USA Truck Dispatchers

The dispatchers have to have the trucks moving, yes. It looks bad on them if the trucks in their fleet aren't moving...

Have you requested hometime? If I remember correctly USA really only wants you home on the weekends so this may be way you're heading away from it at the moment. Perhaps you can work with your dispatcher and offer to pickup the load but see if you can drop it somewhere or swap with another driver to get closer to home then you are now and take your hometime.

There are always solutions, just might not be right infront of you or may take a little bit to get done.

 

They definitely aren't aiming to be #1, because USA has a very bad problem with communication, and keeping you moving on the weekends. As far as traveling away from your house, until it's the day before and you can't make it home in that day, I wouldn't be so worried. If you have to, deadhead home. They can't do anything about it, and your FM will get in trouble for trying to keep you out past your hometime.

 

Other problem is that you said you are only at $.25/mile. Which tells me you are just out of upgrade and brand new. Now understand, I'm not saying you don't deserve home time or to be treated right. But, what I am saying is that you being new, you don't draw a lot of water, you haven't established a work reputation, and you really might not have any clout with your FM or your group manager. Now I'm not defending the FM either as not knowing what fleet you are in, you may have a re tard. But, you have to keep in mind that the FM has 30-40 other drivers to deal with, on top of loads that are getting sent down from the LCs and the group manager pushing his fleets to keep producing. They have a better view of the big picture than you do from your driver seat. Plus its only Tuesday. Give it a few days and keep reminding him. Just because you feel you are close to the house doesn't mean you will get to go home. A lot of my loads pass within an hour of my house but more often than not, I just don't have time to stop.

 

They will run you until you say the only word they understand. "No"

 

USA Truck like every other OTR company out there have customers and these customers have deadlines to make. While it's important to get drivers home for scheduled home time this home time has to be scheduled between loads. If USA Truck develops a reputation with their customers of not picking up and delivering time critical loads, these customers and/or the brokers will stop giving USA Truck loads and then you can get all the home time you want. The USA Truck FM's are trying to find a happy medium between the load planners and the drivers. It's the load planners that are keeping you out most of the time. I can't count the times I have asked for home time and finally got it 2 or 3 weeks later, this has happened with USA Truck as well as my current company. Don't get me wrong I am not trying to cover up for incompetent and inept FM's, just saying all sometimes on that side is not as it seems. Work with your FM, communicate with said FM on this home time situation, if you feel your getting shafted by said FM then ask for another one or turn in your notice. However you will never find a company that will always every time give you home time on the day you demand it especially if the load boards are full and they need your rig running. It's just a fact of life as an OTR driver. That's why it is so important to talk to your FM.

 

Besides, going home is the least of issues. Try being in my shoes. I've had a nonfunctional APU cab heater for the last 2 weeks. I've been from the northern Midwest states over to the Rockies and back to Texas. Almost every night without heat. Sometimes it works sporadically and others its completely non functional. South Holland terminal "fixed it" by tearing down the burner and completely cleaning it out. It worked for 2 days then failed again. My FM suggested I get it fixed while at Phoenix terminal. After watching the sole trailer mechanic take from 0700-1200 to do annual services on ONE trailer and the other regional drivers that were hanging around telling me that they had been waiting 2-3 days for repairs on their tractors, I said forget it and just kept rolling. Better to wait until I can get by W. Memphis or Van Buren.

Anyhow, some of the places I've slept its gotten down into the 30s at night, INSIDE the cab. Nothing I can do but be pissed off and triple blanket myself.

 

mine was doing that when they issued my truck to me.They replaced the heating element has worked great since.I keep mine set at 63 it will run you out of here if set any higher

 

Call safety, if your FM dont get you home on time. IT is consider a safety issue, I have done it couple of times. The safety will back you up

 

I would suggest that you start requesting a hotel room every night the temperature is unreasonable. You'd be surprised at how quick it gets fixed when breakdown has to start paying for your room.