Load that can't be done legally

I agree that shippers, carriers, and BROKERS should be held liable for this garbage. They basically prey on small companies (still on paper logs) that will take "anything they can get" to stay in business. Ultimately, YOU are the captain of the ship and it is your duty to refuse to do anything unsafe or illegal.

 

Paper logs have nothing to do with it. You can be either paper or electronic and it's still a problem.

Call it in and ask them to reschedule stop two. As far as the real reason, upset at being home away one more day, keep that to yourself. It's bad enough you are calling in for a reschedule. Have a viable trip plan in writing with times, locations and hours remaining prepared to debate your case with dispatch.

Many of the so called mission impossible are easily solved by a new appointment, one that fits what you CAN DO legally. NOT what you are being asked to do illegally.

There is no more need for overnight 2000 mile heros. All of that is out. Just make a new appointment.

IF your company digs in and refuses to make a new appointment, then you have a choice. Run legal and get fired potentially for being service failure (Document everything for your state unemployment) or run illegally and get caught and fined then fired when your company finds out. Truly damed if you do and damed if you don't

Run it legal. Save the yelling and drama for when they wont reschedule your second appointment legally. Arrive legally. Remember that the moment you take a load illegally, you will continue to be implied or expected to be one of those drivers to be counted on to run mission impossibles. That too is impossible.

That's my position, Run it legal. Even if it gets you fired.

 

Omg no. That's dumb. They don't say hey you trucking company we demand you have your drivers drive 14 hours to deliver something for us. Most of the time outside of jit shipping they are very flexible.

Oh and to add to this, if we as drivers don't stand up for ourselves, then we deserve to be abused. It isn't the company's decision to drive that load, it is the drivers.

 

Paper or computer logs?

 

"Driver, we need you to pick this load up at at noon, MST, deliver stop One at 1900 past and stop Two at 0300!"

Not happening. Schedule stop 1 for 0500 and stop 2 for 0700.

"Driver, you don't understand..."

Yes, I do. Grab a load and run 55 mph to the first stop making it in time only if there are no traffic issues (you could split log like @uncleal13 suggested, but you would arrive at 0340 at the earliest at Two). Would be past the 14 at stop Two. Easiest thing for you deskjockeys to do was schedule them both for tomorrow am early. Don't give me that spill about how this is a hot load and vital and whatnot, because if it were vital, they wouldn't be doing this appointment BS, and would gladly take it when I get there.

 

Exactly !!

Shippers , Receivers and notoriously Brokers like to give the whole song and dance about how they need the load. Even though it's pointed out to be illegal with the scheduling "they've had people doing it in the past no problem".....

Many times their response is if you can't run it illegal they pull you off the load.

...That's fine with me but you know what the REAL LIFE result is, they just get someone who's going to do it illegally for them because they're not held accountable.



.

 

But friend, that stuff only happens to van drivers. It's NOT an industry wide problem. You're wanting the shippers and receivers and brokers to share responsibility. That's NOT a good idea. It would make a bad situation worse. And yes, things could be much worse.

In preparation for elogs, companies like CRST started forcing their drivers to run team. Do bottomfeeder teams run team miles? NOOOOOOOOOOO! They're sitting in the parkinglot like everyone else. To ensure that you guys could make any and all delivery, they will force you all to run team. The vast majority of team trucks do not make the money of 2 solo trucks. Bad idea. Bad.

The biggest problem in all of Vandom is and has always been, that van drivers sign up to get crapped on. Not only do you agree to it, you volunteer for it. The Dirty Sanchez of transportation. When are you guys going to quit standing in line for the next Dirty Sanchez? It will never happen. So, you clamor for legislation. They will put two of you at a time for a Dirty Sanchez.

And someone will reason, "Well, at least I wouldn't have to take all the poop by myself."

Snap out of it, people!

 

Wow oh wow is THAT a pile of horsepuckey!

Been running loose leaf paper logs for the last four months. Wanna list of how many 16 and 34 hour marathons I've had to "get done" in order to keep the company happy and myself employed?

And yeah, I'm currently dragging a flatbed.

Brokers and carriers who expect the impossible are the issue. Waiting until the last possible moment before dispatching the load (one of Werner's favorite tricks when I was with them), or brokers and load planners who over-promise to get the load are the problem.

 

Perhaps you should go back to vans?

 

You know, Six, I normally have a lot of respect for you. You've got a lot if knowledge, and a demonstrated willingness to share. So bearing that in mind: Bite me!

And I am going back to dry van. Not because of logbook issues, but because I can no longer afford to run a flat. Freight's down, rates are garbage, and I'm fed up with working twice to three times as hard for less money.