CRETE - A Year in Review

Hopefully he will bring refreshments

 

I ended up with about 2850 this week. Short week this next one (thank goodness), then flying to NM for a family get-together on Wednesday. Seven days off is just what I need right now. Tuesday will be the 49th day out. Never before....never again.

 

Anyone know if the Sam's DC in Greenfield, Indiana is strictly appointment offloads?

 

I've been there, but don't recall. most Sam's are strictly apt. try giving them a call, never hurts.

 

I made 2840 this week, plus a short trip pay and a stop pay, so not too bad. still averaging 10700 miles per month even after only 8700 in July, as I took vacation and only worked about 20 days in July. I'm about 1000 miles ahead of last year, which makes me happy. hope everyone has a good weekend.

 

Yes, appointment and live unload. The closest place to park is the Pilot in Mt. Comfort or around the old Steel City.

 

xlsdraw, there's also the large rest areas close by


Sitten' in Franklin, TN with a Monday del. at wally world in Robert, LA. I had a fun time this morning. I unloaded in Marion, IN last night and was given a next morning pick up in Marion. I get there and they say hey you also have to go 3.5 miles down the road to our other whs for the rest of the load but there's only one stop on the load assignment so I get ahold of dispatch. It's news to them so they say how far...blah blah....wait...wait..no reply. I am loaded and waiting for the dude to drive his paperwork back over to the other whs and get their paperwork and they print out my paperwork and he drives it back. Meanwhile I give up and call to figure out how to log this and whether I get paid. I get them on the phone and then passed to three people. Finally I get the CSR and she tells me she will make sure I get stop pay. I kindly ask her to qcom that to me and she does. So we'll see if I get paid. So four hours after I get to whs number one I am loaded and heading down the road

 

Actual example of Crete insanity torture treatment: On Friday, I get a pplan delivering to ACE Hardware Princeton, says appointment Saturday 2200-2200. My ETA is 1300 so I call the customer as soon as I'm loaded on Friday. They are surprised and say "We aren't even open then. We close at 2:30p". They take my number and say they will call me back after something is worked out.

i get a call back from a very nice gentleman who says to drop in door 55 when I arrive and also that they won't have any empties. I message Crete Friday afternoon to enquire about this situation. No response. I qualcomm again and again every 45 minutes but no response. I even woke up in the middle of the night and sent a message. Total number of messages sent: 7. Responses: 0.

i wake up at 0400 and message again before I depart. Several hours into my day i finally get a response telling me that after I'm empty to take trailer XYZ to Lafayette Schaffer yard and then pick up a new trailer at Wabash. I respond "But trailer XYZ is a drop and ACE said they don't have any empties" (told me they sent the last one to Colorado with pumps for the flood). Crete dispatch responds back nonsensically: "just take empty XYZ to Lafayette after unloading."

I arrive at ACE and am told just like the day before to break the seal and drop in door 55. The guy looks around and says "oh, I didn't think we had any empties but there is one over there, trailer ABC, let me go check it". It is indeed empty and after I drop my loaded trailer in the door (there is no unloading crew there, just the guy in the office), I go hook up to empty ABC.

i message Crete about the situation and they respond: "yes, as the qualcomm says, take empty XYZ to Lafayette". I respond "Hello? I don't have XYZ, that was a drop. I have empty ABC. Should I take it to Lafayette?". No response for a half hour so I just take off. Of course right after I am at full speed on the highway, they send a message. I can't decipher it listening to the computer voice, so I call dispatch (an absolute last resort for me because I despise them so much). Sure enough the lady I talk to is super patronizing and snarky and says "You need to go back and get the correct trailer". I tried to explain the situation to her and she says "you'll have to talk to your asset manager", then transfers me (mind you this is now Saturday afternoon). I go to the hold music for 8 minutes, then it goes to voice mail!! Sorry, but these idiots missed their chance to work at Abu Ghraib. Needless to say, I can't wait to give my two weeks notice on Monday.

 

Ralph, that is just a rediculous situation. I have been considering leasing my truck on somewhere and your experience illustrates why I am considering anybody but Crete.

 

The company would be great (as it once was IMHO) if they just got rid of the completely idiotic amateurs in dispatch.