Roehl....from a wife's point of veiw

mannmk7 · May 20, 2008

southcross2 said: ↑

When my husband started driving a truck I was like okay no big deal. My father has drove since 1970 so I know the life of trucking. I even worked for Freightliner for a long time and I took care of my Dad's books. So I know and understand how the world of trucking works.

When my husband started with Roehl at first all was good. Then things started to get screwed up. They messed up his pay, so his first pay check was mess up. We go that fixed after he called payroll like 3 or 4 times. He was on the Honors Program, so it was not that hard to get fixed but like everything it took time. So anyway then they started to give him runs that normally took a another driver home, well he runs in to this driver and they start talking and this guy is really up set because Roehl had told him that there was no runs to get him home. Well no joke, they had given this driver's home run to my husband. It was cheaper to give it to my husband because he was on salary. I was like okay they are tiring to may money for the company. Then they started to screw with my husbands home time. For our family that was the selling point on him taking the job. Yes, I even called Roehl myself to make sure I understood how the home time worked. There again at first it was great he was home on time everything was good. Then about 2 months into his time there that changed. It was harder and harder for him to get home. Do not get me wrong I understand things happen but as a driver's wife the home time is what keeps us going while you guys are on the road. For Roehl to tell a driver who then tells the family " I will be home this weekend" and then show up sometime the next week is just wrong. During this time he was sitting 4 hours from home and Roehl would not let him come because he did not have a trailer. We live in Texas how hard is it to go into Waco or Temple and find a empty. There are 3 yards that I can think of right off the top of my head that have trailer sitting there ( he has done a drop and hook there when going back out). So for me Roehl needs to work on getting there driver home better. I think the worst thing they did was my husband truck was messing up. It was shutting down in traffic, he was told my is DSR and maintenance to rig the wiring 3 times 3 different ways because then wanted him to make his load and get to their shop. As a former servicer writer for Freightliner I said "WHAT". I worried about him for 2 days until he told me he was at the shop. What kind of company would put a load before a driver's life. Because any of you who have had a break down knows doing it next to a highway is no fun.

My take as a driver's wife on Roehl is a very simple one: they do not care at all about there driver's and they do not care if the driver has a family problem they need to fix. They treat the driver the way the Army use to " if you needed a family they would have given you one". I was in the Army as was my husband that is no way to live. You drivers need to remember ( the one of you who do have a family ) that company's may come and go but seeing your child play his first football game can never be replayed. So when looking for new company's make sure the will work with you so you can see the game. They will take runs from a cpm driver and give it to a salary driver even if it means that cpm driver is late getting home. I think that anyone that works for a OTR company needs to spend a month on a truck before they become a DSR or work on their trucks. Maybe then they can understand the life of a trucker.
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I think many people don't get into trucking for all the reasons u just went over. Sorry it isn't going so good. Will a deticated route work out any better! I hope so.

wichitacharles · May 20, 2008

southcross2 said: ↑

When my husband started driving a truck I was like okay no big deal. My father has drove since 1970 so I know the life of trucking. I even worked for Freightliner for a long time and I took care of my Dad's books. So I know and understand how the world of trucking works.

When my husband started with Roehl at first all was good. Then things started to get screwed up. They messed up his pay, so his first pay check was mess up. We go that fixed after he called payroll like 3 or 4 times. He was on the Honors Program, so it was not that hard to get fixed but like everything it took time. So anyway then they started to give him runs that normally took a another driver home, well he runs in to this driver and they start talking and this guy is really up set because Roehl had told him that there was no runs to get him home. Well no joke, they had given this driver's home run to my husband. It was cheaper to give it to my husband because he was on salary. I was like okay they are tiring to may money for the company. Then they started to screw with my husbands home time. For our family that was the selling point on him taking the job. Yes, I even called Roehl myself to make sure I understood how the home time worked. There again at first it was great he was home on time everything was good. Then about 2 months into his time there that changed. It was harder and harder for him to get home. Do not get me wrong I understand things happen but as a driver's wife the home time is what keeps us going while you guys are on the road. For Roehl to tell a driver who then tells the family " I will be home this weekend" and then show up sometime the next week is just wrong. During this time he was sitting 4 hours from home and Roehl would not let him come because he did not have a trailer. We live in Texas how hard is it to go into Waco or Temple and find a empty. There are 3 yards that I can think of right off the top of my head that have trailer sitting there ( he has done a drop and hook there when going back out). So for me Roehl needs to work on getting there driver home better. I think the worst thing they did was my husband truck was messing up. It was shutting down in traffic, he was told my is DSR and maintenance to rig the wiring 3 times 3 different ways because then wanted him to make his load and get to their shop. As a former servicer writer for Freightliner I said "WHAT". I worried about him for 2 days until he told me he was at the shop. What kind of company would put a load before a driver's life. Because any of you who have had a break down knows doing it next to a highway is no fun.

My take as a driver's wife on Roehl is a very simple one: they do not care at all about there driver's and they do not care if the driver has a family problem they need to fix. They treat the driver the way the Army use to " if you needed a family they would have given you one". I was in the Army as was my husband that is no way to live. You drivers need to remember ( the one of you who do have a family ) that company's may come and go but seeing your child play his first football game can never be replayed. So when looking for new company's make sure the will work with you so you can see the game. They will take runs from a cpm driver and give it to a salary driver even if it means that cpm driver is late getting home. I think that anyone that works for a OTR company needs to spend a month on a truck before they become a DSR or work on their trucks. Maybe then they can understand the life of a trucker.
Click to expand...

stand by your man

andre · May 27, 2008

I am definitely willing to change a fuel filter in a truck. I would consider it part of my job duties. However, I think Roehl should issue fuel filter wrenches with each truck (just like they do with locks/deposit on one), instead of charging a driver $10 or $20 (whatever it is) for one if they ever get you through the Marshfield or Gary terminal.
Wouldn't a company do this if they were truly worried about the costs of fuel efficiency?
Anyhow, they don't.

Road Dog said: ↑

As was posted by a couple of others. A driver should be prepared to make simple repairs on the rig.Being an owner operator for years taught me this. Later on driving a company truck,I always had a toolbox stored in the sidebox of the truck.Sorta makes sense to do the little things yourself and keep rollin. No a driver should not have to be a mechanic,but just a little mechanical knowledge is sure helpful out on the road. Example,I did a drop and hook one morning in St.Paul,MN.It was 17 below zero and the air slide for the trailer tandems was froze up. I called the maint.dept. and the guy gave me a couple of tips to free it up.And by golly they worked,10 minutes later I had the tandems slid to where I wanted them and was on my way to WI. to pick up a load going to Atlanta. Had I waited around for road maint.to get there I would have missed out on a load with good miles.Now,who was further ahead by me doing a simple job,Roehl for not having to send out a repair truck,or me for getting to my load with the good miles? In my opinion,we both were further ahead. Not everybody looks at things that way. Another item,Roehl furnishes each driver with a fuel filter for the truck.I changed a couple of these on the road,with no problems.I also saw other drivers take the truck to a truckstop and have it changed there,and Roehl woud pay for it.Not a big deal,but I would just as soon do it myself and get moving.
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losttrucker · May 27, 2008

andre said: ↑

I am definitely willing to change a fuel filter in a truck. I would consider it part of my job duties. However, I think Roehl should issue fuel filter wrenches with each truck (just like they do with locks/deposit on one), instead of charging a driver $10 or $20 (whatever it is) for one if they ever get you through the Marshfield or Gary terminal.
Wouldn't a company do this if they were truly worried about the costs of fuel efficiency?
Anyhow, they don't.
Click to expand...

I agree with you to a point I will only repaier something if it's beneficial to me

greaterbaatezu · Nov 30, 2010

Redwolf said: ↑

It depends on what it is whether or not I'll fix it.
I had a fuel filter on my reefer engine spring a leak last week. Happened to be down the street from a large TA. Called maintenance and had them give me a PO for the filter, I put it on and was on the road again in about 30 minutes.
It was a spin on type filter and I didn't have to re-prime the engine (thank God!) so it was an easy fix that would have taken 2-3 hours if I had to wait on the TA people to do it because the shop was full.
Yeah, I saved the company some money, but I look at it more like I made me more money by keeping on the road instead of sitting and waiting.
Click to expand...

Kudos! Anyone who can do their part to save a few cents here and there for the company is alright in my book. But smarter still is the idea that "get it done and I can move on sooner". 30 minutes vs 3-4 hours and $10 vs $85 to 100? That's just plain smart.

Flying Finn · Nov 30, 2010

I have always made minor repairs to the trucks and trailers I've driven. I let my manager know, submit the receipts, and the company is really happy that I saved them a shop fee and got rolling sooner.

Maybe that is what is wrong with some of these companies. The drivers refuse to do simple things and cost the company tons of money needlessly. My logic is, save the company money and I will be helping to guarantee myself a job.

One company I was with I even fixed the roof fibreglass on the sleeper for them on some of my time off. They paid me for the supplies and my time. Saved them well over $5000 in repairs. When it came up to them closing their doors, I was the second to last on back in because they wanted to make sure I made as much as I could. It pays off in the end.

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