Company not honoring my home time requests.

It sucks but if you have to stay with them a year, then do so... but it sounds to me like your nothing but meat in the seat and that's that. (to them)

 

No they shouldn't get you a rental even though they knew they weren't going to get you home. No point telling anyone there how you feel, pretty sure they won't care. Get a year in, move on and forget them. Don't make any waves before you go in case they try messing up your DAC.

 

As you know. 12-25 comes every year.
I have missed a few away from home. Even as an O/O with my own authority.
Sometimes it just doesn't work.

In your position, I would finish a year there and look for a better situation for yourself.

I know it doesn't feel good missing holidays. I doubt company will reimburse you for a car rental or let you drive the truck.

If you decide to rent a car and leave the truck, let your company know.

Good luck

 

Maybe I’m just a spoiled little brat. But I think they should. Mine would. Especially if I had put in for the time off. And they couldn’t see a way to get me there otherwise.

My load cancelled today. I’m kicked back in a hotel, on their dime. Zero ***** what anybody else has to say about either topic I’ll be home on the 26th as planned.

 

This is how mega companies work. I'm assuming your a rookie at a mega? They screw you over because they know you are trapped with them until you get experience. And they know you are going to leave when you do gain experience so they treat you like crap while your there.

You have every right to be upset and pissed off if they screwed your holidays up. However, I honestly don't know if there is anything you can do about it. If you do something passive aggressive, they could make it much worse than it already is. Dispatcher managers at megas can play some horrible tricks if you piss them off.

You can try and call up your dispatch manager and explain to him how you feel. Chances are he will put a fake face on. He will tell you that the freight just didn't work out the way he planned. Maybe the load he had to get you home got cancelled (in reality that load was never a thing). He'll tell you that's just part of trucking sometimes (and honestly he's not wrong). And he'll tell you all of this while spending christmas at home with his family and you will be the last thing on his mind.

 

Get your year in and then move on.

in the mean time DOCUMENT names who say what, when, where, why and how. So when something comes up you have a foundation of all that to help them understand that someone is yanking your chain.

Do be careful about future home time. It is not difficult for a dispatcher to hand out rope to a needy driver (Thats you) and wait for you to run out of money and quit when given enough 200 mile loads that deliver in 6 days. Problem solved.

Company handbook saying a x days for Y number total out is not perfect. The real world in trucking you will LOSE some of that home time dealing with the truck and finally actually going by the house. This is not a attack or seeking trouble. That truck has to be loaded and rolling. Or there is no point in trucking when no one makes money. Going home is one of the greatest cost. That is why there is no apparent motivation on the part of your outfit to get you home now.

A rental car at company expense etc is a pipe dream. Make it so YOUR expense when you save enough for it and get one. Park the truck legally and go run around. It will hollow out any earnings you make going home with spouse (If any) going hmmm. you are out all this time and this is it? Nothing but problems.

Being a long haul trucker means you give up certain things in life. You can try your best to catch a little bit of Christmas etc. But it's pretty much out of your hands if you wish to stay employed.

 

Can you refuse loads that don't give enough time?

I can at my company, and do so often.

 

350 miles from home? After they knew you wanted home for Christmas and agreed? Load will be rescheduled and some extra miles will be driven. 700 miles say 100 gallons call it $350-400, whatever. Don't like it, I can quit today, or do you want to at least act like you care one iota about your drivers?

I don't care for a lot of holidays, but I will be home for Christmas. The biggest issue is the bs that surrounds it. "We will get you home, no problem." Their word is now worthless. When you don't have your word in this business, you have nothing.