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

I’ve never worked for a company that doesn’t allow you to walk into operations and been doing this for 30 years.

 

Driver development at its best.

 

LOL!

 

Wow.

 

That looks like the start of a very bad day.

 

In the 2.5 years I was there I never once wanted to enter the Ops office area nor did I ever. Then again I didn't want to go in any office in Richmond, especially safety.

I found the shop to be most unwelcoming though. Some of the mechanics there just flat out didn't like drivers, no matter how polite and friendly your approach.

 

There's two wrecks by the washbay entrance in Richmond that have burned by varying degrees. I'd say this cat got off lucky.

 

Not to defend their mode of operation, but.... I work for a smallish OTR company (under 100 trucks) driving OTR as well as working dispatch on an as needed basis. We of course operate under an open door policy; however it can be very difficult to manage the aspects of your job when 75% of drivers coming thru have nothing of relevance to discuss. It’s unfair to the 25% who are coming in with a purpose and end up lumped together, I’m sure it’s magnified with the number of drivers Abilene has. But I do get where they’re coming from.

 

That just makes my soul weep... first, hoping all were ok and second, what a beautiful truck... now totaled...

If nothing else, a good warning that we ALL need to be both safe and on top of our game out here... we don’t want that to be us!!!

Stay Safe!!!!

 

Yes, I understand the “why”... it put me off when I first got here in ‘15 until I realized just what they were doing... still doesn’t make one feel welcome at all but I do get it... especially in this industry where so many drivers are solo and alone in their truck for days on end... I’ve been trapped by a few on the Yard and had to get creative in excusing myself from their presents... I can’t imagine trying to get my job done with them coming and going. And yes, the pure variety of Drivers we have too.

But they do need to tweak their processes... they border on unprofessional... I once saw a newer driver getting his ### chewed on right next to the vending machines... at the time I didn’t wish to rock the boat... bad on me... I’ve had a few conversations with my then DM and now the DDM (Same Guy) out in the Patio... this time that was part of our discussions... not having a proper time and place to have possible confrontational discussions... instead we make them public to anyone walking by. Maybe another way to make others not want to be there???

And yes, being able to identify the 25%... like an OTR Driver that rarely even WANTS to be on the Yard for ANY reason, making a request the day before and the same day he first knows he is going to be in the Yard... why wait until after the reason he is on the Yard (truck repair) to even begin the conversation... other than knowing he will be wanting to get off the Yard at that time to make money and loose out on the opportunity until he is next back on the Yard... lol

I get the “why”... but it needs to be tweaked.