Upper NorthEast a.k.a. Maine (nestle/poland springs account)

not just western express it is the me generation
in effingham il TS the other day a SAIA driver pulled around me to leave
blocking entrance and exit because i was waiting for another driver to back into a parking spot

 

Fleets that are "bottom feeders" attract the same kind of steering wheel holders.

 

i too drive for another company and have been to the poland springs plant a few times......

seen everything you mentioned and then some. and seems like it's just the w/e guys there pulling this ####.....almost every last one of them there has the attitude it's their personal playground and none of the rest of us have any business there......except one....i did see one up there last time i was there that had more than stagnant air between his ears giving it to his own company guys for how they were acting and/or making him and the company look......they weren't hearing it from him

all the rest of us had to work around and in spite of them.....that place has a tight dock area anyway but when you have one of those bozos pulled up alongside the rail blocking 53' worth of dock spots just sitting there and won't move and guys trying to get out or even worse back in......well, it makes for a frustrating morning....one of them held up the lane to the gate through the drop lot/staging area by taking more han 30 minutes to do about a 30 degree back into the hole.....it just wasn't clicking in his head how to get it done and he wasn't pulling up to let anyone by that was trying to get out

i just temper my irritation with them by the fact i'm making waaaayyyyy more than they are and got a .07 bonus on top of that to run up there hehehehe

 

Western Express is about the worst you will see. Must be a horrible company to work for.

 

I run for w/e, and do not act like most of them. I try and show respect for others and my surroundings. This is a big issue, I am transitioning to the safety and operations side as well as drive the NE for them. As far as the driver backing for 30 mins did you get out and try and help him, he was more then likely a new driver. Situations like these give the rest of us bad names. Western is trying to change to a better company, but we can't hold every drivers hand. If you see stuff like this let western know with the truck number and they can handle it. I just started doing orientation with them and will use this as teaching. because we can not have that. thank you

 

nope, didn't get out and help him at all.....and for no other reason than, generally speaking because there are the scant few exceptions, your guys don't want the help, won't accept the help, and are rude and profane when turning down the help......

same thing at the 51 on 285 in atlanta not too long ago as well.....about 30 minutes to get in the hole, gumming up the works for everyone, didn't have the courtesy to pull up and let the line by that was trying to get to the pumps, and told everyone that tried to spot for him to "#### off, i know what i'm doing"......you can't help someone that won't help themselves....or allow themselves to be helped.....

go to my profile page, then to my post areas, look up epes transport and go to page 43, post # 427 if you want to read about another one of the winners you've got working for you. you've got alot of work to do if you're going to try and change the way your guys are making you look out there.

one thing that stands out my trainer told me while i was with him was that, and i quote lol "the most ###### up #### i've ever seen in truckstops has always been done by w/e drivers. i always park well away from them and you should too".....that has held true with very few exceptions.

you might want to stress to your drivers in your new role that there is no shame in pulling around and setting up again if it just isn't happening....i have alot more respect for a guy (or girl) who can admit they didn't hit the setup right the first time and just pull around or out and try again as opposed to fighting it tooth and nail even when it's pretty clear it just isn't happening

good luck to you turning that thing around. you're going to need it.

 

More Hogwash. I work for this same company and have been running for 2 years into Poland Springs <all3 plants> and have seen this type of crap from many carriers besides WX. There are a lot of inexperienced drivers out there and some with zero common sense. To park a truck in front of the docks and not even think that maybe..just maybe someone else either needs to dock or pull out makes you a stupid person. But stupidity is NOT exclusive to WX. Some of you drivers talk like you have NO idiots working at your company. This is bull. If you drive for a perfect carrier I want to know where to apply.

 

What...and let a Western Express driver invade my fleet....NEVER!

 

TY and you are right. Some Western drivers mess things up for the rest of us, but as you know Western is a starter company and does give a lot of drivers a second chance. I have been told since going into the position I am in that 4 months ago is the first time Western went through a full DOT audit with a satisfactory score with no fines to the company or drivers, even with the 100 score. Stay safe.