Got a question ... how mnay large companies ahve you all worked for?? Becuase quite frankly at only 20,000 employees, Swift is one of the smaller companies I've worked for. There are always two ways that things get done in a company. The way management "thinks" it gets done and the way the employees actually work to get it done. Plus I is concept that sounds good in theory, but has some flaws in practice. The reality is it can be a pain to everyone - drivers, DMs, planners and CSRs. There's 3 ways to deal with it. Become a corporate hero and work the issues up through mangement to affect the changes to improve it. Sit around and ###### about it. Or become a guerilla, tap into the angst that all the parties have about, work around it and use it to your own benifit.
Hey all, I just got hired by Swift out of driving school. Finished my orientation last Tuesday and am waiting for my trainer to get here. She is stuck in Omaha and needs to come to Minnesota. Anyhow, I am learning alot just reading all your posts and figuring out codes etc. Thanks for the schooling.
OK #3 sounds good. How would one work around plus 1 and how could you get plus one to work for the drivers benefit?
And your a guerilla? well then tell us how you deal with it,Mystic,because you are poised on about # 2 there now except you are directing it the wrong way.... And there is a fourth option....Tap into the humerous side of the problem with a light hearted little attempt like this,to in some way let other drivers know that I get the frustrations with the program and how it makes us all feel about it...and also let management know how it affects us in our daily work to get it done...its called bonding....which is about those of us doing the job,day in and day out for the goals that management has put before us.......so really mystichz,enlighten us to be more of a guerilla..eh!
Your fourth option ... see you're a guerilla too ... just a different tactic. Me I build relationships/bonds with the people who can help me ... Plus 1 is something we all work around together. But then there was a before Plus 1 and that was also something that had to be worked around. As trucking companies go, Swift is large. As companies in general go, not so much.
When even the DM's say that they are not happy with it, and they are on the inside, and the FM's know how unhappy many are with it, especially evvery L/O that I have talked to, then I would think that by now, someone in upper management should know about it. What is aggravating, you receive a pplan, there are the times, then the load assignment, and everything goes out the window, and then come Mac 22, which I have been doing more than I ever did prior to Plus 1, and the reason is always the same, Plus 1 does not drive this truck, nor does a computer. Plan says this and assign says that.
Wether or not something is done to cancel/change/fine tune Plus 1 is going to depend on the metrics management is using. Remember the purpose behind Plus 1 is to maximize the utilization of Swift's truck. Getting drivers more miles is just the side effect. Which was convinent, as that gave the company a postive spin to use. The bottom line is management is going to measure the miles per truck. If that has shown a significant increase since Plus 1, well then it's here to stay. And whom ever came up with it will get a nice pat on the back, a beautiful embosed certificate of achievement suitable for framing and a coupon good for a free dinner for two at Applebees. Meanwhile, join the guerillas.
The only way to beat Plus-1 is to never really believe the times it gives you on the NLA. Especially when the load is preloaded or it drops at the other end. If it is preloaded, it doesn't really matter when you pick it up as long as you can make delivery on time. And if it drops, there is usually a pretty good window of time. Like my last load. It was a live load picking up at 1200 with a drop delivery of between 1500 and 1830, and it was 280 miles away. Figure the math. No way to run that many miles in 3 hours (and that's assuming no time for the live load or breaks). Even a 1 hour load time would make the 1830 time impossible unless you ran the entire distance without stopping. I did happen to have a 1 hour load time, but I sent a Mac 22 saying I would deliver at 1930. When I got there, they were pretty much closed up for the day. I was able to drop the load with no problem, but I got the impression that it wouldn't actually be unloaded until tomorrow morning. I had taken a 30 minute break for a meal, and I delivered at 1845. Anyway, never believe the times - especially if they push you too hard. Figure the load from pick up to delivery, and include all the time you need for fuel stops, weighing the load, '10' hour breaks and 'during driving' breaks, delays due to construction or other things. If your times don't match up with the NLA times, then, using the Mac 9, turn down the load with the times you figured. If the NLA times were accurate, then the load probably should be given to a team since it can't be run in time as a solo. (or a solo that is closer and able to pu on time, if that is the problem) At any rate, the load will be taken off you. If there are windows of time that Plus-1 is not sending that are within your calculated times, it will simply kick it back to you with your own times and ask that you commit.
I'm a little surprised by all the complaining. Plus1 is a big improvement over the previous system . . I called it 'planner assist'. The preplans/loads were computer generated . . next load, next avaiable truck, etc . . but the planner had to hit the send button. Planners are no different than most; they don't go looking for trouble, so usually they'd throw it against the wall to see if it stuck. (If Lancaster or Decatur plans had more than 400 miles, the planner had to stop and make sure there were no unplanned terminal trucks nearby, in case you've ever wondered) Problems arose when they didn't stick because now you're making him/her actually work . . and thus began the waiting game and it was 100% planner discretion: "legit, whiner or slacker?" Replan, force plan or no plan. Today, with the advent of Plus1, there isn't too much to think about: Can I do it as presented? Yes=accept, No=modify. I'll guess and say I lose maybe a third of the plans I modify. The bonus is, I doubt I've ever waited more than 15 minutes for a new plan and they tend to be better plans. Work it. Yesterday, 14-1500, or so, empty and about half way through my 14+11, I got a plan to p/u at 0300 next day, 118 miles and deliver 0900. Not great but I would have done it. Instead, I modified it to try and squeeze it into the balance of my 14. Why not? Computer took it off me and within a few minutes, had a diff plan, later p/u, same shipper and 575 miles. Plus1 rocks! I do agree there's room for improvement . . the p/u window should be fully disclosed. There really is no point in rushing to the pick up when the delivery is an immovable wall.
