Questions, questions, and even more questions

After being A firefighter and truck driver for over 25 years. I have learned couple of things.
1. Grow some thick skin. Read what is being told to you. Don't read the words. Meaning. This is the trucking industry. Guys speak straight and to the point. Don't take it as they are being condescending. Take it as they are giving you constructive criticism. To help you. Not belittle you. Words?? This is like texting. People read "words" and take them to mean what they personally want them to say.
Don't worry about what words was used. Worry about what is being said. The whole picture.
There are some companies that have a good purchase program. And some that just want to dump a crappy truck on you. And there will always be someone that has something nice to say about a company. And another will say crap on that same company.
Dart has a good purchase program. But they pay $1 a mile. And no deadhead, I believe.
I drive for quality carriers. Hazmat tanker company. I've spoke to a few o/o and that have all said they like it here. No complaints from me either. But I'm just a company any driver.
The down side to lease is you are stuck with that company until the truck is paid off.

 

Doh. Thanks

 

I know how to get the rest I need. It happens to coincide with the hours of service. I also know the difference between "tired" and should not be on the road. Will you really stop your truck when you have 2 hours to go, can legally do so, it is after business hours and you are expected to arrive for a delivery appointment at say 6 am. You know if you stop you will be considered late. There is nobody in the office to reschedule the appointment that close and at that hour to change the delivery time. Next thing you know, the receiver now dictates your new delivery appointment is 2 days from now. Don't worry about arguing - they won't load you with these loads again anyway.

When you book loads they want to know when you will make delivery. So you setup a delivery time that can be made in legal time. You will be expected to be there for that time and if you are going to be late it has to be for a good reason, i.e. unexpected weather, mechanical breakdown, you had a gall stone decide to make it's exit and you are in excruciating pain, or some other legitimate reason. Saying you are tired is a BS reason. You had 10 hours off. What were you doing? No customer, direct or broker, wants to hear any of those excuses.

 

20/20 will listen to you.

 

So one of 2 things happened.

It was not scheduled correctly in the first place.
or
You were not able to park on their property or close enough to it you could go in there and deliver the load.

Technically, you are on-duty when driving the 500 feet from beside the plant to inside the plant. That doesn't work very well in the real world when common sense says you can arrive in the night, they can knock on your door when they arrive to receive, tell you to back it in, and you can go back to bed/resume your break. This is my biggest beef with the regulations and how they may be enforced to the T if elogs become mandatory.

 

Ok, so you were inside their property, and you refused to move your truck a few hundred feet and into the dock? Did they receive the product anyway? I hope you can see why the receiver was unhappy with you and notified your company you were there however refused to put it in the dock, while they are paying their workers to sit idle now. Are you that paranoid that if you do not record that small move on your book the DOT is going to crucify you as soon as you are 1 foot out the gate?

You could not have made Chicago by noon in any case. Arriving at 2 am + 10 hour break + driving = impossible. That was a blatant error on the load planner's part.

 

I see a lot of great real world comments in this thread so far! the first 2 years of me being and owner operator was probably the worst. Ive made a lot of money and lost a lot of money but honestly you have not done very much research or if you have you might want to try again. For example one of my current trucks 2 months ago i put brake shoes,drums ,shocks all around slack adjusters , clutch switch and air pass through manifold on the firewall and a PM. Total was about $3,800......Last month Air compressor and power steering pump $2,100 plus 2 days of not working so about $3,500 total loss...

Last Wednesday my truck went down and it still at detroit as i type this"check my thread i started" Tow bill $250.00 ..& days not working about $3,500 and so far as of 2:30 this afternoon my shop bill is at $5,500. So lets RECAP.... $3,800+$3,500+$250+$3,500+$5,500= $16,550!!! All in 3 months time. Now this is the first real problem i have had with this truck in the 18months I've owned it but imagine if this was your first 3 months! You and me and every other guy #### near would be bankrupt. Luckily I've saved and lived on less then i make and i also still have 2 other trucks working daily making me money while I'm down. Just do yourself a favor and don't be so defensive these drivers on here have been through this real world BS and we go through it because most of us love this trucking thing. Don't know why sometimes but we do. I grew up in a truck since i was a little kid and this is all i wanted to do this is all my whole family has ever done which i believe gave me a leg up on most people that just want to be a trucker, so for now until the government finally squeezes us little guys out this is what ill be doing. Sorry for the rant guys ill step down now. GOOD LUCK!