Stevens Transport Aviary . . cont'

Are you driving for TWT?

 

No, Produce Supply Express.

 

3,186 miles is 7 days. All thanks to Emul. Seriously though. Thanks for getting me off that ridiculous load. And turning my week around.

 

Thank YOU for helping us on that load.
Glad I could be of assistance.

 

From the driver side, its incredibly annoying that so few choose to wear the common sense hat on the road. It makes the job of those who are aware and who are honest that much harder. Our miles the past few weeks have suffered because himself has been sick. At first it was food poisoning, and it delayed us because I am a sympathetic hurler. Then he got the flu, and being sore and achy just meant he wasnt getting the miles in the way he usually does. One good day meant a day down to recover. I tell ya that to tell ya this... when the DM or dispatch or planners call to check on the load, its hard for them to accept illness when so many drivers fake illness because they dont want to go there or dont want to do that. Too many cry wolf and justify it as good for their business. When the legitimate issue arises, however, who wants to believe them?

Needless to say, the reverse is true. While I was begging everyone to get us back to the yard so I could get him to a doctor, I got a lot of "just take this load and I will have a truck there to repower you closer to Dallas" but when I picked up, and called about the repower, no one knew anything about it. Got that a couple of times. But, and this is a big one, I dont have a problem with that. Only because I know something happened at some point somewhere that necessitated a bit of finageling in order to get that particular load moving. The planner this came from isnt known for prevarication.

We got back to the yard, and got himself to the doctor, who told us, after looking at his mouth, to get himself to the dentist NOW. We did, and himself got 5 teeth pulled. Its not always the illness we think it is. When I told my DM, he seemed surprised that the illness was genuine enough to require that kind of drastic action to resolve.

All that to say this... it really blows that honesty is so rare that neither side tends to believe the other. It really blows that common sense is such a scarce commodity that both sides have to protect against the repurcussions of its absence. -exits soapbox-

 

You'd be surprised at the number of flu cases approaching NYC.
You're right...it's hard to believe. Veracity can only be judged by a driver's history and those that know you.
And unfortunately, far too many DMs just don't care.
One of the most common calls on Saturdays is the newer drivers saying something like, "my DM told me the weekend crew would find a repower" or "My DM said the weekend crew would get me home."
I've even had drivers call my extension direct and say, "My DM said you were going to handle this."
Just remember...if you pick up a load...you OWN it! I don't care what anyone told you. Unless you can trust that person, that is your load to the end.
To paraphrase that famous philosopher, Herb Tarlick..."I'm a DM...I LIED!"

 

I don't know how many times I would be told, the weekend crew will repower it, just get it moving...I learned to ignore that promise.

One time on a friday afternoon, I get asked if I could help get a guy home... I was in Vernon Tx, with a load headed to Roberts LA. The guy needing to get home is at the loves in Hillsboro TX.

Since I detest the walmart in Roberts, I agree to help, but my day is done, out of hours. I like to start my shifts at 3 and 4 am... The DM says okay, I will set it up and send the info your way...

Never heard from him again, so No repower info on the qcalm, I go to bed, get up before the sun, and roll on..

Phone rings from stevens, Saturday morning, ask how come I had not switched with the driver in hillsboro? I stated never got the information, so I rolled...
Could I still switch with him, sure if you will pay the additional miles for me to backtrack....
Why, where are you?
I am in Terrell....

Click clack, no way can I authorize those extra miles on a walmart load...

I then said have to other driver meet me at the TA in Terrel, I will wait for him...

I stopped at the TA, and waited... After an hour, I called back to see what was going on, and the other driver was refusing to drive to terrell.... Guess he really did not want to get home...

Not always the DM lied, but another driver refused.

 

Texas DPS License Office....confusing instructions....ugghh...had to go to 2 different offices to start testing....they gave information conflicting each other...

 

Can anyone driving for Stevens give me an idea of what to realistically expect for miles and loads, length of time out, and how often I would get home for someone like me living in southwest Florida? I've heard with Stevens to expect to be out 4-6 weeks. I'll be going to private CDL school in a week or so.

 

expect 5 to 6 weeks out, miles to start will avg around 2500 and go up from there as you show that you will deliver ontime and safely. then up into the 2800 mile a week range.