Joe & Tow's new trucking adventures/ex GTI thread

Pretty much everything we said would happen is happening that some have said would NOT happen....who'd have thunk it....APU's will be next........especially after polling their drivers about it.

 

This post is shamelessly copied from my Holland thread....largely because I could not be bothered to type it all over again!!!

Evidently I have a less than stellar view of most Maintenance departments at trucking companies that I may as well forget about now that I am at a good company. So I pull in here at the yard in Mapleton,ND immediately back my trailer into a bay and then drive my truck into another bay. And they ask me when I need to get moving....I say I have to be out of here by 11am at the latest....NO PROBLEM they say, and I ask what do I do with my dog while they are working on the truck...again, no problem...simply stay in the truck with him...yep!!! So while it has been a looooong couple of days, 640 yesterday and 680 today my truck is ALREADY DONE a simple oil change in, out...done!!! No "Well, we may get in in the shop in 3 days" and no looking for a million little things that may be wrong with it. No fuss, no bother, just done. THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. Anyway, as we would say in England I AM BLOODY KNACKERED and going to bed!!!!

 

Glad to see that you all of you have found a great place to work. In my opinion being treated with respect makes you want to do all that you can to help the company out and then in return they actually help you out in the long run with no b.s.

 

You have hit on a key point here. When I started with GTI I respected them and believed the respect would be returned. At the end their disrespect is fully reflected back to them by me.

 

I have to say this in regards to Gordon Trucking. While I was there just a couple months short of 5 years I really liked driving for them. My wife and I teamed for most of that time and made more money there than anywhere we had ever been before. We were always treated well and when problems came up; one phone call would fix things.

That being said, after the beginning of 2013 it seemed that the wheels came off the bus, so to speak. Most of what I experienced was due to middle management at the Indy terminal which to me was best described as incompetence.

Mind you that before I began my driving career 12 years ago I worked in management and sales for quite some time in the automotive aftermarket manufacturing industry so I recognize incompetence when I see it. It is like a cancer and severely affects the attitudes and morale of all around.

There developed an us against them mentality which steadily went downhill. This was remedied for a brief stint when certain members left the company but unfortunately shortly thereafter the heartland deal was announced.

The heartland deal greatly affected the atmosphere at the indy terminal. It was like a room full of zombies.. people trying to show a positive outlook but it was obvious that it was an act. Then quite a few personnel changes were made and new people were added which was the last straw for me. The only thing worse than an incompetent staff is an incompetent staff that doesn't give a flip and that is what happened there.

While I cannot say that changes by heartland caused the demise there it was clear that a change in attitude was caused by this move and no one saw it as a problem and probably still don't today. Why should they? People are still willing to work there, newbies still go there for training and they are all still making money.

As for me, I wanted nothing more to do with it. To be honest I was tired of running nothing but the northwest all winter long with no end in sight and was ready for a change. I wouldn't have left however because of the money and benefits I had but things came to a head when my income dropped in half my last 2 months there and nobody cared.

So all is well that ends well.

Still though I have good memories of Gordon and wish the family well. It was nice while it lasted but we all know that nothing good lasts forever.

 

One more thing...

I notified my DM at my new company that I needed to get home for surgery this Monday and would be off a week to 10 days. He hurried me right back to go home and when I told him I was going to clean my truck out in case they wanted to give it to someone else he said not to do that... he said"you are coming back so it's your truck". Think positive he kept saying...lol

btw... I really like my new job

 

Glad it's working out for all of you! Three happy drivers....what is this world coming to??