regular routes?

I drive U.S. fleet, mostly 11 western states with an occasional run East of the Mississippi. I average about 11500 - 12500 miles per calendar month. I stay out 4-5 weeks and take 4 -5 days off. It is forced dispatch, however, you are expected to run legal and advise dispatch asap if appt will be late. An example from my personal experience. I committed to a tight pre-plan. Went to terminal to p/u load and no trailer. Load had been dropped at drop yard in Portland and I was in Clackamas. Looked like 2 more hour of work added to tight schedule. Advised dispatch of intention to file service failure alert when loaded. They immediatley set up relay point to insure on time delivery. Shippers and recievers are all alike!! As for deadhead, all dispatched miles are paid equally. Loaded, deadhead, and bobtail.

 

Yep I agree with Yatista. As long as you keep them informed of any issues, they will help you out. Shippers and rec's could care less about us and routinely scew everything up. It's forced disp, but only if you have the hours to get there.They don't make you do anything illegal at all..Most of our freight is with huge co's and all different kinds so it's never boring.

 

I've been driving for Gordon for almost a year now. I've had one terrible dispatcher (she used to dispatch for swift), and one awesome dispatcher (she used to team drive with her husband for Gordon)...unfortunately she just retired...I live near Medford, so miles and getting home have been no problem. This last spring and summer I was constantly on the I-5. Last winter was a different story...couldn't get on the 5 to save my life! What I found out about the middle of the winter was that once the snow starts falling, all the OO's take the I-5 runs where there is very little snow (OO's are not forced dispatached and get to pick and choose their loads). I usually average 2500-3000 miles per week and don't sit very long between loads, most times I'll have my next load info before I deliver my current load. You do need to be flexible with loads though, example...I was going to walmart in Grandview, Wa. last week and when I go up there I usually stop at the truck stop in Sunnyside and go see a movie the night before delivering in Grandview. I got up there with plenty of time to see a show in the after noon and as soon as I pulled in the NW planner was QC'ing me to drop my load in sunnyside and get going ASAP down to Lathrop with a SF'd load.....it happens....As far as deadheading goes, I was at our Rancho Cucamonga terminal a few weekends ago (i had just dropped a General Mills in Fontana 2 days early...hehehehe!) on the 23rd hour of my layover clock they got me a load in Tracy...so...395 MT miles...it all pays the same.
I'm still evaluating the shippers and receivers that Gordon deals with. Mostly I've had good experiences, but there are some that don't care how long you sit at their facility...like somehow I have nothing else better to do.
I've only been given crap once about not being able to do a load because I was so short on hours and the delivery time was too tight...that was last x-mas...I think the presure was on everyone then...I've found that if you play the "safety" card, the dispatchers will back down, especially if you put your concerns on the qualcom.
My motto is....If it's not safe, I don't go.

 

Yep I agree with you totally.I usually get good loads and don't have to sit very long but sometimes I get that one delivery that sucks. Last nite I delivered to Stater Bros in Rialto and they took their time unloading me so I got pushed right up to my 14hr clock. Well, 2day I had a 1130 pickup time at Staples.It was a drop & hook and I arrv'd at 1140.The shipper told me that it wasn't going to be ready till 1530...What? I told my DM and he was surprised too. I left at 1630 and burned up almost 5 hrs of my clock...That's the kind of #### you deal with sometimes.Now who's fault was it? I will have to fight to get paid detention most likely. Oh well. I have dead headed b4 but usually because there's no mt trailers.I'm off to Montana in the am...I'm home in Vegas 2nite first though.

 

nicnat2, if you were late for your appointment, 1140 instead of 1130 they will probably not pay the detention. Was it a firm 1130 or was there an appt window, say 1130-1430?