Millis OTR journal

Broke down in Columbus, I don’t think I have ever stayed in a worse hotel. Damp, dingey outdated. Nothing around except a Waffle House and patty the daytime hooker.

 

Sounds like the Red Roof Inn I stayed at in Springfield MO. It took had a Waffle House across the parking lot, and I got to see a couple get thrown out of the motel for smoking in the room. I forget which one had the ankle monitor, but they seemed like they were used to it.

 

You guys would be absolutely shocked at the attention they are paying to idle time. Every 3 and 4 days a printout is produced showing every drivers idle %. Those over 50% have to explain why, those over 60% I believe are called down to the principals office. Those under 50% are given an atta boy. Those in the top 10% of least idle time get a message from David.
Don’t get me wrong I completely understand why they are doing it.

CFI has been a noose around heartlands neck. At least in my opinion that is. Having to come up with $35 million a quarter in a slow freight environment can’t be easy.
I don’t get the stance against cheap freight though. Isn’t something better than nothing as long as it’s profitable? That guaranteed minimum pay has to be draining the coffers.

Im just a company driver so I really don’t understand the strategy.

 

What part of Columbus? Several years ago we stayed at one north of town off 71 that fits that description. Only hotel room I've ever been in that had linoleum floors.

 

You already know how I feel about them crying about the idling. Personally I wish everybody would just walk away and find jobs with companies that don't do that. But I know right now Millis has the upper hand because most companies aren't begging for drivers at the moment so the beatings will continue until morale improves.

I get approached by people all the time that's looking to get into trucking and they're asking me about who to start with. I no longer tell them to go to Millis. I've been sending them to Swift because from what I can understand Swift is still treating their drivers pretty decently as far as starter companies go.

Cheap freight hurts all of us in the long run though. The occasional cheap load is one thing but some of these guys that have just one truck with their own authority or maybe just a couple and don't have any contract freight... All of their freight is cheap because they get it off load boards and I don't understand how they manage. You've seen them. Seven digit DOT numbers with all of their info either written on a piece of poster board and duct taped to their door or it's all done in Home Depot mailbox lettering. These guys are the ones that are killing freight rates for you guys pulling boxes.

 

West of Columbus by rail yard. People who run hotel are pretty nice just in a horrible location. I got all excited early today when they said they were going to send me and truck down to Chillicothe. Much better location. But then hopes were dashed because Millis KW connection had me jump the line in Columbus and made me a priority

 

I think I only found out my idle percentage once and it was pretty low. And it annoyed me that by idling less it lowered my fuel bonus but I preferred the lower bonus to the vibration from idling so I didn't worry about it to much.

Since I've retired I've become the receiving department at home. Between my girlfriend and the family across the street there are enough deliveries from Amazon and the like to make this a regular delivery spot as they do their bit to help end the freight recession.

 

I've got a couple of texts from another company I drove for saying they're looking for drivers. I was surprised too after hearing about how the "driver shortage" wasn't what it used to be. I think I may have got my last text from CRST too, somehow they got my phone number before I started with Millis and would text me about exciting opportunities with them from time to time. I'm glad they stopped too, even if it means they don't think I'm worth pursuing anymore.

 

Or a broker load from a Cuban warehouse with insane unpaid detention. If the load isn't still at the port

 

Last time I put out feelers like this I used a Burner number. Good thing I did because companies like US Express and CRST blew it up although I'm pretty sure I specified tanker/pneumatic/hopper bottom/end dump as trailer types I was interested in pulling. If I have to ever look for another job, I'll do that again.