Stevens Transport aviary

TL...use my logbook.
It keeps coming up with all kinds of extra hours!

Well the QC and I agree on one thing this morning...I can roll in 11 minutes.
Of to Ogden to drop this load, then a 300 mile deadhead home.
Next week, there will be 270 loads from Morris to Boise....watch.

 

Morris to boise and morris to casper are both loaded on friday every week. But think us drivers that could use that load to get home can get it? NOSetting at another truck stop??? Well paved lot behind a gas station just 6 miles from my delivery. Costs $10 to park, but I would have burned twice that driving up to the TA. Now to go for a walk and find some food.

 

So which one of you were in Virginia today around 4:30 pm on 495/95 south heading towards 66. Truck looked pretty good but I was only able to get a glance, too many idiot drivers to keep an eye on on the north bound side. Just finished 4th day of cdl training and was on my way home to Maryland. Glad I saw the Stevens truck it keeps me on track to where I want to go after this god awful training gets done.

 

303 mile deadhead from Ogden...but I'm home.
Tomorrow will be busy....

 

gonna be sitting near slidell today according to office nothings coming out of the state

 

I F"n hate mondays.... nothing gets done all weekend long, then drivers have to set waiting for them to catch up... I have a whopping 400 miles for friday, sat, sun, and MONDAY... even though I have 10 hours to drive, I don't pick up until Tuesday for a shuttle run of 345 miles, that does not deliver until wed. so for 5 days, only 750 miles. The total lack of commitment and planning in Dallas.... i have no words to describe it... besides they just don't care.

 

hit the nail on the head.

 

I'm right there with you TLea.

Have a T5 with me now. Got empty in Seattle yesterday morning. Next load is a 2-pick, 2-drop meat load. Picks are in Wallula and PAsco, WA (right next to each other). Drops are in Tolleson AZ at Albertson's (kill me now) and Sysco in Albuquerque (0200 appt, so I'll more than likely be getting paid to sleep i.e. detention pay). Final isn't until Friday. 240 DH and 1720 loaded...Monday to Friday. 2000 miles in 5 days. Now I know I can pickup the load and work on a repower so we don't have to sit in Phoenix for a day (and we probably will) but it's just more work for me, my DM, and anyone else in Dallas that needs to be involved. It's a principle thing.

I called dispatch yesterday after getting the load assignment (Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Sorry...had to get that out...dispatch on a Sunday) and spoke to a typical weekend crew representative ([sarcasm]you know the type...overpaid, underworked, happier than a puppy with two peters to be at work on a Sunday..overall very pleasant and helpful [/sarcasm]) . Gave them my truck number, explained the reason for my call, and our conversation then went something like this:

Me: "This load isn't good for either of us. It has too much time on it."
Happy Sunshine Delight (aka HSD): "You're the only truck in the whole area that can make the pickup on-time. You have to take it."
Me: "So you can tell what trucks will be near Pasco 40 hours from now?"
HSD: "Huh? Why do I need to know who's gonna be there tomorrow night? This load is for today and it's already put on you. Just go pick it up."
Me: "First pick is 1400 tomorrow and second pick DLD is 0100 on June 12th. That's like 40 hours from now."
HSD: "Can you hold on a second! I've been trying to get this rail freight bill finished for the past 45 minutes but I keep getting bugged by people like you."
Me: "Sure..I'll be here. I've got 40 hours until I need to do anything work-related. Take your time."
HSD: "*SIGH*"

On our way up to Seattle we were given a pre-plan that picked up in Pasco at cold storage and delivered in Sealy, TX on Tuesday. That pre-plan came out of a few days worth of work between myself, the T5, my DM, T5's counselor, and the Pacific NW dispatcher. The T5's 35th day is Wednesday. He's got senioritis (not like old people get..like high school seniors get) and doesn't really want to do anything else. He's got mountains, miles, regions, backing and a few bruises to prove he did his time and he's ready to move on. Rightfully so...but 35 days is 35 days. So it's a mutual agreement that he should be back in Dallas as soon as possible. We get along great and I have made a new friend, but this is business and it's almost dangerous to have someone who's not focused on the job behind the wheel..especially when I'm trying to catch a nap before my night shift. So we were ALL counting on this Sealy load.

Me: "*Wishing I was at home so my buddies and I could be playing the Adrian Wheeler on-hold drinking game (everyone must take a drink of their adult beverage everytime our illustrious safety leader says 'things of that nature...' during any segment on Stevens Radio). Sunday delight happy dispatcher must've been billing freight for the entire train...not just the Stevens trailer that another driver was patiently waiting for. Sure is taking a long time. Oh well...back to the imaginary Don Julio shots on Adrian's cue"

A few minutes later, HSD returns to the phone.

HSD: "Stevens..can I help you?"
Me: "I hope so . I've been on hold for a while while you billed some rail freight. Then you were gonna try and figure out what happened to my Sealy, TX load."
HSD: "Sealy load? Who told you about that load? That load's already been covered."
Me: "I was given a preplan, that's how I found out about it. Remember? Could you be so kind as to uncover it? Was kinda counting on that load for a number of reasons."
HSD: "Uncover it?! We can't do that. See...this is why I wish your DMs would quit telling you drivers about these loads. They have no clue what the planners are doing. They promise you a load and when things like this happen, I have to answer for it."

The "you drivers" comment didn't sit too well with me but oh well...

Me: "Us drivers really wish the planners would just do their jobs and plan. Then that would prevent us drivers from having to call you dispatchers on a Sunday and complain because we're out here sitting..often times clueless because of the lack of planning and communication."
HSD: "Well that load you're on is all we have. I don't have time to go back and forth about a load that's already covered."
Me: "But you still never told me what happened to the Sealy load. You say it's been covered. By whom? Was it given to another Stevens driver? Sold to another carrier? Put on a train? Cancelled?"
HSD: "What difference does it make? You're not gonna get it anyways."
Me: "I need to have as much information as can when I call Clay on Monday. I'm gonna explain this situation and see what can be done in the future to prevent it from happening again."
HSD: "Well in that case..I don't know what happened to it. It's just been covered and that's that. I'm busy and don't have any more time to argue with you."
Me: "OK. Have a great day!"

So this morning I call my DM to see if he can find out what happened to our preplan. He pulls it up and tells me it was given to an O/O who lives in Houston. Then he tells me he's a solo driver and has no chance of making OTD anyhow. So he figures the O/O is someone's buddy at Dallas and they gave him the load to get him rolling. Not mad at the O/O...he's doing what he needs to keep moving. But I have a few words for weekend dispatch to convey to Clay.

In summation: lack of planning and communication still reigns supreme in Dallas. And as long as it's profitable, it will continue to do so.

 

I hope you do convey those words. Preplan us would be much more profitable, but that would take management skills, and not busy as a beaver skills. I will never understand the mind set that do something now, and fix it tomorrow is profitable.

Now remember back in January when the "new" dispatch went into effect, that was supposed to end the games, the favoritism, and keep us all moving for better miles. still waiting for it to actually happen. But it won't until management reigns in the fiefdoms. And they won't do that, as management is silver spoon second generation folks, and only understands putting money in their own pockets, and not what puts that money in their pocket.

 

Had an interesting day so far myself. Started my day with 6 hrs left on my 70. Delivered this morning and when Im empty the Receiver says "hey, you know you have a leak in the trailer?" WTF? I go in and look and theres a small buldge inside the trailer on the right side up at the roof line and looks like foam or caulk has bees sqirted in there. Water running down the side wall as its raining heavily. RR says take it to TA down the street. The TA guy gets it half way repaired and they get a call from Jim to stop work and for me to take it to Utility Trailer for repair in Millbury,OH 50 miles away. Bahhhh so I run it up there and they want me to leave it. Gonna take a couple days. So I drop it and am told to head back to Napoleon and grab the last empty we have there.

I finally find it and turn it on to pre cool. I head to the gate, check out and get to the road to turn and I see the orange glow of an alarm code. Hell. Stupid thing has 2 codes and will only start and run for like 10 seconds and shuts back down. So Im told to take it to, guess where? Back to Millbury. Like 1 mile from the Utility dealer. So here I sit waiting for the repair. 2.5 hrs left on my 70 and 4 on my 14. get 9.5 back at midnight. Good grief .....