Impossible Jobs

You don't have a "boss."

You are the boss.

Don't let a company abuse you.

 

Just tell them you're going to be late. Isn't there a law protecting us from dispatch pushing us pass out hours?

Just fyi, you could work pass your 14 hour clock...so if you're at the customer loading, u could throw straps, swing doors or fall off a catwalk and it's fine. You just can't drive until 10 hour break or u do a split.

 

Here is a rule proposed to prevent a company from threatening out of hours drivers.

http://www.overdriveonline.com/fmcs...cion-of-drivers-by-carriers-shippers-brokers/

Carriers use 45 mph average and generate late trucks by around 4 to 6 am to turn into dispatch to go after and possibly fire a number of late drivers that day. The trucks are surveyed by position versus miles remaining and time left to appt. If the necessary average exceeds the speed you are already late.

I used to figure 30 mph against a appt time and date for a single run. That way a little math in a few moments can tell me if I can do it or not before saying yes to dispatch. As a team it's much easier.. however there was a time or two where Dispatch is so precise on time average they expressed concern if we are going to make the hour 2000+ miles away across country and we did by 7 minutes to the good. That was precision trucking. But not one we enjoyed.

 

@x1Heavy, according to that article it was a "proposed" rule, in 2014. Do you know if they ever actually put it into effect?

 

Yes, as of January 29, 2016.

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/coercion
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/newsroom/final-rule-prohibits-coercion-protects-commercial-truck-and-bus-drivers-being

 

Im making a copy for the rest of the future posters being horsewhipped into breaking HOS.

 

Can companies really fire someone for refusing to run illegally? I would take them to court, not settle for unemployment.

 

To answer your question , NO all the megas are not like that . Don't give your self an ulcer arguing with a bad employer . Just quit and call a real company that can make you money legally .

 

I know its a different deal with LTL and with other union outfits. But in the average OTR world, what the dispatcher wants you to do, and what he is claiming needs done, is just what he wants you to do to make himself look good. We've all had those "oh, my God...this is a HOT load!" kind of loads. And then get to the consignee and they didn't even know it was coming. Also, remember there are 2 parts to a load. The bounce part, and the loaded part. If you have enough hours to go get it on your truck legally, but not deliver it on time, go get it on the truck. I've heard many drivers whining about dispatch wanting them to bounce over to get a load they say they can't deliver. I ask if they can get it loaded legal? They look at me stupid and say, "what's the point, I can't deliver it". The point is, once its on your companie's trailer, its your companie's money. If they have to re-power it, or even reschedule it, your company still gets paid. If you refuse to even go load it, and it goes on another carriers truck, your company lost the load and the revenue. Just do everything you can legally. And don't get upset about the rest of it.

 

One of the best pieces of advice I've heard.

 

I thought part of being a trucker is doing what they say can't be done!