Dealing with Dispatch (for newbies)

Even if you don't accept the load from dispatch, you can still be in trouble, got into this a few years back when I was pulling flatbed, I was already loaded going from Little Rock, AR to Maysville, Ky load of steel going to the power plant they were expanding, dispatch messaged me, I didn't answer figuring another fleet message, and I was on my way to the yard being Friday, and I was going to leave out Sunday to make the 11 hour drive to Maysville, then the dispatcher called me, and said, "When you get to the terminal, drop that trailer and head down to Hope, Ar and grab an oversize load and take it to Kansas City, KS. and it has to be there in the morning." I told him, "No, I'll keep what I have, I'd already unloaded in Dallas, reloaded to Little Rock did a trailer drop, and ran across town to get this load of steel and besides, time I get to the yard, get more straps/chains/edge protectors from shop, and make it to Hope, It'll be dark, and I cannot move an oversize after dark." Dispatch said, "You don't have a choice." I said, "I'm already dispatched and under load, I have a choice."
They gave the load from Hope to another drive I've known for several years, he loaded it and went to bed there at the place, and brought it to the yard and left out Sunday heading for KC, KS. It seemed all over, they got what they wanted, Everyone happy, Right? Wrong. The following week came and I made it in early Friday to get my check, and they had a 'hold' on it to talk to dispatch/boss. So I threw a fit and talked to the same dispatcher, D.W., and he told me about what I done last week and how, "I hadn't been there long enough to turn down a load." I Explained in the room full of dispatch what went down, got mad, grabbed my check, with a few words of how it was illegal to hold a check on a person who had done nothing wrong, and cleaned out my truck and found a new company.

 

Unfortunately, the practice of dumping on the newbies or, "lower employees" is pretty common.

http://imgur.com/7t2ucH9

Figuring how to fight it and still have a job is a ##### and a truly useful and unique skill...

 

Awesome advice and would be so much easier on everyone if ppl used that system more. Looking at other instances where dispatchers take hours to get back in contact with you in emergencies or situational moments I really see no problems with taking 15 mins to cover yourself... Especially with time restraints and low hours as known issues prior to even accepting it. Its just like with police officers patrolling... Tons of calls go out... Rookies usually answer most of the unwanted calls and just ignoring is never professional. Just avoid their YES catch phrases and decline if you can't do it.

 

Thanks again... Yea the CYA policy works best in this environment. Like you said doing what others tell you jeopardizes YOUR safety, career, and life and the people telling you the wrong things take advantage of the fact that you determine the outcome. Sadly the following orders part is another reason they love hiring vets and ret military... Alot of times we have get the job done mindsets... But I've always been taught as well... Laws, SOPs, and safety come first.

 

Thanks for sharing those points. Every company has different "qualities" in their dispatchers and how to deal with them. They are just people too.. so I am told
But definitely bringing some donuts into the office once in a while doesn't hurt to keep in their good books.

 

Oh I know the feeling... Next little while I'll be bringing in some old fashioned authentic jambalaya. You've never had real jambalaya until you watch how it's made. The simple version, "all this stuff is gonna go bad soon! Best toss some rice, shrimp, sausage, and chicken in a pot and cook the hell out of it."

Learned it from an old Louisianan after I and a bunch of freinds went to clean up 'nawlens after Katrina came through. Mmm...talk about good.

I took a load I pernaps shouldn't have, no biggie but I missed nearly a full day of home-time, a birthday party, my truck's PM... All because I got dispatched to a backhaul that took 10 hours to load.