Glad I moved over to Poly Trucking

Well, it's been nice working with ya'll...I am scheduled on the 4:30 red eye to Jacksonville.



Just kidding. Had a very professional 2 hour b.s. session with Alan. Basically heard I had some frustration issues with Poly and wanted to work them out. (One of the reasons I like working here). Told him that shop is my only issue, other than that, I love it here and can see working here as long as they'll allow me.

On the topic of the shop. Truck was in and out in 3.5 hours, for the service. They knew I had a load and a time issue if they found anything. My rear brakes are within 10k miles of being worn out...close enough to change...but at 8:45 the truck was parked outside the drivers room and no one said a freekin word. At 1130 when I got out of the meeting with Alan, I drove to the shop and got the only thing they're good at...excuses. Tommy gets on my butt for not communicating with dispatch, but it's ok for him not to communicate with me.

 

I can foresee Navistar claiming that the companies are restricting the motors too much and that is causing these issues. I believe that is what Volvo did when Swift sued them back in 06.

 

I got out of GP...but in order to deliver legally, split log again. But the good news...back haul load delivers Saturday in Palestine...then roll back. That will put my week in the mid 4000's + a couple stops..and on the board for home. After I deliver Saturday, that will total above 21000 for the last 7 weeks...I think I have made up for my extra home time tally days...and I am pretty burned out at this point...but it's a 'good' tired instead of a sick and tired feeling from days of old as a Creten...even with the joys of the shop's soap opera this week, I still love it here.

 

So, I can't remember if I asked this before, but...

When Poly says "no accidents" do they mean MVR accidents, or any accidents period, including non-DOT?

 

im not sure they say that at all, cant remember where it was said that they prob look at apps with a clean record first, whatever is on ur mvr last 3yrs and what is on ur dac report or whatever they call it now, not sure how many they went back on dac, sure someone else will kno.

 

They look at everything, DOT reportable or not.

 

Wife sent me this pic...good for a laugh

 

I ended up not split logging up to K/C...the broker said my load to Palestine delivers at 530 Saturday morning. Split logging wouldn't allow me the time to legally break and make that delivery time. So, after getting 4 restless hours of sleep the night before, then getting up at 430 yesterday morning so I was ready for my service and my meeting with Alan(the reason I only got 4 hours of restless sleep)...I pushed it into K/C by midnight. Thankfully there was an empty spot on the shoulder of the road beside the McD's as you exit I635, right across the street from my delivery.

I normally don't call the broker before I arrive at my final delivery of my current load, but, at 19:30 last night I get a q'comm message asking when I'll be ready for an outbound load. It seems someone was working late in the office...they are short drivers out of GP for Sat, Sun and Mon...good thing they asked...I was just preparing to split, had my jammies on and everything. When they beeped, I called the broker and got the initial info about where and when, then had to jump back into my clothes and finish the drive up to K/C so I had a full 10 to run to Palestine via Wichita.
This will be my biggest regular week(miles and pay wise), by that I mean I didn't combine 2 weeks into one, I only rolled over 3 days of last weeks miles into this week. I had a full, normal miles week last week by Thursday noon. This is why a 34 works for me.

 

Yes , Everything ..........

 

After my most recent visit to our lovely repair facility, and my meeting with Alan(which helped to improve my respect for him and how he handles things here)...I have a somewhat better understanding of what the other side of the service desks have to go thru. As far as waiting on parts, or getting service on the road, I had a brief and professional chat with Mike about the reasons for and against the decision whether or not to do it outside the shop. In fact, the last few conversations with Mike have been calm, cool and professional...perhaps we both got our anger issues worked out in one days worth of bitterness. Tommy on the other hand has only spoken a few words since last week, and to tell the truth...if that's the way he wants to be...then so be it. He can hold his breath, stomp his feet, throw a hissey fit, or take his ball and go home...it really doesn't matter. I only have to deal with him on occasion, and if he isn't speaking...he isn't yelling. So, as long as he is doing his job, he can act how ever he wants...I am not interested in his friendship or opinions, just his job performance, and the performance of his subordinates. That being said, there is one issue that was brought to Alan's attention about the shop's issues above and beyond the parts purchasing process that slows things down (and that process is in the early stages of being remedied, or at least improved). The issue I am referring to is the quality of work being done. More specifically the phrase "righty tighty, lefty loosey" escapes these folks. I have had a turbo almost fall off, a major exhaust leak at the clamps after a DPF service, an oil cap come up missing all from a lack of attention to detail. Then this a.m., as I was preparing to leave, during my morning pretrip I discovered...my oil cap on this truck was hanging by the tether...I am not sure when it came loose, but it was there yesterday, and dangling today. I admit, I didn't do the most thorough post trip last night. I made sure all the parts like tires, lights, and body work was there and doing the job...plus no fluid or air leaks...and that the truck was safe to sleep in without the electrical system melting down...but it was midnight, I was exhausted, and I do a fairly thorough pre-trip before I leave...in the daylight where defects are easier to spot, so I went to sleep...

In the meeting, Alan said to tell him if I discovered anything else loose or missing so they can get this issue under control, so I sent an illustrated message...he also said that there was one of our trucks that made it all the way to Mississippi before it died because the oil plug fell out and dumped the oil on the ground...so it isn't just my truck that has this lack of tightening happening to it...the part that makes me nervous is that they had to take off my drive axle wheels to put on new brake parts...I wonder if I will be singing that old Kenny Rogers song "you picked a fine time to leave me loose wheel" soon.

I made it to Palestine for my tomorrow morning delivery. 681 miles today. And outbound called. Pick up Monday going to Valdosta for a Wednesday delivery. Works for me. I have 12 hours between now and Monday night. After I sent in my eta to GP last evening, I started thinking that maybe I should have said Monday since I have been burning up the road. I guess he read my mind because I got exactly what I needed. Still loving it here.