Sneaky Company!!!

Thanx for the information, Vick W, but I don't think there's any dispute that driving slower will save fuel by increasing MPG, but rather that a company would turn their Big trucks down without telling their drivers of their intent, or actually doing so, unannounced.

 

I agree. I was just answering someones question on average mph. Someone else posted about loss of money from the miles being turned down. I was replying showing that is not the case. I do apologize though, it is off topic for what this thread was originally intended.

Wes

 

And what system do you get those diags from? Qualcomm? XATA? Transcore? Something else?

 

It is Qualcomm that is used to send the data back. The onboard computers are what keeps track of it.

 

Don't fret about being a tad off topic, Wes. I found the information to be very interesting, and I'm thinkin' other's will also.
Thanx!

I just wish information like that had been available to me when I was driving a Big truck. All I had to go on was figuring the miles I drove divided by the amount of fuel consumed for a rough idea of MPG. I would have enjoyed being able to break it all down like that.

A quick question though, --- how many drivers do you reckon actually take the time to digest all that information? From my experience, too few would even care. Which, I think, is at least part of the problem. They want to make more money, but they're not willing to even attempt to save the company's money to achieve their goal.

Thanx again.

 

It is tough, people have become more self centered. Its just something that we have to accept now, and teach our children differently. Most of our parents were from the JFK era. Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. That doesnt fly now a days. I do get through to many of my drivers, but the ones that dont care have a more negative impact on a company, then the ones that do. Once you show a big picture concept, that by you improving the company, you actually get more out of the company (you have more ownership), then they start heading in the right direction. I enjoy showing our owner operators this, now most of my owners make money off our fuel surchage because of their improved mpg. After all, they are driving to make money. I started a program a few months ago called the Houston Elite Fleet. Its in recognition of the best of the best. Tough expectations for miles, fuel, safety etc.. They get a big door decal saying houston elite fleet, also some other perks like awards, acknowledgment in our company magazine, go out to dinner and sports events etc.. I wish I had started this 5 years ago. It makes a huge difference to those drivers. They know the expectations, and they work their tail off for it, and they deserve recognition. It also makes it easy for other drivers to see them and ask them questions on how they do it, what they are doing, just in general best practices. I am excited to see how this goes over the next 6 months.

Wes

 

Unfortunately, in order to teach, one must first be aware. Therein, I think, lies the problem. It's become an *AFTER me, you come first * world. *I got mine --- you're on your own,*
*The Lord helps ME -- when I help mySELF (first)*, attitudes abound and are exercised on too regular a basis.

I'm from that era, Wes!
My folks were from the Great Depression era, and their teachings reflected that mindset. The longer I live, the more I realize, they were correct.

Sad, but too true. Often it doesn't even get off the ground.

You'd think, and obviously hope, it would be the other way around. But I've found your observation to be correct in most cases. Not ALL, but most.
Whatever happened to;
Do the RIGHT thing --- even when NO one is looking?

The last company I drove for consisted of about 50% to 60% company drivers, which varied according to the season (trade shows and tours), and the other half I/C's. It's the I/C's I tried to bump elbows with while there, which wasn't easy at first -- being a lowly company driver -- in my effort to better understand and learn how the industry REALLY works, and how those folks working within the system MAKE it work for them successfully.
"Successfully" being the key word.

Once they were convinced I was sincere, and they saw my record as a company driver and experienced my attitude, the information flowed freely and they seemed glad to share it --- to the point of requesting that I drive their personal Big trucks on occasion, and even full-time had I desired to do so.
Needless to say, I was as flattered as they were impressed.

That's a good sign!
Some drivers will look at a big road atlas, but miss the big picture as they blow profits up and out the exhaust stacks, all the while wondering where they missed the turn-off.

Detail pictures are more beneficial after viewing the big picture first, IMO, -- and observations derived from that tend to be more accurate. Can we EVER know TOO much?
And isn't it just as easy to learn and practice what's RIGHT, as to learn and practice what's wrong --- in the long run?

I think a profit sharing plan is another incentive, too. But when the I/C's and/or O/O's have to depend on the company drivers to cooperate to the best of their ability in said plan for it to be MOST successful, I think it's easy to understand those doing their absolute best will form a resentment toward the "me, myself & I" attitude, --- usually possessed by the company drivers.

I imagine they enjoy BEING shown.
At least they SHOULD!

As I recall, the surcharge is based on a fleet average?

Let's hope so!
I doubt there are too many Hobby Truckers left in the industry these daze.

Sounds like a good goal to strive for, --- and possibly a tad competitive --- with a potential win/win situation for all involved.

Personally, I'd put SAFETY first, then fuel, and finally miles, but I understand what'cher sayin'. Sounds like a good idea to me.
Expectations SHOULD be "tough". Otherwise, what pride is there in achieving the goal? :smt102

I'm not so sure I'd want a big door decal, being more of a low-key driver.
HaiL!
I don't really like uniforms or name tags either. But that's just me. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your drivers with the decal though, as I cruise the Southern California highways and byways --- usually in heavy stop & go traffic, --- so it shouldn't be too difficult.
Are the decals on both doors, or just the driver's?

Now THAT's more up my alley.
McDonald's & NASCAR.
What's not to like?

Better late than never, and timing is EVERYthing. If the time ain't right now, I don't reckon it'll ever be. You've got their attention now and they just might be a captive audience.
Ya reckon.

I doubt I could agree more with that "deserving recognition" assessment, Wes. And it illustrates my suspicions that it'll generate a bit of a healthy, profitable and potentially rewarding, competitive nature/spirit among the drivers participating.

I suspect it was always "easy", but now I'm thinkin' it'll be EASIER. And, hopefully, they'll exercise the initiative to do so. I reckon that's where the easy to spot decals pay off?

You and me both, Wes!
Although I have no stake in the matter, improving the conditions within the truckin' industry, as well as ways to accomplish that goal for both the drivers AND the companies, has always be of interest to me.

I'd venture to say ALL invested drivers expect to see a profit on the bottom line, and company drivers expect to be well and fairly compensated for their time, efforts and experience, ....... as do O/O's and/or I/C's, I'm sure.
Ergo, it completely baffles me when SOME of them complain when a trucking company hopes and/or expects to do the same, and/or do better than their competition within the industry.
I think, as long as it's not AT the cost and/or expense of labor, (read taking advantage of those who keep the wheels turning, from the office folks to the folks in the driver's seat), seeking higher profits is a desirable attribute and a healthy attitude to have. Especially when the rewards are fairly shared throughout.
Nobody I know appreciates being taken advantage of.
But, that's just my opinion.
Other's may agree,
or not.

ANYway, Wes, I sincerely hope you'll stick around to keep us informed as to how your idea is going over and to answer more of our never-ending questions.
It would be very much appreciated to be kept up to speed and made aware of the views of management and the inner-workings from the INSIDE offices, --- that relate to the successful workings of a Big truck trucking company and their interactions with their employees.

So often all we read are observations, comments, praise and complaints from the rank and file, --- who may, or may not, fully understand what's goin' on at the upper levels.
And, IMO, it's always good to be able to view things from as many different angles as possible.
I reckon that's the "bigger picture" so often spoken of.

Thanx AGAIN, Wes!

 

The average never changed. They still run 45-46 mph.
Most of the drivers that run high speed, also stop for extended periods of time "because they can make up the difference".



I do not drive a desk, I drive a truck. I do not base what I make on a company or fleet average or computer screen. I base it on what I do.

If you are payed by the mile and are given so many hours to log those miles being able to log 45minutes less per 1000 miles means a pay cut because you now have 67.5 hours to start with instead of 70. And $46.17 a week in potential lost revenue at .38 cents per mile.

Of course the company reps are going to tell you it makes no difference, but any driver watching that 65 mph truck get smaller and smaller in their windshield knows thats bull. Many drivers like me can drive 11 hours with out taking more then a fuel break and a couple of trips to the urinal at the rest area.

I find it ironic that the same company reps who told us we could make more money with them instead of x employer because they had faster trucks in the 90's are now saying your slower truck will be making the same and driving the same hours in 2008.

I remember when USX tried to have a ride along program so their office staff would not be so clueless to the reality's of trucking. It lasted about a couple of weeks after the first crews got back and told the others what hell it was. And thats when you could Idle. They would probably commit suicide now if they had to roast in the summer and freeze in the winter like these outfits want you to do now.

I went to pu a girl who works for Knight Trans at their Seattle terminal and they don't even have a fuel Island- shop- Bathroom (only a honey bucket)- drivers lounge or a freaking shower or coffee pot or soda machine yet they call it a terminal and layover drivers their for days at a time.

Have fun new drivers.

 

I started a program a few months ago called the Houston Elite Fleet. Its in recognition of the best of the best. Tough expectations for miles, fuel, safety etc.. They get a big door decal saying houston elite fleet, also some other perks like awards, acknowledgment in our company magazine, go out to dinner and sports events etc.. I wish I had started this 5 years ago. It makes a huge difference to those drivers. They know the expectations, and they work their tail off for it, and they deserve recognition. It also makes it easy for other drivers to see them and ask them questions on how they do it, what they are doing, just in general best practices. I am excited to see how this goes over the next 6 months.

Though I think you really believe and mean well, you look outside your window at the truck line and not enough at your fellow workers especially the one trying to keep her nail polish from running while the qualcomm msgs pile up.

All I ever wanted driving OTR was a competent operations staff who would not fritter away my driving hours watching the clock tick down to quitting time in their air conditioned rooms filled with ergonomic chairs playing computer solitaire while I roasted in my non idling truck at a rest area or dirt lot.

I read ad after ad in OTR mags on how their drivers average 2500 miles a week (which by the way is about 4 days of work out of 7 but you won't in most case be at home the other 3) and we pay layover,det,hourly for local work, unload pay etc..

Then the wide eyed newbie buys a cooler, sleeping bag ac/dc TV CB radio, big laminated map book and satellite radio. And says I'ma gonna go trucking. They get to the terminal and get issued their brand new rebuilt truck that the last newbie wrecked and throw off the fact that it barley steers in a strait line to there being a newbie.

2 months later after signing up with Swiftco or Pumpkin they are sitting in a dirt lot out on the prairie a thousand miles from home on day 3 without a load using their last baby wipe to keep the sweat from stinging their eyes or rolling their truck so the tires don't freeze to the tundra while they get a MSG from DP saying that MSG they slept threw at 0100 nullifies their layover pay and that hand unload they did at the receiver is considered a tailgate and by the way that 6 hour detention at that container company? well we only pay it if the customer pays us (but they did but we just won't tell you because we used it to buy some decals for are elite fleet). That 3 stop local that took all day? well it's $10 bucks a hour not what we pay are local driver to do the same work.

I did not need anyone to recognize my ability's with a decal or patch or put a feather in my cap. My million plus miles and zero points spoke for itself. I needed to roll my truck because that is the only way I got payed or got to wash the sweat off my body from hours of sitting in a steaming hot truck.

People treat their pets better then your average OTR company treats their drivers.

Awards,decal, patches and door prizes? Who cares? A comfortable workplace, competent and good utilization, paying what you owe me with out a hassle, and getting my butt home so my wife does not find someone else to care for her and the kids. The rest is all window dressing taught in business management 101 at any community college.

I don't want ownership of a trucking company, I want ownership of my house, which I can't accomplish with decals and party favors. It takes cold hard cash being payed when owed and keeping my wheels on the blacktop not the dirttop. You want to improve a company? Don't hire drivers and tell other driver no loads. Get rid of drivers and office staff who don't perform at a high level without a sticker on their desk or truck.
Do what you say and pay what you say you will pay from day one without any hassle or hoops to jump through. And last but not least. Put a freaking APU on the truck if you don't want your drivers to idle, and don't waste their freaking 14 hours if you want them to drive slow and safe.

 

Amen to that bigblue. The last OTR outfit i worked for didnt want thetrucks idled but wouldnt put an apu on the trucks,, they yelled at me for idleling at 26 degrees in laramie wyoming during a snow storm., then would send to to a dock to load at, 10 am where i would sit for 12 hours due to this dock loading all theyr trucks and trailers first all others late at night,, there was no layover pay nor detention paid, the load did have extra stops which was paid but then was always dispatched to take the load to the company yard for local driver to deliver then pick up another load in the yard and head back for the same area i just came from. the load assigment DM would take his sweet time getting loads for drivers after we got unloaded and set for 2 to 4 hours or more and never getting paid for it. Not to mention you had to pull teeth to get home time. then turning down trucks and costing drivers miles to boot, i dont driver otr anymore,, i drive local, home everynight in MY BED and home weekends, Newbies have fun with otr.