Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Calm down... WHO is telling you that?
Another driver is the only place I've heard it.

 

Bye... Stay Safe!!!

 

Well, honestly, probably not...
And I did say that I would TRY... LOL
But I will bite my tongue very hard first.

 

Why should I calm down? Don't I have the right to be upset when I have been lied to? And stolen from?

I was taught in orientation that our EARNED days off could be banked and used when needed. We have been out since August 15. Today is 37 days out. I have 6 days EARNED. Had we taken the one down day on Sept 10 or 11th, I'd have lost the 3 days I needed for the end of the month, per Shane, per Kimberly. Meaning, for me to take a MUCH needed break, I would have allowed Abilene to steal 3 EARNED days off from me.

This makes 4 times in 5 months I have had to fight for home time, when I was told by several people getting home time isn't an issue. And, NO. This just isn't trucking. I know better.

Not everyone can be up like I am now, for a few hours, and be expected to run their 11. I cannot safely do it. So, does that disqualify me from driving a truck? No. At least it shouldn't. I've been forced to drive outside my safe zone the last 4 days. If I have to sit hours waiting on a load, no, I can't run an 11 on top of 5 hours waiting by the qualcom. I simply cannot do that. We've had this discussion before. "Just take a nap" you say. I can't nap. Never have been able to. Does that disqualify me from driving a truck? NO. I know better.

I was doing better after my face to face with Victor. Now, I'm with Shane in Wytheville. Right now, I'm broke down with a fuel leak. (Waiting on the shop to tell me to top off and keep running.)

Not everybody can drive a truck is equal. And to think or believe we are or should be is just plain ignorant. I am a good and safe driver. My backing is just about back to where it should be. I don't speed, and I absolutely HATE to drive illegally. I fully understand the sacrifices that have to be made to do this job. That being said, for such a driver shortage, they still don't treat us like they should. A good dispatcher, DM, FM, or whatever you want to call them should learn their drivers. Learn what they can and can't do. And, for Pete's sake, don't jack around with our home time. The policy says, "one day off earned for every six days out". Nothing about how we drive, what times we drive better during, regardless if we can or can't nap, or how often we are allowed to take home time except for the two week out minimum.

I have to laugh when I end up sitting hours to days waiting on a load, when I hear the dispatchers complain they don't have any available drivers for the numerous loads they have. I realize that there are the elite drivers that get load runs on silver platters as they have; 1) more experience than I, and; 2) have far more abilities than I do to swing shift at the drop of a hat and such.

My biotching, crying, griping, or whatever you want to call it isn't such. It appears that, as good as I can be, I'm not good enough for Abilene. Another lie I was told, that my limitations would not be an issue here. I've been lied to from the start, and I can only take so much. Now, I'm being forced to take home time every two weeks to be able to get off the truck and try to relax. Just so my earned time off isn't stolen from me.

I've said all I care to say on this matter. Yes, I'm pissed. We can agree to disagree, because, if you are not in my clothes, boots, truck, experiencing my pains and at my QC, you don't know the full story.

 

What can I say? I'm a multi-tasker. Try to keep up.

 

A) I'd have no place convenience to park it.
B) I need a vehicle to get around in and not a bobtail.

 

Apparently you don't know too much about many businesses then?

You're correct. My company could and did have a very simple mechanism for tracking that. ( yes, believe it or not my guys earned days off as well)

Your other comment about it being difficult to track simply eludes me. I mean, seriously? You are or were an accountant and you think that would be hard? Hmmmmm ..... perhaps we're beginning to understand why you now drive a truck?

( obviously joking)

 

Ok... I gave you advice as to what to do next.

To summarize, be professional and:
1.) go back and talk to Kimberly
2.) go contact our new HR Manager
3.) go ask to talk to one of the Jones

Your option:
Get madder and madder and vent here.

Your choice.... Your life... I'm done...

 

Both good reasons...
Just letting you know it's an option.

 

My greatest weakness...
No ability to multitask.
That's why I enjoy driving.
Can't do anything until I get there.