Rum's Rants

Thanks for the info Cheryl.

Yes I do wish all my rants were 100% accurate. However from time to time I will be off and appreciate when I do get corrected.

That rant was based off some loose information I received, and had a difficult time proveing or disproveing. Figured a post here would bring out the research hounds.

My initial gut feeling was that the rant was weak and at best covered the wabasto heaters (acknowledges Mo Family Man)

So once again thanks

Now lets get the research hounds fired up again.... Here is my question. What is Roehls turnover rate?

 

Ok, so now lets focus on a 90% turnover rate.

I know and understand that there are many reasons a person may quit driving. Not home enough, not enough miles, not enough money, not cut out for the job, got involved in something bigger than they thought, etc.. etc.

Thoose are NOT the drivers I am focusing on. The ones I would like to talk about are the drivers who leave Roehl to go work for another OTR company.

Roehl has the abilty, but lacks the agility to correct minor problems at just about every level. Examples are directions, dispatches that do not allow you time to even look at the load, poor support when things go wrong with a load, payroll issues, STAA routeing issues and others.

It saddens me to meet a one month "Black Hat" all excited about his/her job. Ready to take on the world. Excited about the truck and ready to get the job done at any cost.

Six months later the hat has turned gray, complaining about just about everything I have ranted about.

There is nothing that I have ranted about that is not an easy fix.

90% turnover rate. Insane. Is Roehl sinking to the depths of JB and Schneider. How many can remember when Roehl did not have to advertise for drivers? How much longer can we hold onto the respect we have earned from fellow drivers?

I know this isn't a rant, just makes me sad and wonder why I stay with Roehl myself. I want to be proud of my job. I want to be proud of my truck. I want to be proud of our mechanics. I want to be proud of my DSR. I want to be proud of our customer service. I want the shippers/cons to know that the job will be done. I want our sales people to have confidence and respect when they do a sales pitch.

Guess I really don't have to many choices left, just a basic question to ask myself. Why work for a company that has it's ears open but does not bother to listen?

 

Preacher Man "Something you will learn is that all truck drivers complain."

So what are we always complaining about? Do we have unrealistic issues? Is it to much to ask for the correct directions? Is it to much to ask for the proper STAA routeing? Is it unfair and unreasonable for us to be home on the day we were promised? Is it wrong for us to complain about sitting for 3 hours only to pick up the preloaded trailer that we have been sitting next to? Is it rude of us to complain about the condition of the company car in Gary?

Are theese issues acceptable to you? Or am I just a complainer, whiner, snivler, poor sport, bad attitude, or any other name you can think of?

I read your statement that all truck drivers complain and take offense to it. Truck drivers is what makes this company and if you don't help me by bringing up theese issues and others then you are not doing your job. If you don't speak up how will theese issues ever get resolved? Unless of course you just don't care about your fellow drivers.

1. They are a bit anal about keeping an eye on what you are doing.

I Agree.

2. Like all companies, they are only as good as your dispatcher.

Bad statement: read my rant you and your DSR.

3. Recruiters tend to stretch the truth.

Never haveing used one I can not make a statement.

4. All truck companies lie.

I would change this to Trucking companies will tell you what you want to hear at the time.

5. Truck companies don't value their drivers, the best you can hope for is that your goals and the company goals are the same. If that happens you will get along fine, if not it will be a very bad relationship.

Very good statement

6. Companies are interested in their trucks making money, it doesn't really matter who holds the steering wheel.

Reserve my comments on this one

In my case Roehl is a good fit because of the 7/4, 7/3 hometime + fleet. It is a pain to slip seat and my truck parks 100 miles from my home. I do it because of the hometime. This is a good deal for Roehl because the truck rolls almost constantly. It is a good deal for me because I have quality and predictable time at home.

Reinforces your #5 statement.

One more thing to consider, one of the top reasons drivers leave a company is not looking for bonuses, it is because of a poor dispatcher.

I agree with the reason NOT being bonuses but in Roehls case it is not poor dispatching but is bad load planning. Roehl's dispatchers have zero control of your load assignment.

Roehl is serious about driving legal and my experience is that you usually have adequate time to make the delivery. I don't hesitate to tell them a delivery time won't work if there isn't enough time.

This is going to be a future rant. so will be brief.

Preplan rec 15:00. Load picks up 16:00 60 miles away. not really enough time to even look at the load is there. This is not an exception. seems more like the rule. I will give you proper due for covering yourself about sending in a non commit if time is not available.

Preacher Man, I know this looks like a personal attack but trust me it is not. Ask yourself this question which works better 1 person complaining about things that should be fixed or 1800?

 

bobfiore, I have read your statement several times. I went back and read a large ammount of your other posts also.

My thoughts are conflicted. I know I should try to point out some good things as well as bad things that I have experinced. The items I bring up are some of the rough spots with Roehl. I can not, will not, nor will never lie or mislead another driver. It does sadden me that our company has chosen not to address the issues that I have ranted about.

My personality does not allow tollerence for people who are unable or unwilling to do their jobs in an effective mannor and instead choose to have unending list of excuses why they can not do the job they are ment to do.

Is this just a Roehl issue? no. But at one point theese issue were not issues at all. I wish that the worst issue we had to face was towels in the shower room again.