My Experience With KLLM

But Rnbwpnt, if it makes you feel any better, I spent much of today starting an all out war.

The list for drivers to be routed to Jackson for the Owner-Op orientation on the 17th was sent to dispatch late last week. My name was on the list and on my last few trips I noticed they had me set up for time off on 2/15 in Jackson. OK...cool.

After my near trip to Oz the other night, I had had to stop earlier than planned which meant I had to start out the next day earlier than I had planned in order to deliver on time. So, I deliver and they shoot me a trip to pick up in Ohio, 145 miles away, and deliver at 7:30am in Chicago the next day. No way I can make the delivery on time and I let my dispatcher know.

So, I pick that load up and they swap me out in Seville, OH for a load to deliver in eastern PA on 2/14 at 9am. Cool...no problem. I can still make Jackson on time and figure they have it in the works.

I get halfway to the receiver and they send me a preplan. Pick up almost literally next door to where I am delivering on 2/15, one drop in VA and one in NC...both on 2/16. OK...not cool....I can't drive all day on 2/16 to make those drops happen and still get to Jackson by that night for the orientation the next day.

The following is the QualComm exchange:

ME: You do know I am supposed to be in Jxn on the 16th? For the lease prgrm orientation on the 17th?

DISPATCH: Actually I didn't because I'm not (my regular dispatcher) but I'll ask planner if he has a ld 2 get u 2 jxn

DISPATCH: He does not hav a ld 2 get u here

ME: It is *not* optional

DISPATCH: There is not a whole lot I can do about it

ME: The list went out last week with my name on it. The t/o on my screen states 2/15. *I* did what *I* was supposed to do to make sure dispatch was notified. Find a solution.

DISPATCH: No solution # this time sorry

ME: Jim Richards contact info please.

So, I ended up calling Jim, our CEO shortly after 3pm CST. I speak to his administrative assistant and tell her my problem.

1601 (4:01pm) CST....I get a new preplan to pick up in NJ on 2/14 and deliver in SC on 2/15...608 miles from Jackson. OK...that is do-able.

I *will* be in Jackson for orientation. I'm done playing...

After the 574 mile battle with the wind the other day and the fact that I've been driving with the flu for the past week, I ache from head to toe, I have gone above and beyond without complaint and, now, I am at the point where I'm in no mood to play nice with others who can't get their ###### together and get *their* job done.

RT

 

I know someone who drives and likes Trans AM. Anyone hear any different? Maybe NR
can go to Werner for six months??

 

RT69, I can think of no better Company lady driver for KLLm than you. I wish they would read these post's to see how much you stick up for them!! I love RT!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, she's been awefully helpful to me also Thanks RT!

 

Awwww...darlin' I love you too

Now for the rest of my saga.....

OK, so I get a load picking up in Jersey (I *hate* Jersey! Rudest drivers in the lower 48 hands down, cruddy roads, usually cramped docks and little room to manuver...) and luck out. I get a facility with a halfway decent dock area.

So, I get loaded and tool on down to my fuel stop and decide to weigh out the load. I end up having to slide the tandems WAY back and I'm still 1840 pounds over on my steers. To fix this I'm going to have to slide my fifth wheel back.

FOUR hours and help from FIVE other truck drivers later.....

I bite the bullet and call Road Breakdown. The fifth wheel HAS to slide or I'm stuck like Chuck. I cannot drive with 1840 pounds too much on my steers.

I get approval to take the truck to TA. I check in, drop the trailer and pull into the bay. Here come Larry and Curley (the first of the three stooges who worked on my truck). They act like they ahve never seen a Cascadia before and they hem and haw and mutter something about how it's going to be very difficult for them to fix. One of them trots off and brings back Moe (the third stooge) who seems to know a but more. He has me flip the fifth wheel release switch back and forth a few times. One pin will disengage but not the other.

So Moe tells me that he "thinks" it's "probably" the cylinder. So I ask him how long it will take to fix it.....

He tells me they can't even start to fix it until Monday as they'll have to get the part and everything is closed for the weekend.

THAT IS *IT*!!!!!!!!!!!!

I lose it right there.....

I pick up a hammer and crawl down in the pit and up on the milk crate and start cussing and beating the h*** out of the pin that is stuck. The stooges are so shocked that they don't even try to stop me......

%$(*&&%*#

*WHAM*

#%$&*$# (Now swinging the hammer two handed...)

*WHAM WHAM*

FAILURE

*WHAM*

IS *NOT*

*WHAM WHAM WHAM*

AN

*WHAM WHAM*

OPTION!

*WHAM BANG BANG WHAM*

$%#%$

*WHAM*

----CLUNK-----

The pin snaps back and disengages......

G**D*** RIGHT!!

So, I climb up out of the pit, hammer in hand. The three stooges are now backing up...their eyes as big as dinner plates.....

"Larry" looks at me and asks: "Lady...are you married?

Me: (Giving him the hairy eyeball)...No.

Larry: I'm not surprised.....cause you are one scary chick.....

At that point I take the liberty of grabbing an almost full can of WD-40 off a tool chest and empty it hosing down both pins. I climb up in the cab and flip the switch a couple of times to make sure the pins are both working.

In the end, I end up having to slide my fifth wheel all the way back and land just under the 12000 pound limit in my steers. As luck would have it, the first scale I came to after leaving the shop was open. So had I not gotten the problem fixed both the company and I would have been out some major bookoo bucks (and I would very likely have been out of a job...)

So, I delivered that load and picked up another one that I will drop in Jackson tomorrow and all is good......

Failure is NOT an option.....I *will* make it to orientation by God!

RT
(the moderately insane, slightly demented, and incredibly determined....)

 

Way to go girl! That story has both me and my hubby laughing!

 

good for you! that was pretty funny! cant believe they didnt even try to get it to move. its a newer truck?

 

I can't believe the four or five other truckers couldn't do it.
How many truckers does it take to move a fifth wheel------- one bleach blond with a BFH. LOL

 

Well i guess i won't be going to KLLM, i talked to my recuriter last week and found out orintation in Fontana has been pushed back till mid- April. I graduate truck school on 3-6 and can't afford to wait that long. This sucks, i was really looking forward to going with this company, all the research i've done this looks like a good place to work. I guess i'll have to go somewhere else for at least a year and make the best of it. Thanks for all the info in the posts on here it was really helpfull, good luck to all of you that are working for or looking forward to working for KLLM.

 

####, alot of their guys are local to me. I see their trucks all the time since Fresh Express is a big outfit for them - I thought it'd be nice to be 'local' almost...