Best way to leave a company?

First take everything out of the truck that you can live without or don't want to leave behind. Then hand in a written two weeks notice keep a copy for yourself. Talk to your dispatcher or driver manager, explain why you're leaving and that you don't want to burn any bridges. Sometimes companies will try to work with a GOOD driver to keep them since the cost of hiring a driver is around $3000.00. I understand why some companies won't allow a driver who they know wants to leave to work out a notice. There is a chance that the equipment will be damaged, deserted, or loads won't be delivered on time. The reasoning is that the driver really doesn't have much to loose other than a reference and the company has a lot at stake. I think it's a great sign of your professionalism to want to give a notice and more drivers should. Good luck

 

I gave notice at my last employer and all it got me was a sudden we have no more work for you statement from the boss.

I interviewed for my new job on a Monday and was offered the job pending my background check and previous employment stuff coming back clean. My new boss asked me to NOT put in my notice until I heard back from him, just in case. I heard back from him on Thursday of that same week.
I was scheduled to make a pickup for the then current job early that Thursday morning, bring that back to the yard, drop it, go do a short bulk tanker job, then go deliver what I picked up in the morning for a 2 pm delivery... I go get the pick up and get the call from my new boss that everything looked good and I told him I could start a week from Friday. When I get back after the first pick up the dispatcher tells me the company owner wants to speak to me... OK, no big deal, I now needed to talk to him about putting my notice in anyway. The owner is in the dispatch office and tells the dispatcher to just have me go deliver the load I'd just picked up, 4.5 hours early and to not worry about the bulk load. I figured they had received the fax from the new job and were now going to fire me when I got back being the reason for having me deliver that load so early to a consignee that rarely ever takes loads early. I used the time waiting, only about an hour and a half surprisingly, at the consignee to get my truck ready to be cleaned out. I got back to the yard and was pulled into a side office where the operations manager, not the owner, asked me what was going on, that they had received a fax about the new job. I gave him my reasons for looking for a new job (low pay and crappy equipment) and gave him a one week and a day notice. He tells me he's sorry things didn't work out and that they had me set up on a short bulk run first thing the next morning and then another longer run after that.
I went and did the short run Friday morning and go back into the dispatch office for my next assignment where the dispatcher tells me that's all he has for me for the day and the following week looks really slow as well. So I made the decision then and there to cut my losses and get my fuel card, keys and PPE turned in then so I wouldn't be playing the call in and get no work game with them.

So while many of us feel we should do the "right" thing when leaving a job, it doesn't always mean it does you any good. It worked out in my favor as I was able to start my new job a week earlier than I had originally expected.

 

If they were going to let you go would they give you a two week notice? I think not, you may think cabwrecker made all that crap up I assure it happens they are afraid that will happen again. In truth thats all you are doing is letting them go, you no longer need there services.

 

For me there's two criteria I look at. Fist is size of company and second is how well I've been treated.
If I was at a company the size of Swift I'd leave with knowing 100 other drivers can pull the slack. A company with 2 drivers I'd be much more likely to to stay a bit. Same with how I've been treated. Treated well and I'd stay longer. Treated like crap and I don't care if I'm the only drive with loads waiting, I'll leave.

Also don't let someone try and brainwash you into thinking it's morally wrong to not give a two week notice. Most companies will fire an employee with no notice. All you are doing is firing the company with little to no notice.

-Steven

 

Give two weeks notice no matter how the company has treated you. Do NOT take the truck to one of their terminals and abandon it without prior notice. Companies can and do charge you on your DAC report for abandoning your truck which makes you nearly untouchable to most good carriers. YOUR good reputation is all that matters. You sound like you like this company and if it doesn't work out at the next place you might want to come back.

I own and run a very small trucking company. If you just drop it on them and walk away you could be very, very sorry with little or no recourse.

These drivers that are telling you to just walk away from the truck are giving you bad advice. Don't do it!

Most companies need drivers right now and they'll likely run you the two full weeks. You could ask for a run near home with a promise on your part to run out the two full weeks. Most companies know the score and many will try to work with you. Remember, if you've been a good/faithful/dependable driver THEY would want you back someday so it's in their best interest to part on good terms with you.

Many companies have a "left on good terms/eligible rehire" code for their termination paperwork. When your final day comes ask your FM if all is in order with regards parting on good terms and if you're eligible for rehire someday. THAT should tell you all you need to know about what they'll be putting on your exit DAC report.

Do the right thing. THAT never fails!

 

I personally never had an abandonment for dropping the trk off at carriers drop yard or terminal.When I have quit otr companies it was always a finely the last straw and then decided to quit and ask dispatcher to get me to the terminal im done.But it is always good to read the policy handbook thoroughly,some companies will get you for abandonement without a 2 weeks notice.Heard Swift did that to a driver awhile back.Ill see if I can find that thread.

 

This one is easy. Finish your delivery, take your truck to your employer's terminal, give them the keys, head for the gate.

Most companies I know of use the famous "at will employment." They can discharge a driver for any reason at any time. You enjoy the same privelege. If you want to use them for referral purposes? Forget that - you quit. Truck companies that need experienced drivers aren't going to be very concerned about your prior relationships, future relationships - in fact, trucking isn't big on relationship building or "positive feedback." Trucking is more about Darwinism - performance based. If you can drive, take care of your equipment, lots of companies will be more than glad to give you a seat. Trucking is all about loads delivered on time. That's why we get paid for miles rolled or percentage of delivered cargo. The rest is for TV shows or church on Sunday.

 

Exactly. In fact, my current General Manager while interviewing me, told me that he did not care about hearing about who I had previously worked for, if I quit or was fired, etc... All he cared about was that my driving record and background check came back clean.

 

Just step out the back jack..make a new plan stan..dont need to discuss much..just drop off the keys lee..and set yourself free..

Sorry...

 

Gave my (training) company my 2 weeks and basically got an apathetic Lumberg style "Mmm yeah, were gonna have to route you back,"