Seniority in/out and take/pass on via's is the only way it should be done. Fortunately all the re-ships we run are now handled that way by our drivers. Last year one of the places I would occasionally go when I worked at another terminal was first in first out and I hated it. I would make sure I stayed behind the driver in front of me but that was not observed by those behind me. You made the correct decision though - run your own run. This is an issue that needs to be corrected by corporate - seniority in/out take/pass is the safest and most sensible way of doing it. That said, I understand seniority is seniority by number no matter how long you've been here, but I was getting passed by drivers with a year here when I had 6 - the worst part was they would pass and leave before drivers with 15-20 years.. Something I never did or will do.. The only time I've left in front of senior drivers is if I was really sick or circumstances had me low on hours. Every time I left in front of them they were more than willing to let me go because they knew it was legit. I earned that respect from them as every driver can by respecting seniority. A few weeks ago the senior drivers set it up to let me leave early because I had a long drive to start a vacation - I didn't take it and left in seniority order because I was not sick and was not low on hours - I thanked them though for the consideration which they appreciated..
YU are 100 percent correct...XAU.... yu will be surprised how seriously alot of guys take getting thru the gate first...its so #### childish...doesnt create a safe environment at all...
I started back in June, linehaul isnt my first choice but i've been stuck doing it more often than city, about 75/25. Whatever though, i'm the only 22 year old i know pulling over $1,000/wk... i've only known the senior in/out version, and it made sense right away (i don't know why they didn't use that from the start).. with via's, it seems like i always get stuck with them unless there is more than one. In which case, i get one, and everyone else talks about it and decides based on whoever is in the mood that night. A senior guy actually said that its kinda bs that it always trickles down, and that they should divide it up evenly, which i think is the best way (not just because i'm the runt )
That's cool man - I started working here when I was 22 also. Seniority in/out has always been the general rule since day one but all it takes is a few bone heads to screw it up. It usually starts with a terminal that sends a lot of drivers to one re-ship every night. I generally respect the senior drivers, but it's always one of them that screws it for everyone in this case - he'll have a good idea what time his loads home will be ready and screws off on the way and makes it just in time to take two and leave so he does not have to work the dock. A few people complain and it's first in/out screwing it for everyone. I'm lucky that even though we send 12-16 drivers per night where I go, seniority in/out is how we do it no matter what and they're all pretty good workers. Via's can be a pain but it's just part of starting here. I did it when I was new - I only got the long ones on Saturday morning though..lol.. Where I run now we get ones with huge miles that are always ready early and I couldn't get one if I begged for it. The senior drivers eat them up. I got it once on a Saturday morning when I had nothing to do and asked if I could take it.
If it's by choice they're great. I ran short last year and took em all. It just stinks when you're the junior driver at a re-ship and you're forced on a long via at the end of the night. We try to split the Saturday via's up here based off who has what going on. I won't stick one on a junior driver if I have nothing going Saturday on and he does..
I hated them when i was new. I didn't like having to find a place i've never been before, while driving the biggest vehicle i've ever driven. Plus having to remember every little step, you end up double/triple checking everything, and it just takes forever. Especially when you have to lock/unlock the terminal, the whole ride to the re-ship you're thinking 'oh god, i hope i remembered to lock the door and set the alarm', even though you checked 10 times before you left.... Its just a lot of responsibility that gets thrown at you all of a sudden... At this point I don't mind them anymore.
I'll let you guys have the line haul runs. I can't stay awake for the ride back and I'm afraid I'd be one of those guys wrapping his rig around a bridge abutment. I'd go back OTR if they told me I had to run line haul. Rather do that than literally kill myself working.
