Quitting On The Road: The Proper Way:

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Powell-Peralta, Dec 23, 2007.

  1. Powell-Peralta

    Powell-Peralta Road Train Member

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    Ok, i bit of background:
    i've been a commercial driver for roughly 14 yrs. Most of my gigs have been local, thus if i wanted to quit it was relatively easy; Since you are back at the terminal every night it was easy to hand in the resignation letter and/or talk to the manager.

    On every OTR job i've had if i wanted to quit it was generally because i did not wish to run OTR anymore, not because of dissatisfaction with the company and/or proceedures AND in most every case the way that the companies that i drove for operated was that we would be back at the home terminal in a few days anyways. Thus, i generally had no problems with running a few extra loads before the time i would finally return to the home terminal.

    However, my question now is, let's say you run for a 48 state OTR carrier AND you want to quit immediately due to either a) dissatisfaction with the company and/or b) dissastisfaction with company personel, i.e., dispatchers playing favorites etc. and/or c) other bull$$#%#$t.

    How do you/would you handle it?

    In addition, please consider these three separate scenarios:
    a) for example assume you are in AZ and the main terminal is in Pa.
    b)Assume that you are in Az and there are several other terminals sprinkled around the country.
    c) Assume none of the above except that the main terminal is in pa.
     
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  3. Pur48Ted

    Pur48Ted Road Train Member

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    Wait until I have delivered the load I was under and quit. I have never worked for a major carrier so I was always at the home terminal when I did this.
     
  4. Powell-Peralta

    Powell-Peralta Road Train Member

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    Let's say for example the last load you deliver will be in ,say, Arizona.

    The main terminal is in, let's say, Pa. and let's say you also live in Pa.

    Are you saying to just deliver the AZ load and leave the truck in AZ at the reciever's or at a nearby truckstop?
     
  5. panhandlepat

    panhandlepat Road Train Member

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    NO!! that is considered "abandonment". you must turn in the truck to a place they approve (usually a terminal) or they will slap that on your DAC
     
  6. truckin916

    truckin916 Medium Load Member

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    Well what I did was waited until my next hometime. Then I didn't have to worry about getting the truck to a terminal or having them put me out of the truck while away and charge for an abandoned vehicle.

    Got back to my terminal, cleaned out my truck, enjoyed my hometime and turn in my resignation without notice. It isn't on my DAC and I didn't have a problem getting a new job. This after spending only two months at Schneider.
     
  7. panhandlepat

    panhandlepat Road Train Member

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    worked out good for ya then. i live several hundred miles from the closest terminal though LOL. not an option for me if/when i decide to move on.
     
  8. truckin916

    truckin916 Medium Load Member

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    Gotcha, yea that could be an issue. Might be cheaper to quit when you are at that terminal, if you ever are...at least then they can't try and charge you for picking up your truck...Good luck to you!
     
  9. panhandlepat

    panhandlepat Road Train Member

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    pretty dang happy for my first (almost) year, so far. thx
     
  10. Joethemechanic

    Joethemechanic Medium Load Member

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    You should consider arson. There is no better cure for dissatisfaction with an employer than burning his equipment. Just don't do something stupid and get caught.

    I would tell you how to do it but, I gave out instructions on another site and the mods deleted them.
     
  11. myminpins

    myminpins Road Train Member

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    SO you were there only two months? That's okay but I'd NEVER quit without notice if I were anywhere for any length of time - it doesn't look good when you next apply for a job. You should always try to give two weeks' notice or so if you can.

    Glad it worked out for you, though. You were only there two months, you got the truck back to the terminal where it belonged so you did everything right and by the book.
     
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