Getting home, dispatcher responsibility to accomodate off time?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by TruckDriver87, Jan 24, 2025.

  1. silverspur

    silverspur Road Train Member

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    The smartest people in America are working at STEM based companies or on Wall Street, not in trucking dispatch.
     
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  2. cuzzin it

    cuzzin it Road Train Member

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    Say it isn't so.....
     
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  3. Arctic_fox

    Arctic_fox Experienced mx13 execrator

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    I knew a guy once who ended up going to MIT. Absolutely a genius in terms of raw brain power. I had to grab his shirt collar and yank him out of the road when he walked into traffic and he came within inches of being hit by a car and that was just one example of such things. Education does not equal intellegence much less common sense. Especially considering the last few years.

    That said your also not wrong. Ive had some great dispatchers. And ive had some that left me wondering how they managed to walk and breath at the same time.

    In the OPs case. Not enough info. Plans change, delays happen.
     
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  4. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    How does this scenario usually wind up working when this happens?
     
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  5. asphaltreptile311

    asphaltreptile311 Road Train Member

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    I stopped doing "repowers" years ago . Nothing worse than being on a good load then getting a call needing you to pick up a load that's only going 100 miles to a customer that's going to take 12 hours to unload.
     
  6. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    A dozen donuts goes a long ways when it comes to dispatchers,,,;)
     
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  7. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    Knew a driver that lived in Pensacola. When he needed to go home, his dispatcher would get him a load to Miami, because it’s in Florida too. He kept telling them that Houston is closer to Pensacola than Miami. There’s a bunch of dispatchers who cannot read a map. The same dispatcher will try to rendezvous a couple drivers together to repower a load.
     
  8. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Swap what?
     
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  9. TruckDriver87

    TruckDriver87 Bobtail Member

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    I just coordinate with the other driver, and uncouple.


    Trailers and loads.
     
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  10. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    That is actually good planning.

    Driver A needs to get home, but there are no loads to get him there from where he is so he picks up a load going in the general direction.
    Driver B is picking up a load going to where Driver A needs to go, and the two loads will intersect along their routes.

    Swap the loads and Driver A can get home on time.

    Sometimes it is better, sometimes worse for Driver B depending on the new destination. That is a coin toss kind of thing.
    But it is good that the planners are sharp enough to work out the details to get someone home on time (or close to on time).

    People complain all the time about being able to get home on time. It is that kind of planning that shows a caring attitude by the planners. They are going that extra mile to make it happen.
    And next time, it might be Driver B that needs that swap to make it home on time.