Sending out an SOS on YRC

Who are these people that are making decisions at the top level of this merger with the futures of thousands of my brothers and sisters families hanging in the balance? I have never in my 23 years in the LTL industry seen so many misguided and poor management initiatives instituted in such a short period of time. Its as if they are trying to see how fast they can run this company into the ground. Now some will say I`m just another ill informed disgruntled worker blowing off steam, but I assure you this is not the case. I have worked for and watched 5 previous companies die a slow death due to bad management decisions before coming to Yellow over 3 years ago and have made suggestions and voiced my opinions over the years only to have them fall on deaf ears (you know just another dumb truck driver what does he know). Well this I do know...Service is the name of the game in LTL and if you can`t deliver in a timely manner, you WILL lose that customer. These bean counters aren`t the ones facing the customer with freight that should have been there 2 days ago and could give a rats ##### as long as the bill gets paid and they leave it up to the drivers to face the music. So they lay off a few more people and it starts this vicious cycle of not servicing the freight, losing another customer, now we have to lay off a few more people..etc..etc. I know the economy is in the dumps right now but they are still in the business of service. Which brings me to my observations of the last week...I worked on the outbound dock for the first time in months because of lay offs and was astonished at what I saw...Dockmen were lined up to get into trailers with freight on their forks as supervisors were instructing others to breakdown and floor out double decked skids in half full trailers so they could close the doors and make their cut times, meanwhile telling the guys with freight on their forks to dock it and wait for the next trailer that would sit in the yard until the next day. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! When I confronted one supervisor I was told he was in fear of losing his job as they have fired several supervisors over past couple weeks due to the over abundance of supervisors since the merger. So I guess the customers take a back seat to the chain of command who are all looking over their shoulder and I guess that will also contribute to the free fall as we lose the customers and will see even more lay offs in a enviornment that can`t keep up with the freight we have. Our days are numbered with half full trailers rolling down the road, but management will be able to sleep at night since the cut times are being met. I won`t even get started on what I hear is happening on the inbound side. Is this sort of thing going on in other places?

?Wondering in Detroit?

 

Well, 2 weeks into the merger things are smoothing out in Detroit. Freight is moving at normal levels and being delivered on time. Management had me worried there for a while, but seemed to be more open to suggestions than in the past, and the suggestions seem to be working as of now. 15 people being recalled from layoff this week, lets hope it stays this way so we can return to profitability and get some more people recalled.