Great Plains Transport - A company that cares about drivers... NO BS.

I was going to tell y'all about my jersey experience, but don't feel like typing out that book. I will just say I think they need to get rid of rob and find someone who knows what they are doing in the ne. That is the only place I have any issues. I will be in the yard for my break tomorrow and will try to have a talk with mike about some of the little things they can do to improve life for the drivers. I think if I can come up with ten things they may consider one. Does anyone else have an issue with the truck getting stuck in overspeed and it times out no matter how slow you go? Mine seems to do it when I down-shift going up a hill and then 30 min down the road the engine light will flash and no more 70 even though was driving under 65. They had frieghtliner reprogram it, but still does it.

 

I've had that happen a few times with mine too when I never even intended to bump it up and never really figured out what I did to start the timer and why it kept running while on 65 cruise.

I've since developed a habit of slowing to 63 and then checking to make sure 65 is tops if/when I do intentionally get the speed and I'm done, or I do anything that -might- have inadvertently started the timer. It's just funny that way and I wish there was a dash menu option to show time remaining and if high-speed is in or off

 

I think its more because the timer watches the rpm rather than ground speed.

I will agree I've had my share of frustration with the NE dispatching, mostly it's the constant missing information on dispatches, especially pickup and delivery numbers. I got lucky with the Syracuse-Phoenix run, even though when they changed the delivery appointment to something more sane, The assistant put me on a route going on two lane roads going right through the mountain range just NE of Phoenix. They need to understand that just because it's an appointment time it doesn't mean push the driver in super early just to wait. So far this month has been good. Personally I think the NE stuff was better when Bob was doing that area.

 

If I am done using it. I will slow down to 63 or so just for a second and bump cruise back up to 65 sometimes it will still be able to to go past, then I will try it a couple more times.

If it still doesn't work then there are really only 2 options. The 'best' option isn't really a good one.

 

Just got done delivering here in upstate ny, then headed to the petro to get a wash out to get rid of the smell in the trailer, but unfortunately my 70 is too low to get to my usual home parking location, and DOT is out here like sharks on a shipwreck. Just about every rest area on I86,(they got the X-ray machine out at Kanona), a full level 1 set up at the corner of 20&14a in Geneva, and the fire house right near this Petro.... I think this state must be competing with California!!. Then again I'm home a bit early and got the ok to come back on the road right after my ENT appointment. So it's been working out good this month. Anyone running NYS will need to have their p's and q's lined up. Luckily I was able to get past that Geneva weenie roast while they were on a donut break(Bwahahahaha ).

 

Well, this should be interesting. Delivered last night south of Atlanta, and of course no load until morning. Then got dispatched on a load picking up about an hour and a half to the north, then going out to southern Washington state Thursday evening and told "your gonna have to run at least 670 miles a day to get this one.... What an adventure this became already. Lost time getting into the shipper, spent another 3 hours getting loaded, then left with barely enough on that 14 hour clock to make it as far as Kentucky. Illinois was going to be out of the question with a thin clock since they are cracking down this week. Messaged in and called the southern dispatch(people shifted around and it's more new people again), let them know the delivery might get messy with the whole plan falling apart. Of course Atlanta and nashville(crashville!!) got into the act with their traffic snarl ups. Then once I get a chance to look at the forecast, looks like Wyoming and western Nebraska are gonna be real fun with this 17k load.....

 

To sit there and tell a driver you're going to have to 670mi a day to get there on time...would've told them..not gonna happen..set proper appt times.

 

I told them today.... Got told to call in the morning but I it's difficult for the consignee to change appointments. Plus it's also burning up my 70 with no recap available until the next night. I might have to have a talk with Mike so I'm hoping to get through the yard. Up until this week is I'd been having a good month. Im standing my ground on this one... Then again this isn't the first time or company I've had dispatchers and brokers do this kind of thing, where they figure if the truck goes 65mph, then dispatch at that speed. That pretty much puts the load at risk of being late if the driver hits any delays at all. At least with a 55-58 mph average there is a chance of recovering from a small delay.

 

Rule #1 ... When a desk donkey tells driver HOW TO DRIVE TRUCK, tell that desk donkey to drive the truck themselves or SHUT THE HELL UP ! (Once You Commit To The Load Time-Lines...It Is Drivers Problem)

 

I'd just tell them when I'd be there and if that doesn't work for them then they'll figure something out.