mercer transportation

Thats the way I see things also mtoo, if you don't want sit out there then stay east.

 

I totally agree regards to holding the agents resoponsibel and accountable . . . . but who are going to educate the agents . . .

 

It's real hard to hold them accountable if they put it on the load details on the load board. I do like avoid those loads or question the agent about how much of problem it is.
Every load shows the agent and you can call him before accepting the load. I'm sure he doesn't put it in the details to pass the buck. Just like when you see a really cheap load on the board, it's because that's all the agent can get out of the customer. Best just pass or tell the agent the problem.

 

When the agent, who represents the company, accepts a load with scheduling that is impossible to do legally, then that is how drivers get put in the position of "having" to run illegal (or so they think) or not work. Or at many companies be fired for refusing a load. Why should we, as drivers, be put in that position in the first place? Once again it comes down to shippers and receivers having no legal responsibility in this HOS deal. I've seen loads that picked up in the afternoon and had to deliver at 6am next day, 850 miles, and NOT team loads. You can bet some driver took the load, and delivered it on time. Then everyone else is expected to do it, without complaint, because Billy-Bob did it, why can't you? And I do know several of our drivers who run like this all the time.

 

The drivers that do run illigal will not last as CSA gets stronger and Mercer doesn't want to go that way.
If the load can not be run legal, then I tell the agent it can't and when I will have it there. They are always OK with it.
When It changes because of waiting several hours to load, now it also changes the delivery time. I let the agent and receiver know this and expect them to except it.
We can change these things by always running legal. Run smarter not harder. Don't take the risk for a shipper and I'm sure Mercer wouldn't want you to. Just ask them.

 

I do the same. I base my schedule on allowing two hours to load or unload. If I'm not loaded in that time and it causes my delivery to be pushed back from what is requested, then so be it. I let everyone know what is going on, and what my revised time of arrival will be. I've had very little problem with that, ever. And if I can't do the load legal I don't take it. Still it remains that those that do take such loads give reason for shippers and receivers to expect that we will work that way. The particular customer I have in mind loves those guys that "do what it takes" to deliver their freight "on time". They do NOT want to hear the rest of us giving excuses about our hours. Just as I've had them load me hanging a couple inches over the sides of the trailer and getting all pissed when I refused to take it. Once again the reply is "Billy-Bob and John-Boy do it all the time, we ship like this all the time".

Of course these problems are not unique to Mercer, and in fact are pretty rare. Eventually these guys will get caught, although I can't figure how it hasn't happened yet. I do know the company is going through doing full log audits when they can. Log department has more time to do that now that they don't have to scan every piece of paper coming in. And they are getting rid of drivers, quietly, and more than most of you may realize.

Still, it is an uphill battle to make customers realize the consequences to us, as individuals, with stepped up enforcement by both LEO's and companies. Until they have to pay fines, or lose their jobs, I don't see anything changing on that front.

 

he needs a new job if he can only get home a few times a year.

 

Sometimes drivers don't take into account where companies normally run compared to where they live, when applying at a company.
Sometimes drivers don't care about getting home.

 

I would say he falls in the second group because theirs other things to do out there.

 

Guys,

I think one of the many items not being discussed here with regards to elongated loading/unloading times is the fact that when we, the O/O, small company go into load and get jacked around by the shipper is the fact that the other companies already vested with the shipper won't cover the particular load for one reason or another. Take note the next time you go into a particular shipper how many spotted trailers are sitting around. Those wagons are all from the same large drop and hook operations. I personally deal with this on a regular (7 years now) bases. I've discussed this at length with the shipping coordinator many times. The story is always the same......"XYZ company lays out strict and stringent guidelines for the freight they will move". I've always asked "Why do you put up with that and why do you keep them around?" The answer(s)....We keep XYZ company around because they will do it for X amount of $$$, we keep them around because we never know when an emergency will come up (they can always spot more trailers and usually don't have trouble finding drivers to cover a load over, say a holiday weekend), we got to stay diversified, etc. etc. etc. When O/O companies and independents are called in it's usually (not always) due to the fact one of the big boy outfits with spotted trailers won't cover the load due to the details involved. Once a shipper gets used to loading wagons on THEIR schedule you, me and all the rest get treated like the big box companies. Many times more then we, the driver even the agent, are told is there's a load that needs to get from point A to B. Simply procuring a truck, trailer AND driver waiting to be loaded and ready to run immediately after being loaded is all the assurance and insurance many shippers and their picky customer are looking for. And you guessed it many times that driver is willing to do almost anything he/she is asked even if it means running illegal. Sure the correct answer is to simply do it legal. However it's a gamble the shipper has taken before (and won) and is betting on the same results once again. By the way......the shipper I pull for ships between 7-12 loads a week! Not a big shipper by any means. Just picky customers. The end customer has options to and they remind the shipper in VERY obvious ways that they can and do exercise those options if their demands are not met! It can be a very complex web.