Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

CougFan, there are some threads here, Palazon--I think--comes to mind, that Gordon cut the driver loose after they went far enough in the app process with another firm that then contacted Gordon. I gave two weeks notice in anger. I'd have to look but I've described parts of it here. They knew that I would just as soon take the truck to a terminal if I got any further static. I imagined them discussing me, that 'Vic's gone rogue'. And that's about the truth. I let them know that they could have their truck back in Rancho, Phoenix or Indy (their choice) and after a week I sent the FM a follow-up QC and email that we had a week left. She responded just one word, "Understood."

After routing me from West Sacramento to Shasta Lake and from there to Denver, then Grand Junction with a trailer that needed three (3) tires, lubrication, brake shoes and brake drum, as well as away from Indy, which turned out very good for me all the same. At the Sam's Club in Grand Junction I met a young driver who wanted to get home to Pontoon for some hometime and PM. In the middle of the night we switched loads with Pacific's blessing.

I had a load going near Pontoon; he had a Mira Loma, about 15 miles from where my 91-year-old Mother was staying with one of my sisters-from-Hell. I knew Indy would never have approved this but it was part of the reason I took the foray to the West Coast--the chance that I would run up and down I-5 and get close enough to stop by to say hi on someone else's dime. Trips out there run me $750-$1000 otherwise.

You can imagine my DM was pretty excited to learn that I was on my way to Mira Loma and not Pontoon. But Paciic had okayed it, blessed it and Indy couldn't do anything about it. As I got close to Rancho DM let me know FM wanted me to turn truck in at Rancho. That was fine with me. I dropped my load on Friday and bobtailed over to my sister's place and QCd the address and location of the truck. Kept it over the weekend and brought it to Rancho on Monday.

Again, got a very excited call from my DM why I hadn't turned the truck in yet. Told him matter-of-factly that he and Gordon were not exactly on the top of my to-do list, had been out a month and would turn truck in on Monday. Wasn't much he could do other than sputter (which he did). But he was always polite. I call him Polite DM here.

Monday around 11 a.m. (Pacific time), drove over to Rancho and looked for a parking spot. Found one close to fuel islands even though I wasn't supposed to park there. Inside, I asked how to turn the truck in. They told me just turn the key in. I said, I'll need a receipt. They seemed puzzled, like, we don't really have receipts for that. But the gal made me up a receipt and as far as I know, no one even went out to look at the tractor. Other than that, no one from Gordon talked to me (officially).

I took a shower and kicked back for a while in the drivers room, then slung my pack on my back, walked out the door, up the street, then down a block and caught a city bus (actually two) to the airport. Spent the night in a hotel near the airport, free shuttle, nice room. Next day flew PHX, rented a car, then made my 'usual' on trip west, drove to Yuma, Los Algodones (across the border for inexpensive dental and medical) and back to So. Cal. for another visit with my Mom. Turned the car back in PHX.

Ater my little road trip, I flew to IND from PHX and caught a shuttle to a hotel near Dividend, paid the driver a couple extra bucks to drop me off at the yard. It was dark and I just hoped the car started after sitting for a month. It did. Drove home. Never heard anything further from Gordon officially. About two weeks later got a call, sounded like a former driver, said he was not part of Gordon and the info he took was 'statistical', not tied to me. I could care less. Told him he could tie it to me, I didn't care and gave him a pretty fair and honest exit interview. The good and the bad.

He got pretty excited when I told him about the dispatch that prompted me to quit and asked for permission to relay that to Gordon and I said sure. He asked if I would consider going back to Gordon and I said, no, but that I appreciated the safe place to park my CDL, yada, yada, but not the pay.

And that was it. On HireRight, Gordon said I could be rehired 'subject to review' and listed my two 'incidents' as non-DOT reportable 'accidents' despite that I had been specifically told that the second, in particular, where there was no contact, would not go on my DAC--so that seemed retaliatory. (The other I scratched a trailer.) On the other hand, Gordon gave me credit for mountain driving, regional driving, national driving, all in vans. Gordon acknowledged that I had fired Gordon, and not vice-versa.

Two months later when I had a few weeks with the new company I started this thread. I used the two months off working on my property and had no problem finding the new job--except that a good part-time spot was not the easiest to find. Would have taken more time off but two months is about max to get away with, I think, to not throw up a "what's this about" flag.


/Written Oct 31, 2013 at home, six miles north of Spencer, IN. All rights reserved by author. It's Thursday, so Little Steven's Underground Garage tonight on WTTS, 92.3 FM. A windy, rainy day and more of same for tonight. Have to go check the girls (chickens). Been gone most of the day. (Brought the girls in. Tornado weather out there. Have to finish the coop so I have my shower back nights like this. Pleased that the dogs did not stir when I brought the girls through. Two brown eggs today.)


/Lights were out about an hour; missed half Underground Garage. That's a shame...

 

Blu, how did your 'good-bye' to Gordon go? Sounds like CougFan has thoughts...

 

That's pretty low and retaliatory in my book. But, yes, has been cited before. Would certainly discourage a driver from giving Gordon any departure warning, tho. I think the appropriate word here is 'blindsided'.


/CougFan, I put a call in to Steve Gordon's office because this has come up before. Spoke to his assistant, Yvonne. (Did not expect Steve Gordon to pick up.) They can't discuss your particulars with me, of course (I don't know your particulars anyway), but I'm interested to hear what Gordon has to say about this as a Gordon 'practice'. I identified myself and this thread. To my mind, this is/should be beneath Gordon Trucking.

If it helps any, she did sound surprised. Said she will find the right person on this and have that person get back with me. If Gordon wants to part company because you gave notice, I think and feel Gordon owes you severance for the ten (10) days you gave notice for, based on your typical earnings.

As a new Gordon alum, your experience with Gordon, new company, observations and comparisons carry that much more weight. Home time does matter, doesn't it!! Even me with my dogs (and now chickens).

Vic

 

Some interesting developments. Don't want to say more now. On the Gordon side, Pacific has expressed some surprise at how it, Gordon, handled the end of the relationship between CougFan and Gordon. CougFan extended Gordon 10 days courtesy and the Gordon thanks he got was to be called back to the terminal and sent packing. We'll see how this finally rolls out. I know that at least one pair of eyes at Pacific will read this entire thread now and see how CougFan has stood up for Gordon here. So we'll see. Other developments with CougFan, too.

All in due course...