Trans Am Still

I had unpaid breakdown time at the beginning of my current cycle. Right now I am sitting, likely will do an unwanted, un-needed reset with my 70 hour clock at 46.

 

George said he did put in for layover pay. It would be in next week's pay check, if actually approved. Will try to remember to let you know either way, if he does or doesn't get it.

 

^Thank you. I have talked to other TransAm drivers who say getting layover pay is no problem for them. I love my DM but she seems to hate the idea of granting layover pay. I was broke down for a 4 day period last month, all productive weekdays. I did a truck recovery in that time. Had to sit an extra day waiting for another truck to be ready after I turned in the recovery truck. I was granted 2 days layover/brakedown. No explanation of what happened to the other days of pay. Fireworks ensued.

Layover pay is the issue I had to pitch my last fit over, a fit that included looking up flights to take out of Dallas or Kansas City after I proposed the solution of me returning my equipment in good order to a TransAm terminal. Unfortunately, that seems to be the only way I can get TransAm to engage in a conversation over a disputed issue. Southwest Airlines is now on my favorites bar of my laptop.

I did not even bother putting in for my last 36 plus hour brakedown, just to keep the peace with my DM.

I understand TransAm has to keep freight rates down to compete. I am not interested in being part of a race to the bottom, to see how much a company can cut driver pay to drop freight rates down and keep their trucks moving. I would rather do something else.

 

and go on the warpath.:smt071
Unfortunately for TransAm, I don't know any frog leg jokes

 

honeybadger, did you see the post I just made on the DOT FB page? There is supposed to be a concert in Nashville tonight that will bring 50,000 people in to the city.....and on the roads. I thought that sounded a bit much but when I checked there is a free concert tonight....so who knows? The concert starts at 7pm with people being allowed in the area at 6.

 

Your DM has always been difficult to get "lost time" pay approved if I remember correctly, passport. The King had several issues with her over things that she dispatched him on.....thankfully it was straightened out. It is not a clear policy with TransAm, although it should be, and is left up to driver managers. The King had 2 that were very generous with granting what he was entitled to and 2 that it was always a fight. That's why we always requested it even when we felt we weren't entitled to it according to the handbook .....and sometimes were surprised and it was approved. Several times the fleet manager was involved and the pay was approved.....twice when it was your DM.

 

On August 14, 2014, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published its monthly Report on DOT Significant Rulemakings. The report included the following updates:

• Safety Fitness Determination NPRM – publication is still on track for February 2015.
• Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse – Comment period ended May 21, 2014. Final Rule publication slated for September 2015.
• Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Final Rule – Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on July 29, 2014. Publication scheduled for early November 2014.
• MAP-21 Enhancements to the Unified Registration System NPRM – publication is still on track for June 2015.
• FMCSA/NHTSA Joint Rule on Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiters – proposed rule was sent to the Office of the Secretary (OST) on August 8, 2014. Publication has been pushed back a month, now scheduled for December 2014.
• Financial Responsibility for Motor Carriers, Freight Forwarders, and Brokers – the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was sent to OST on August 8, 2014. Publication is still set for September 2014.
• Electronic Stability Control Systems for Heavy Vehicles – the Final Rule was sent to OST on August 12, 2014. Publication is still set for December 2014.

 

Since I have come to respect everyone's opinion on here I do have a question that has been answerd all over this site, but I do believe that the answers may be skewered a little towards being a little biased. And since everyone on here is part of different carriers any comments would be welcomed.

In figuring out that I do want to do this I have been trying to figure what way would be best, go to a local trucking school where I would have to fork out 6000 or more if financing which I would have to do, or go to one of the companies that provide CDL training. Now my main question is for those of you that have been driving a while how would you rate those companies like Stevens and Prime? Since I have seen on here that it is recomended that you stick with the first company for at least a year anyway so having the commitment is no big deal. And I have already checked non of the coleges or Vo-Tech centers have it or are about the same price.

 

^Thanks. I will have to wait and see. I believe my DM is a very nice and good person and a very hard worker. Ironically, I think that is why she does not like to approver layover pay. As if it is giving away something for nothing and it goes against her work ethic values. Sitting here hundreds of miles away from home and family, staged to serve a TransAm customer, paying my road expenses out of pocket does not feel like nothing.

I have said my piece, I do want to have a good working relationship with TransAm, so I will lay off it now. I will put in for layover pay and if it is properly approved, I will post here to give TransAm credit for it.

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What did the frog order at McDonald's? French flies and a diet Croak

Why did the frog say "meow"? He was learning a foreign language.

 

HTQ, I didn't see the FB post yet but I've been running my mouth with the wrecker driver and will be safely tucked away at KW when the concert is on. Got a swap coming in at 0300 to take my loaded trailer.

Lost util/layover must vary by DM. I've never had a problem getting or or been denied so long as I meet the criteria.