Don't work for pam

Well another example of a unqualified CEO...just because someone has a college degree and experience as head mgt doesn't necessarily mean he know what he's doing.

How many co's do we see go under due to inept CEOs ???

 

Admin needs to move this post to the comedy forum. Company's the size of this one, could care less in this economy.

 

I'm sure they do. We know there's a lot of people in any given company that can screw up a simple plan. Theres also a chain of command in most structured environments, and its there to use.
But, yes please move my post and this other Guy to the comedy section.

 

Even though I stand up for my company (yes, I've been there almost four years), I'm planning my exit as well. I've been keeping quiet about all the negatives because, by nature, I'm not a negative person. But due to lack of communication and planning that created this "Series of Unfortunate Events," I've decided to look elsewhere for employment.

I delivered a load in Jonesboro, AR, last Thursday morning (1/12). While delivering, I got a message with a preplan (shock) for a Con-Way linehaul picking up that night about three miles away at 2100 going to Plainfield, IN. I was asked by dispatch and confirmed with them that I could take my 10-hr break before picking this load up. After delivery in Jonesboro, I found a place to park and started my 10-hr. break.

Six hours into the break, I received a message saying the load was cancelled. OK, I thought. That happens. Go back to sleep and get your break in. Maybe something will come up for pickup in the morning.

Then the "Series of Unfortunate Events" began.

Forty-five minutes after the original load was cancelled, I receive a load assignment to pick up an auto parts load from a broken-down truck on the side of the road near Sikeston, MO. The load was going to Burton, MI, just outsile of Flint, and had to be there any time the following day (1/13). Drop and hook. I asked if I could finish out my 10-hr break and then go get the load. Dispatch came back with an emphatic, "No. Go get the load." I start rolling, dropped the empty trailer I had at the Con-Way where I WAS going to pick up, and started bobtailing to the broken-down truck, thereby kicking in my e-logs.

An hour after I get dispatched, I get a message that royally ticked me off. The message said, "Truck and trailer have been towed to the Freightliner in Sikeston, MO." So, in the end, I could have waited out my 10-hr break.

I got the trailer in Sikeston, went a few miles to the Pilot in Charleston, MO, and parked with about 11 minutes to spare on my 14. I call the receiver; the number I have is no good. I had a gut feeling something would not be right if I delivered this all the way to Burton; with road conditions fair at best. When I pulled out of Charleston at 0530 Friday morning (1/13), I began to see cars, trucks, trailers, all over the side of the road and even a few in the median. I called teh dispatcher and told him that I was not sure if I can make this delivery, citing the road condtions and not being able to take a full 10-hr break in Jonesboro. Dispatch came back with, "It's a drop. Just give us your best ETA." I said Saturday morning (1/14) at 0800.

Condtions weren't so much better in Illinois. After a brief stop in Effingham for a cup of coffee, I headed east on I-70 towards Indianapolis. About five minutes later, from the opposite direction, I saw a car-hauler go into the ditch. I thought, conditions are getting worse. Let's see how far I can get this. I set Indianapolis as my goal, then go from there.

It had its moments, but I did make it to the Flying J in Indianapolis. I called dispatch and told them that I was shutting down here. It'll give the road crews in Indiana and Michigan more time to clear the roads. Dispatch ws okay with that, but had me update my ETA to Burton. I told them it hasn't changed. (1/14 0800). Another thought crossed my mind. I asked them, since the road conditions aren't that great, and I know Michigan freight dosen't move on the weekends, if there was any way I could t-call the load in Indianapolis. They said no.

Oh, well, I thought. After a shower and a 10-hr break, I roll through the Indiana darkness into Michigan. 60-mph state. It seemed like forever, but I finally did make it to the receiver on Saturday morning about 0800. And, lo and behold, there's a cardboard sign in the window of the gated guardshack:

"TRUCK GATE WILL NOT OPEN UNTIL MONDAY 0100."

Now I'm furious. I call dispatch and tell them that the receiver is closed for the weekend. All they can offer me was to hold onto the load until Monday. I go out-of-route to a T/A in Bridgeport, MI, and wait through the weekend.

Monday morning, I deliver the load (at least it was a drop) and hooked to the only empty PAM trailer on the lot. I crank the legs up...SNAP!! Handle comes off. No, the bolt didn't break. Handle and bolt are intact. I didn't have a pipe wrench, so Road Rescue gets someone out there to raise the trailer legs for me (two hours after I made the call). And also, the trailer was due for an annual inspection. Kill two birds with one stone, I thought.

I was dispatched to get a load in Kalmazoo, MI, with a fuel stop at the Flying J just outside of Lansing. Just as I was pulling in to get fuel...load was voided. But I get another dispatch almost immediately: Church and Dwight in Old Fort, OH...drop and hook. I can't drop the trailer, because the handle broke off. It has to be inspected first and the handle essentially welded back on before I can drop the trailer. Road Rescue directs me to the T/A in Perrysburg, OH for the repairs and inspection. THAT load was voided off of me, as well, because my 14 was running out. The trailer was fixed and inspected (so I thought, anyway) and took my 10 there at the T/A. But I did a load assignment for the next day. Pick up at Campbells in Napoleon, OH.

I sweep out the trailer (I already knew that was a requirement for them) and went to sleep with the sound of rain sending me off to sleep. Now it's Tuesday (1/17). I wake up, get a shower, and head to Napoleon. I get there, I open my doors....water was dripping into the trailer. Campbells rejected the trailer, as well they should. Load gets voided again. I'm through being angry, I thought. I just have to laugh and pretend I'm crazy. Otherwise, someone's getting hurt.

Road Rescue sends me to a small shop there in Napoleon to get the leak fixed. Once fixed, I back out of the garage, and then my "CHECK TRANS" light flashes at me. Truck will not go past 4th gear. I limp to the Pilot there and send in a message to both my DM and Road rescue explaining everything. Road Rescue sent instructions on how to reset the transmission. I followed those instructions, did it twice, and the "CHECK TRANS" light was still flashing, now with the letter "F" flashing in the display. Road Rescue calls a tow truck to send me to the Freightliner in Toledo. This was Tuesday (1/17) at about 1500. I was able to drop the empty trailer I had so just the tractor would be towed to Toledo.

Tow truck shows up THE NEXT DAY (1/18 ) about noon. Waited 21 hours for that tow truck. That was the final straw for me. That's when I started putting in applications with other companies.

Conclusion: I know the majority of what has happened was just a lot of bad luck, I and I accept that. But if auto dispatch wouldn't have gotten so overzealous and sent me after that broken-down truck in Missouri, none of this would be happening right now. If I was able to t-call the load in Indianapolis, none of this would be happening right now. I have taken a lot through the last...almost four years now. And I've finally reached my limit with this company.

 

Let us know who you end up with. Sorry about all the bad luck.

 

Kid, just how much pay did you get from time you dropped load in Mich Monday til you were loaded again?

 

Ha. Nothing yet. I haven't gotten a chance to even pick up a load since. After delivery, I got that bad trailer that needed an annual inspection and to get the landing gear handle fixed (cost me two loads), then to get the leak in the trailer repaired (cost another load), then the tranny problem.

Cause of tranny problem: Differental seal leak. I made it to North Jackson and switching trucks. This makes four trucks in the span of six weeks. See why I'm frustrated??

 

Says who? Listening to Rush a lot?

 

That's "more stupider" than the last post the other Guy posted about the same thing before you said the identical thing after he said it.....