Refusing a load pissed your advice

Can't always fault truck troubles. For example, when I took over as the local driver here in Pittsburgh I got the old local truck. A 2008 Freightliner Columbia. The truck had been sitting in a repair facility yard for five months before I got it, completely out of fuel and out of inspection. And that is just where the trouble started. I had that truck for six weeks, and it was in the shop every blasted week. The final straw was when it started leaking exhaust fumes into the cab. Everybody got frustrated with me: the shop, dispatch, the load planners, EVERYBODY! What could I do? The darned truck just kept breaking down.

The company finally broke and switched me out to a 2011 Mack, and I couldn't be happier with my truck! And I've gone from being the "problem driver" to being a local driver and a part time office assistant. Like I said, can't always blame the drive for truck problems. Bad trucks happen, unfortunately.

That said, a driver who is constantly late, always has a poor attitude dealing with the company (and most likely the customers, as well), and refuses to abide by company policy (especially in terms of load securement, we pull flatbeds so that is critically important) and is just a general pain in the tailfeathers to deal with is not a driver who will be around for long. Patience is the key.

Just don't let the frustration in dealing with one PITA driver affect how you deal with the other drivers, is all. It's hard, I know, but well worth it when can keep a good driver happy and earning for both himself and for you.

 

I have 4 write ups for load refusal so far,no big deal.Plus there are many companies that are on a non force dispatch,if it comes to the termination you can always go work for one of them for an year.

 

My question is why did you give up the 2k mile load in the first place? Were you unable to make Delivery on time? If you could why did they pull it from you?

 

Could be the other driver needed to get home and that was the only thing to get him there

 

Communication. Again, it is critical.

As an example, if I assign a long load to a driver then split that load onto another truck with no explanation, my phone starts blowing up. But if I split that load and call the original driver and explain why I need to split it (another driver needs it to get home, driver emergency, whatever the reason is), the original driver generally understands and is willing to help out. It helps that we as a carrier don't split loads on a regular basis, and do our best to work with our drivers on hometime and family emergency issues.

 

It could be, it could be to help a dispatchers buddy too... But I don't know, that is why I asked the question rather than speculate, it could have been a lot of reasons, but more than likely it was only one reason... I am curious as to what that reason was, not what it could have been.

 

Split your break, deliver on time.

This is a lot of the reason I bought a Freightliner. Load refusal.

 

If you refuse the load due to safety, make sure it's in writing either on QC, text or email...Don't leave a "he said she said" situation...

 

Unfortunately a mega like Werner isn't always going to take the time to explain why...but I agree always nice to know. When I worked for a mega if I wasn't given a reason and it was a good load I would ask to stay on it. Sometimes it would at least get them to tell me why it was being swapped

 

you should be a little upset if you had a load and they took you off it for a load going into a major storm. some of your coworkers might be weather watchers and bailed off the load for some dumb reason,leaving you stuck with it. would press my dispatcher about it and if you get the usual dumb answers why you were on it. would b looking at that a lot harder instead of the hours of service. b safe out there