Glad I moved over to Poly Trucking

Running pretty hard. Had one of the few loads I have ever gotten that didn't return to Texas. Unloaded in Loveland, CO and got a load in Greeley, CO going to Tarboro, NC. Picked up after that this morning in Winston-Salem and returning to GP and picking up a University Park, IL load for a Tuesday morning delivery. Should be in the 4300 range for the week but unfortunately having to reset up there.

Decided to run US52 through its entire length in West Virginia a couple of days ago instead of I64 and I77. A couple of ### puckering downgrades with multiple short switchbacks, not quite the Dragon's Tail but still some fun Took about 5.5 hours to navigate the 180 miles so not a road you want to take on e-logs. Glad I done it as I have contemplated taking that route before but once is probably enough.

Still plan on starting the "local" gig if I can ever finagle a load back to Henderson.

 

Sorry to see you having such a bad go of it man , I was speaking to someone one night after hrs. And that someone comes here and reviews what folks are saying. I just turned in 9stops 5200 miles over a 10 day span. With an extra 100.00 in Fed w/h and 6% to 401 , it still cleared 2k ... Things aren't perfect here bud , and we all know Shipping is sliding us onto the back burner while they clear out the outside help on the w/e's.
It obvious , that makes it worse knowing they have to know we know, yet still do it .
You once told me you owned your own , and sorry to say this but maybe that's the direction you need to be looking. I say that primarily because companies galore have a thing about those who want to hire in and feel they need to bring change to their ways. Good luck !

 

I've been running hard. I've had to wait up to 12 hours on weekends to get loaded but I still make my deliveries on time. Sucks to adjust so much do to a late load but I get it done to keep rolling.

Backhaul has been good to me lately so no problems there as of late. The shop and my truck would be my biggest problems. Just got my truck out of the shop, was there for over 3 weeks. I made it about a 1000 miles before I had to do a parked regen, just hope it doesn't turn into every 200 miles like before. Had my apu serviced and wrote up for engine over heating. Worked for 10 mins.

I've been with poly for about 8 months now and I love it compared to previous otr jobs I've had. The money and freedom make up for crap trucks and some waiting. The waiting is nothing compared to reefer work I've done so I usually enjoy the wait times.

Seems like poly has changed for a lot of the guys that have been around longer but for me it's been the same the last 8 months so no drastic changes for me.

 

Good to see you doing good AG , the post was to Snackbar. Hope he finds happiness , it's obviously not gonna happen at Poly. Hey in this industry we all have our priorities , what works for some is meaningless to others because of their priorities. Seriously Snackbar , hope you find the right fit.

 

Well chief, it isn't just me having this problem...just because it isn't happening to you doesn't mean it isn't happening. EVERY driver sitting in the break room in the 2 days I was sitting there has had 4, 6, 8 or longer waits from the GP shipping, and not just on weekends. And as they say on the commercial, 4 out 5 agree, they have seen an increase in wait times for loads both outbound and backhaul since Carl and John left and then they had major shift in personnel in both departments. The increase in disgruntled drivers leaving has escalated so drastically that the head of trucking called one of our driver managers upstairs to find out what the #### was going on...we're talking 8-10% in recent months. One, had recently started, and backhaul sat him in OH for DAYS. He was so p/o'd he deadheaded all the way back to quit...and the worst news, the delays are only gonna get worse before they get better. They are gearing up to see the largest output of product ever...we're talking hundreds of millions of pounds of freight moving off the yard...if they can't keep up now, what will it be like when the push is on...I could see delays in getting loads in Dec or Jan, but June?

At least for me, the shop isn't one of my beef's this time. They had to keep my truck this last time because they had an air compressor to replace among other issues, so I grabbed a loaner and headed home, however I chose to take most of my worldly possessions home which prompted a "looks like you're never coming back" comment from the shop who had to get the flatbed scooter to help transport my stuff from the shop bay to my loaner. To which I could only reply, "ya never know" and left it at that.

 

I hope everyone stays away from them , and soon because they lose so many drivers and no one will hire in because it's so bad , maybe it'll get a little better for those of us that don't think that the grass will be greener every where else.
Folks I've been around the block maybe 35 times in 27 years in trucking. Meaning yes the list is so long I can no longer remember them all. And trust me I'm not bragging on it. But , Since 2001 , I've only had about 8 , and 3 account for 12 of the 14. After Jevic went under in 2008 it was a struggle in racing right into another good job after being the victim of chapter 13 like so many others. The first year , after Jevic I switched 3 times 1st 2 were short lived , the 3rd was about 18 months and the 4the after Jevic was 2 years. The 4th was New Century and the writing was on the wall , this time I wasn't gonna hang around to be dumped on again by the same people that dumped Jevic.
There were 2 more short lived jobs after NCT until Poly called me.
Now I doubt I'm gonna get any debate on this , when you talk to Poly during the phone interview and read here what and how things are ran , you can indeed make an educated decision. No one at poly is lying to get a person to hire in. No one is promising you new beautiful equipment right off the bat , in fact they tell you up front you will not get a new truck 1st year. You read here and can see the biggest issue in the past was the shop. For some it still is, for me personally it's not , it's gotten better mainly cause after a year I was indeed offered a new one. Now it seems Shipping has their priorities on the W/E's and it's not their drivers , it's the outside carriers. To adapt to this I have become nocturnal , I'll stay up late ...real late and sleep til 12 , 13, maybe even 1400 so when the load does become ready I can do what needs to be done the 1st day to get it to where it needs to be , but see this is no biggie to me , and why ? Because I've had a retarded sleep pattern since 88 when I began trucking.
Poly still does an outstanding job of letting you go home and enjoy your home time unless you live near GP , TX , then as I understand it , they like to call you at home when they're short drivers. They still have a great home time policy , 2nd to none in my opinion , and match $ for $ up to 6% 401k.
You get paid by the Hub , and not some screw you type the way the crow flies program. As I said months ago about Poly the 1st yr is rough , because you have to learn the ropes , those ropes don't change, not for me you or anyone else. It's policy and we don't make it.
As you learn the ropes it also will help you as a driver to do more listening when you talk to them and not come across as you're telling them . The end result will help your life be a nicer one at poly. There is no perfect job, I needed to learn that more than anyone from 88 to 2001 because in that time I signed everyone's paychecks everywhere I went , I was the policy writer in my own mind and
In that 13 yr span, embarrassing as this is , changed jobs appx. 27 times. So trust I been there , and it doesn't work when it come to thinking you can walk in a door and make changes to suit you ... do your home works there's plenty here on Poly and it does work for some, it all rides on what you're looking for. I can also honestly say that in 27 mnths with them the Qcom has never gone off after the sun set. Brokers will call you but I turn the phone off if I'm shutting down at 2 or 3 a.m. All it took was the 1st one to call me at 0330 for an update on a 0500 apt and that was enough of that !

 

As I said dude , we've talked before , in person we each know who we're talking to , the best wishes were meant from the heart , trust me , As you maybe reading the reply to someone else you'll understand I know what you are going through , and I also know it sucks. There nothing worse than being miserable , and now I think you know that if I become unhappy more than I'm happy I will begin looking. A word to the wise though SB , sometimes your best off when it is time, to remember that good references go a long way in you getting hired to the next gig. Also if things get worse before they get better , and I do start looking I'll be sure to leave this door wide open. Reason for that is I have this understanding that nothing last forever good and bad. You can have a cream of the crop job , a dedicated like no other and after 15 yrs with the company a key part to your happiness retires , and a yr later you quit cause his replacement hated you for some reason. Same token other side , when you are screwed up and the complaints are never ending and drivers are leaving at an alarming rate it's only a matter of time you cut your own throat and you're the odd man out.
Someone was given a position and is leaving a trail of poed drivers , it's been about 4 or 5 months now now sooner or later it will bite him in the backside and he'll be on the outs !

 

Backhaul has done it again. Wait a day and half to load a 4 stop load that takes 7 days to go 2100 miles. Appointments can't be changed already spoke to broker

 

Where does it final ?

 

I hear Bruce Jenner (or what ever her new name is) has a new sponsor...