Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Translation:

bt = bobtail (tractor-only)

refer, reefer = refrigerated trailer

drop-and-hook customer = Gordon has other trailer/trailers there. Blu brings an empty in, spots it, leaves with a loaded trailer, hence, drop-and-hook. Or brings loaded trailer in, spots it, leaves with empty. Allows him to keep rolling, making $$.

drop yard = secure yard where Gordon has trailers, trucks. Some are located in seemingly oddball, otherwise remote locations. Often requires get-in code or guard shack. Some are pretty rough and crowded with other companies. No terminal or facilitiies usually. I think West Sacramento actually had a shower. Didn't use it, not sure. But you can park and spend the night there. Drop your trailer and hook another. The bills for a loaded trailer you take from there will be in the billbox at the front bulkhead.

BOL = bill of lading, shipping papers, legal shipping documents, could be one simple page or multiple pages

live load = bump dock, wait while customer loads/unloads trailer you came in with. Leave with same trailer. Most OTR companies do not pay for first 2 hours load/unload time.

detention = pay for wait time while loading/unloading. Gordon had hoops to jump through before you got detention when I drove for them. See tow614 msg below. Outfit I part-time with pays all wait-time over first two hours, very informal about it.

There's a big preference for drop-and-hook loads but reality is the trailer you get on the way out is something of a crapshoot and drop-and-hook can take as long as quick live load. Sometimes.

One loaded trailer I got out of Denver Gordon drop yard had three (3) bad tires, needed lube and new brake drum and shoes. Took all day. Gordon paid exactly ZERO for my time to get all that fixed. Took most of the day. That's NOT typical, fortunately. Most Gordon trailers are well-above industry average. But no one said as much as 'thank you' for my lost time. Time like those repairs (two different shops) Gordon just takes and does not pay.

Tough luck.

A buddy once said he didn't mind so much getting forked occasionally, expected that in trucking, as long as he got a little kiss now and then, too.

My impression is that reefer side has more live loads than van. Not sure how long Blu drove for Gordon, buying his own truck now. General tow614 is on the van side at Gordon, been there four (4) years and very experienced. Stays out 3-4 weeks. CougFan reported last week that he no longer works for Gordon.

Gave Gordon ten (10) days notice and Gordon responded same day by bringing him into terminal and making his resignation effective then and there. Awaiting more information from him. I called Pacific since anecdotally this has come up before from other drivers Gordon cut loose on Gordon learning they were looking elsewhere. Pacific expressed surprised that CougFan was treated this way, though. We'll see.

 

Any driver who claims that Gordon is all-perfect or all-bad is just not with it. Some companies, like CR England, seem to have a pretty well-established bad reputation and that usually reflects in their CSA score as well. That's not Gordon. Great CSA score, for example. With 2,000 seats, on any given day you've got 2,000 personal stories and little dramas, roads and loads.

Drivers like tow, Blu, CougFan who chime in here help paint a fuller picture. We don't necessarily agree and that's fine. The thread was originally intended as a narration of five months that I drove for Gordon. I've paused that on learning of the departure of a DM (Driver Manager) and the FM (Fleet Manager) that I worked under. Giving myself some breathing space before continuing my story.

Anyone with Gordon experience, good or bad, who wants to chime in about that experience is invited. Your experience, good or bad, is welcome here.

 

I'm looking forward to more updates from GreyHound (and his smurf truck he calls Smurfette) who just started with Gordon, deep family background in trucking and has taken his time to decide whether to move over. He just posted his first about his Gordon experience at joseph's thread: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...my-new-adventure-with-gordon-trucking-82.html, his truck and first loads. Really good, concise summary of a typical first week or so at Gordon.

About six weeks ago I came out of a chiro appt with two bruised back ribs that I really didn't have when I went in (but my back was pretty stiff). Have been dealing with that by walking exercise in the pool over at the YMCA here in Spencer. Then, stupidly fell Thursday morning, bag of potatoes drop over the side of a small ramp off my back deck to the ground with stepping stones below. Ugh! Too sore even to walk in the pool now. Double ugh!

Nice thing about rapidly-approaching 65th, Medicare starts Dec. 1st. Probably get an x-ray but not much can be done, I think. Not much on taking any meds anyway. Can still 'do' things. Just a little slower and somewhat more careful.

 

No, early SS @ 62, which I took. Medicare fires up at 65 so I'll miss out on Obamacare. Get mail every day from the MediGap providers. At Sam's Club a gal there for Anthem gushed, "You don't look a day over 50." Told her my soon to be 92-year-old mother wouldn't lie. I thought I looked younger than that (not kidding). This hasn't immobilized me in any way, just a grabbing, stabbing pain if and when I get into a 'wrong' position, which I can back out of. A sneeze makes me very unhappy, though. Can't back out of that.

Very interesting thread on ODFL I read today. New guy hired right out of CDL school if I understood, doing mostly linehaul. OD has had a sandwich board out on Morris Street in Indy for dock, linehaul and PU/DEL a couple times this summer. What a contrast to Central Transport just down the street. I posted about it: http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...222443-old-dominion-a-newbies-experience.html

I'm awash in Asian Beetles that look like ladybugs but are invasives. Not ladybugs. Everywhere. The girls are getting too used to being brought in every cold night and the next week looks cold. Need to get that coop up so they can stay out and have my shower to myself. Not a peep out of them, though.