS particular style of getting the job done.or not.

I am elated that my post made such an impact.I am not a proponent of elogging,qualcoms,big companies,or big brother.It reads as if caxpt is,I am riding the fence here so i may be wrong.difficult to ascertain even after reading his post several times. Service,in a safe and legal manner naturally,sells and that is why when service counts,smaller outfits excell.Merely an example of two different driving styles and perspectives,truck set up, and knowing our personal limitations.None of us would be out here for very long if safety was not paramount and i never declared that i drive in an unsafe manner nor that i drive illegally in order to satisfy the demands of unrealistic expectations.

I simply gave my opinion on JIT and opened myself up to debate.that is what this forum provides-

 

I'm with you Sixth gear. I believe the 11 hour limit is complete bs. Hell 11 hours is just starting the day in my opinion

 

And how are you different from a Company driver that does the same thing?

This was assumptive and a feeble attempt to inflame and be condescending, that has nothing to do with the point which was bad company scheduling and a drivers dealing with it.

Yeah, I see things different ways too. Because of mindsets like that, the rest of us suffer when that one time you thought you were in control and you aren't, and you kill someone...then we get to deal with more of the carnage that mindset creates.

I doubt it.

 

You sir, as well as others with your same logic, are exactly why everyone is going to have an EOBR in there truck some day soon. Enjoy.

 

No one ever assumes they're starting their day to kill someone, but garsh, it just seems to happen.

Simply stepping in because you made condescending assumptions about the driver, in a situation that occurs way to often at those employers than it should, considering their mantra of safety. If you're fortunate not to have to work at one of those companies, congrats.

Advising someone on how to respond to a situation appropriately considering the legal ramifications does not make me a proponent of said legal conditions, but merely someone trying to help someone deal appropriately with the conditions other drivers (violating 11 hour driving time) cause for the rest of us.

JIT is no different than any other freight, with one exception; planning for it to be delivered earlier and on time by appropriately scheduling it so, and that is not the driver's job and as such isn't for him to worry about with one exception and that's to CYA.