JCT

I have been wondering about this as well. I will have to watch this closer.

 

JCT will preach to you about the importance of 'running by the book', while you are in orientation, then when you are dispatched, you need to learn how to operate on little or no sleep & be very creative. I tried running legal, & was told by Kieth Sally, "if you insist on running legal, you are not going to make it here". Good luck.

 

It is important to run by the book. I agree. I've been here 4 years and I get plenty of sleep. I don't see how you were getting little or no sleep in the first place. You are insisting that you run legal 100%. I bet if I compared your logs to the qualcomm I can find something that will put you out of service. People make mistakes out here. No one is perfect. Also did Keith say that to you over the qualcomm? If not I'm assuming that you overblew his exact words over the phone because you're already upset they pushed you too hard.

 

Look at my "update" just a few posts ago. I have run quite a few miles, and NO ONE has pushed me to do anything illegal. If you spent some time at a shipper and did not use your time wisely, and get some sleep, how can you blame it on anyone other than who was holding the steering wheel? If you needed to be micro managed, you don't belong here anyway. They are not in the business of babysitting or micro managing. When you first left, I was sorry to hear it, and it got me to wondering. But now that I have run for JCT, I see the other side of it. If you need someone to "watch" everything for you, you won't make it here. I have NOT had to run very hard on any load except one. Sitting at shippers too long, but it is to be expected in the refer business. But even then, the load was run legal. Just long days for 3 solid days. After that Keith let me rest up for the next go round.

 

I DID NOT "overblow" his exact words, those were the words he used, nor am I upset about being "pushed too hard". I don't have to be pushed in order to work. I am happy to hear whose side you all are taking on this matter, because at the very least, I now know where I stand. Thanks to alanp613, herkyboy, LMB, & several others, it has become obvious this is a COMPANY oriented forum, & not a forum for drivers. I was told to do 'whatever it takes', to get the load there, multiple times. The drivers I switched out with were told the same thing. Those of you who like to run like that, I do not have a problem with, but at the very least, be honest to those who are quitting their jobs to come here. There are some of us who don't want to be 'hung out to dry', when something goes wrong. That is exactly what will happen, when you are involved in any type of incident. As for those of you who suspect this is just another newbie complaining about having to work, I have been driving for 25+ years, in all kinds of circumstances, for all kinds of employers, some good, some not so good. I am not judging JCT for their practices, just passing along info for others who might be considering employment here. Perhaps those of you who insist that you run legal, & have not been pushed to do otherwise, should consider yourselves fortunate, instead of belittling those of us who have. Sitting at a receiver for 8 hours, waiting for your truck number to be called on the CB radio, does not constitute 8 hours sleeper berth. Waiting for 7 hours to load, then moving from building to building to get loaded for the next 3 hours does not constitute a 10 hour break. I was under the impression that this forum was to inform others of the conditions here, so they could make an informed decision about coming here. At least be honest about the conditions. Anybody that has worked here knows about these things, don't you think it is the right thing to do to share your experiences?

 

Very well said chcrow. I agree with you 100%. I still work for JCT and am happy here but I do run a little harder than I was used to running.

 

Yeah...that's par for the course in this industry

I just hope they don't expect the drivers to run hot when the DOT

mandates the 'Black Box' in these rigs.

In Theory the 'box' will bring the Double Standard these companies operate under to a screeching halt.

 

Let tell how I handle the shippers and receivers who expect me to sit for a good deal of time to get loaded or unloaded. When I pull in the lot I ask on the CB how's the time here to get in or out and drivers will let you know, so if I'm told it takes hours i tell them my CB just quit working and give them my cell number so this way I can lay down if I want.

As far as running hard I push myself much harder then JCT pushes me but that's just the way I am, I would do that if I was making burgers at Mickey D's. I come out here for 4 weeks at a time and I work HARD and don't waste one minute, so I can go home and spend 5 days with my family without being in the hole 1 dollar. I'm in Tulsa today getting my airconditioner fixed, I picked up a load yesterday morning in Indiana and ran it here to get my truck fixed, I had 947 miles with deadhead and averaged 6.8 mpg with 79,240 in the box at 65 mph avg. by doing this I need to only run 360 more miles by Thursday to break even, is it worth it to me YEP!. I should be able to get 1000-1700 more by Thursday if they get me out today.

JCT is what you make of it, I have a friend who is leaving JCT because he wants to be home with his kids, I respect him for that and I encouraged him to do so, those kids only grow up once. JCT will be here when they grow up just like they are here now and my kids are grown so here I am doing the greatest job in the world.

To many people are out here for a job, not because they want to be a truck driver and this is no place to be if you don't want to be a truck driver, because it's a hard-hard life at times but also one of the most rewarding at times. I think anyone coming to JCT or any company needs to ask themselves this question "DO I really want to be a truck driver?"

 

I would be safe to bet my left testicle that there's no over the road driver who has ran illegal in the last 12 months, they probably have done it and not realized it. Shoot people on paperless logs have to end up busting the 14 and 11 hr rule to get parked or to deliver their loads just ask any Werner driver they'll tell you that. If they implement black boxes in trucks rates will have to skyrocket and that will make prices of everyday goods skyrocket. If we got paid $2.50 to $3.00 a mile to haul freight that would be perfect but we don't live in a perfect world.

 

Chcrow

Look no one is trying to throw you under the bus. We're just simply stating our own experiences here. Good example is herkyboy. He's one of our new drivers and they've been getting the most miles lately. In his case he got 3700 miles one week. That's avg of 528 miules a day. Approx 8.25 hour work day. That is plenty legal to accomplish. The one where u said you sat 7 hours then drove around to get loaded I know it's a at Eurofresh and most their loads got plenty of time on it. Heck most our loads have enough time for you to run legal. I don't know how you consider legal. For me when my wheels aren't turning. Its in off duty or sleeper.