CRETE - A Year in Review

This is a typical interaction I have with dispatch. I was given a 472 mile load from Sparks, NV up into Oregon, delivering the third day. As soon as I'm loaded I message:

ME: Can u pls try to get an earlier delv appt. ETA 5/2 0900. Also the bills show 102 w 1st ave while the pplan shows 485 Ross Way. Pls advise.

(2 hours go by and no response. I'm on windy mountain roads between CA and OR so it's not easy for me to pull over and repeatedly message them.) Finally I send that message that goes to VP OPS and say:

ME: Pls respond to my messages. I alerted about an address conflict on the bills.

(no response so I try again later)

ME: I requested an earlier delv appt but never got a response.

DISPATCH: You not going to make the delivery appt that is set?

(at this point, 4 hrs later, I just gave up)

 

Ok...uncle!! I give. I70 in western KS closed due to snow/ice and blowing snow...in MAY....not WY or MT or even UT. May snow closes roads in KS.... Would someone please tell me this is a bad dream and wake me up!

 

The first mistake was to put more than 1 question in the message. I have yet to encounter a FM, AM, planner or dispatcher that has the ability to comprehend 2 or more questions or thoughts in one message.

As for them failing to respond, that is par for the course for most of these people. It pisses me off to just be ignored.

 

I agree. Anymore than one question is a waste of time. It's hard sometimes to only ask for one thing at a time when you need a lot of information. However, I was let down most every time I asked more than one question at a time. In addition, most times they'll try and half ##### answer your question with a question of their own. It must be in some training guide they have to do or something to get the job.
Having confirmation on those Bills is a must for you the driver. No matter what you need to do to be sure. I've sometimes called the customer and got them to straighten it out. Crete often doesn't like you calling some of the customers. Once they know you'll do it they do a little better getting back to you on some of those questions. I'll say this...Ralph's example here is exactly like several experiences I had at Crete. Guess now I know I wasn't getting any special treatment from any of them. Lol

 

Sitting in SE Kansas right now. Used my newly acquired and enhanced trip planning skills to put me right by a golf course for a quick nine holes since my delivery is in the afternoon. But the golf will not be happening with this weather. When I left Illinois it was in the 80's. Ugh

 

It's not their fault...ADD is a terrible....oh, look at the kitty....now what was I saying?

 

So true. I like that...HeHe

 

That thing on the dash that sucks out a little is most likely a manual button to push for the camera in case of an "incident" it will flag the part on the recording... Usually 30 seconds prior and after said "incident". We have cameras in our trucks also

 

I found out something strange last night. Since I was sitting in 98* heat in Arizona all afternoon I was running the bunk air. So naturally the batteries ran down around midnight. I cranked the truck to let it idle it's normal 1 hour. i fell asleep knowing the truck would turn itself off and that I would awaken when it did. however I awoke freezing my keester off! The truck was still running and it had been over 3 hours! Luckily my idle time is always very low so my % is still good...even for Wilmer

 

So maybe we're trading On Guard for cameras now