Running with JCT, Part Deux

I can honestly say that I haven't had this problem lately. But, I've been keeping the same trailer for about two weeks at a time lately. But, for me, the main problem is drivers dropping trailers with obviously bad tires. Most of the time, that cannot be blamed on a shipper/receiver.

 

Ditto the bad tires, I get trailers with flat spots, cupping, just plain worn out. Have had a couple that the hasp for our lock has been bent to where it is unusable. I know that has nothing to do with DOT compliance, but it gripes me. Off my soapbox. Chilling at Speedys eating my burger. I'm out

 

I agree I posted about this the other day tire problems and refeer throwing codes its driving me crazy

 

Oh, on a good note, Peterbilt in Tulsa called and said my truck is ready. The bad part is, I'm 800 miles away headed west

 

I always check the tires, and they love cupping and wearing out on the inside tread for some reason. TA tried telling me that if one tread is worn down to 0..its still DOT compliant (HOW?!) and that JCT probably wouldn't replace it.

They did.

The last trailer I picked up before this one, the rim was WAY bent, like it got curbed on a sharp curb, didn't damage the tire but folded in the rim. Then SOMEONE (I cant say driver because it was a drop trailer at a Tyson) took a HAMMER to the rim to bend it back into shape, but it was a painted rim, so they left all kinds of bang marks on the rim, inside of the rim, and smacked the auto air system, causing it to leak at the T on the hub. Replaced both the rim, and the T on the system.

 

Im lucky i guess I have very few that are that bad. I have had a couple with blown seals and a few bad tires but not enough for me to ##### about.

 

I seem to go on luck strings. I'll have a string of just peachy trailers. Or I'll hold a trailer for 2-3 weeks. (Like the one I'm on now).

Then I get "You've been kicking puppies again" luck strings. Like the tire with 6 nails in it. Or the 3 leaking air bags. The hammered rim. The flat spotted tire on the trailer from the terminal. The reefer with no coolant, no oil. The only empty on the yard but 1/4 fuel and leaked product remains in the back.

Like back to back to back to back. I generally don't mind because most of the time repairs are en-route and tire replacements and such are quick. Its when you go get the repair done and the TA/Loves/Boss Shop is backed up and it takes 8 hours for a tire is when you want to start choking people.

 

Also each one gets reported to my DM no matter how quick the repair is. He's trying to get JCT to actually start compensating us when we have to clean up/repair behind another driver on trailers. Because its JCTs CSA score on the line too. But without either a incentive to not pass off problems and getting them fixed, or a penalty to drivers who leave non DOT compliant trailers at yards and shippers and dirty/unfueled trailers at yards, I don't see much changing.

 

I had my Dm call me some one reported I dropped a trailer with a blown tire. When I dropped it they were full and in good condition. Come to find out the yard dog ran over a big bolt and blew it out. It was an inside tire. It upset me when they thought I did that.

 

OK, this is a copy of the email I intend on sending. Thoughts? Input? Am i being to much of a douche?

This topic has been extremely hot amongst drivers lately, whether the medium is in person or via the forums JCT drivers use. Trailers are constantly being dropped that are not ready for dispatch, whether it is not full of fuel, dirty, or needing some type of repair. I want to focus on the latter – repairs. When I say repairs, I am referring to the most obvious items such as bad tires, inoperable lights and air leaks. These are items that you CANNOT miss if you simply walk around the trailer much less do a proper DOT pre-trip.

Although there is no “official’' policy on how JCT resolves driver compensation or driver penalization in these situations, for years it was a standard $50 DRIVER PAY to the driver having to get the trailer repaired and up to a $75 penalty fee to the driver that left the trailer in any condition other than “READY FOR DISPATCH.”

Recently, there was a change in the “normal” procedure of awarding drivers $50. Charges and compensation are on a case by case situation and are doled out by one individual’s opinion of said situation. Now this is not a slam on that particular individual’s ability to make a judgment call, but so long as there is not a written guideline that is made available to all the contractors at JCT stating how much compensation is to be awarded and a downtime timeline for compensation, each scenario is subject to ambiguity at best. Standardization is the best way to move forward.
Whilst any driver that has a concern for keeping a clean CDL or an exemplary CSA score will do their due diligence and get the trailer repaired, we are doing so for very little, if any, compensation. Drivers are caught in the middle of a dilemma. Either we don’t get it fixed and take a chance on not being cited for faulty equipment, or worse, put out of service, OR we get the trailer fixed by communicating with breakdown for little or no compensation.
I am not as concerned about other drivers getting charged, but that may actually be a good deterrent to reduce the number of trailers being left for others to fix. What I am more concerned with is the drivers that come upon these situations and then have to get them fixed and offering compensation that is relative to their valuable time.
I have been told by management that “we do not want ‘run off’ drivers by charging them for things like this.” Really??? Why not? Is this the caliber of contractor JCT wants representing them? I am somewhat appalled that I’m being told that JCT would basically rather keep sub-standard drivers than “run them off.”
“Do you realize how much extra money we would shell out by paying every driver for every repair?“ Isn’t that where the charge of $75 to the offending driver offsets the payout to the driver stuck with fixing someone else’s mess? Repairs are going to happen. It’s the nature of the beast. But if there was a consistent effort charging drivers for dropping such obvious faults and compensating the other driver, JCT isn’t in a financial deficit. How about taking care of the drivers that go above and beyond and do the right thing?
“Maybe we should just assign you a permanent trailer and just live load/unload you so you’ll stop #####ing.” Whether this was meant as a joke or not, this is not the response one would expect from management when discussing an issue of such gravity and frequency.

Paragraph 13 of the “INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OPERATING AGREEMENT” addresses the issue of “USE OF CARRIER’S TRAILER.”

Specifically, 13(b) states: “CONTRACTOR shall be responsible for daily pre-trip inspections; proper inflation of tires; prompt informing of CARRIER upon experiencing defective or mal-performing tires, brakes, or other electrical or mechanical features of CARRIER’S Trailer.”

Furthermore, 13(c) states: “...In the event CARRIERS’s Trailer is not in as good as condition (reasonable wear and tear excepted) as when it was delivered by CARRIER, CONTRACTOR hereby authorizes CARRIER to restore CARRIER’s Trailer to such condition and to charge back to CONTRACTOR the costs of such repairs or reconditioning.”

Now I am no lawyer, but my interpretation of that section basically says that we must:
1. Inspect the equipment daily and report any issues (this is a DOT requirement as well).
2. Failure to do so can result in JCT charging the driver for repairs.
In addition to what is in the contract, management has repeatedly touched on this subject in its “Focal Point Friday” messages.
Perhaps others are not as vocal as I am to management about issues, but how long does JCT expect to keep conscientious contractors around by not recognizing their time and efforts? Some are doing this for free as they may not be aware of compensation that is owed. But one thing is for sure, zero or little compensation is not an incentive to get trailers DOT compliant. Saying that a repair took an hour, in and out, don’t see a need to pay the driver, is in no way acceptable. A driver takes time out of their work day, stops the momentum of progressing along, loses time off their 14 hour clock, possibly puts an OTD in jeopardy and is told no compensation? No one wants to work for free, especially when it is not of their own doing.
From my own personal experience, since May 30th, I have had 13 different trailers. 6 of those have had to go into the shop for repairs because they were either swapped or picked up at customers in disrepair. That’s almost a 1 in 2 rate that drivers have dropped/handed off a bad trailer.

These are just a few recent posts from some forums over a few days.
“Is it just me or is anyone else picking up trailers that need repairs this is the 3rd trailer I've picked up from a Tyson plant that I needed something fixed” “And that's in the last 2 weeks smh”
“One had a tire with no tread left showing steel cords one had a bent wheel with a flat tire and this unit had no coolant in the reefer”
“I went on a string of something like 7 trailers in a row where it was: drop, hook, TA/TK/Carrier. Including two from the terminal. And washouts/fueling of empties picked up at drop yards”
“Breakdown hears from me almost weekly about tires, rims, auto inflators, airbags..”
“I use to be "hell yeah drop and hook" now it's "great... Drop and hook... Plan for repairs"”
“I feel your pain. For me it's been mostly tires and air leaks. If the company paid decently for downtime due to repairs I think more trailers would get fixed. As long as we continue to be expected to work for free, drivers will continue to run trailers into the ground.”
“ for me, the main problem is drivers dropping trailers with obviously bad tires. Most of the time, that cannot be blamed on a shipper/receiver.”
“Ditto the bad tires, I get trailers with flat spots, cupping, just plain worn out”

None of these are my quotes, but several other drivers expressing the same frustrations.

I implore JCT to brainstorm and attack this situation. Non-caring or inattentive operators cost everyone....contractor and carrier. Lets turn the current lose-lose scenario into a win-win scenario.

Thank you,

I will wait for some feedback before I hit send.