Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

so, been a very intersting few days.
1st, the loaders are a disaster. lazy, just simply lazy.

actually ended up with an entire pallet for a stop TWICE. That's right, they did the one pallet for dry stop 2 and then did it again (and put stop 8 refrigerated on top of it which makes no sense at all). Actually had to return pretty much an entire pallet of mistakes. lazy.

Found out they are putting routes out for bid again in March. which sucks, cuz I"m way low on the totem pole and what i've been doing is a very efficient way of making bank. (it's two halves of two open routes). I work 13 both monday and tuesday, get wednesday off, work 14 plus thursday, 12 friday and am home by 9am ish saturday. For this I make like 1400 bucks. I knew it wouldn't last, but still...................................

today I find out I'm losing the front half of my week next week (a week after the super bowl) because somebody higher wants the whole route that has that front half. for two whole weeks. which is stupid.

I also realized that senority systems mean I shouldn't work all that hard while low on the pole. No matter how I try to help out the bosses it really doesn't change what routes I can get. I'm #50 (or so) and that's just the way it is. So, no reason to go above and beyond.

Oh and next week is mandatory driver meetings. so my one day off I get to drive in to hear how to use peoplenet. You know, which I've been using for 4 months now. WTF? it's 2015, DO A CONFERENCE CALL!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG

 

Oh, i forgot the most interesting piece. Met a driver from Performance Food Group ( I work for MBM) which is basically the same job.

i said "so, what do you make?"

oh, $160 day at least, $925 a week guaranteed

He's all excited
I"m thinking, $925 a week? 6 or 7 days?
shoot, I'm making $750 or so for 2.5 days of work on this run, I get unhappy if I make less than $250 a day and I'm LOW on the totem pole. Cross PFG off list of future employers.

 

My only and last rant.... well i can honestly say PER HOURS WORKED daily there isn't another union/non union carrier that i can go to where i will make the same money i make PER HOURS WORKED. So pay isn't a rant, my rant.. If mack Vision cabs have a cabin filter then please freakin change it for me! My skin is breaking out from the 958,758 miles of filth collected inside the ducts of my tractor

 

What year?

Looks like it might be under/in front of the cup holder/console cover area, if my Google-## is any good today. Might require some torx bits to get to it.

Foo

Fuew

 

so, last week of my monday tuesday route. It's actually supposed to finish wednesday morning, but if you work effeciently and quickly and drive without taking a break (thanks .gov, for nothing) you can make it back tuesday night (legally). Last friday they say "mandatory meetings". well too late, I've got one day off and i've got things scheduled. And what does mandatory mean? what are you going to do? fire me? yeah, i think not. Whatever, I guess I'll go.

Get up this morning and it's snowing like hell. The terminal is 50 miles away, takes me an hour in good weather or early in the morning (no traffic). Today of course it's rush hour because the meeting is 8-12 and I"ll have ot leave at 11 anyway to make my 12:15 appt.

30 minutes later I"ve almost made the freeway (10 miles), yeah forget it, called in and said "I ain't coming" and turned around and went home.

I confirmed my tomorrow route so guess it wasn't all that mandatory.

The gist of the meeting is apparantly some people can't figure out the elogs, nor how to do customer credits. Which is stupid on both counts and I can do both and why does everyone have to suffer because management isn't doing their job and giving coaching to the people who apparently need it?

 

It is a "Management Thing." That feeling of "RAW POWER" they get from telling all the employes what to do. You probably just got put on the lifetime schidt list for not attending that meeting. Might as well pack your bags and empty out your truck. . .

 

it's ok, I'd be employed tomorrow.
They would still be short drivers (+1)

 

While i should be embarresed that i dont know the year of the tractor i drive i'm not. I am the purist definition of a company driver. I drive someone elses equipment and when i park it at the end of my shift i dont look back at it or have ties to it. Yes its my assigned tractor and it gets me home every nite but it isnt mine. I do fuel it and clean the inside of it. I do think its an 08 vision cab. Either way i cant put tools to it other than if i break down

 

I hear you there. You might mention it to the maintenance dept. (if your company has one) or supervisor, and remind them that a neglected cabin filter can cause an A/C evaporator to clog, or fan motor to burn up, prematurely. Good luck

 

Well last night was my last night as a P&D local driver! After a year of driving shoddy equipment, bad trailers, a run down terminial and fighting with freight, I'm done! Sunday I head out to Pa for orientation for a tanker otr position with LCL bulk transport. I've already worked irregular and long hours, and sat for hours at Home Depots! So I think I can handle otr! Ha ha I hope this is the last move I make for quite some time. I did local peddle routes for the last 4 years and 8 months of hauling gas to stations! Its a food grade outfit so no nasty chemicals to mess with! Anyway, more updates to follow! Crazey out!