What can my friend do??? Please read...Werner

That's it right there . Anybody taking a truck like that on the road needs to be sitting anyway .

 

I dont thnk svtruckdriver is interesting in hearing "the truth" in what he shouldof or shouldnt of done NOT JUST YET. The context is "WHAT SHOULD BE DONE NOW?" .......then we'll wow her with the verbal paddlings.

 

Oh , I'm sorry . O.K. . He should forget trucking and find a job he's suited for . I don't want to worry about running over parts falling off trucks he pretripped , reported defects on the Qualcomm for , then left with .

 

I think everone knows he should have refuse to take the truck due to saftey reasons. If dispatch has a problem, i just call saftey and then they slap the dispatch. You don't know how many loads i sit on untill they send someone out to fix a trailer. It always gets done in quickly. I don't care if its food for the Pope, Stand your ground. I have never been punished like this guy is saying.

Funny how they have been sending qualcomm messages all the time for the last 5-6 months stateing that getting trailers and trucks repaired is the drivers responsabilty. Trailers are the biggest problems, i have had to wait to leave shippers 3 times in the last week to have a trailer repaired because the last guy does not care or do pre-trips, or they like your friend,are scared. Werner is holding the driver who last pulled the trailers responsiable if they did not get repairs done.

I have to call B.S. on your friend, there is more to this then he is letting you know, just like it always is.

 

YOUR RIGHT....YOUR RIGHT...I agree 110%......I DO..... RickG. Its just the timing of it all. I suppose if she was shooting Red Flares up for help, youd say, Shoot yellow ones then I'll give ya helpful advise. Never a dull moment around here, Im tellin ya.

 

The timing is all Im saying.

 

What should I do? What should I do? Tell your friend to grow up and act like someone just slapped his momma.Yes be that intense so everyone knows this kind of #### will not be tolerated.You are treated the way u allow people to treat u.

 

Before I give advise a couple of points so that maybe some other newbies might learn here.

This is a training issue to start with. From the start if your trainer(s) are worth anything you would have been taught about trip planning. Never
go to a terminal unless directly told to do so by your DM. A lot of the messages are computer generated and they don't read everything that goes to the truck. In this case the trip started in Florida? Plenty of chances to fuel other than terminal. Fuel stops with Werner are not set in stone. Your "friends" first responsibility was to deliver the trailer, loaded or empty. Chances are they needed an emtpy for a customer and although it was a long move it also was a chance to see how your friend would do under load assignment. Looks like they failed the first test.

Lakeland terminal, although it has been about 4 years since I have been there is not much to speak of. Mainly just an office and a lot. Whoever issued the truck I am sure gave your friend a inspection sheet to detail any damage or problems with the truck. They do this if the truck is old or new. Truck should have never left this terminal. Being newbe is not an excuse. Sending a message doesn't fly either. You don't say what time of day the equipment problems was sent. If it was at night they could care less! First talk to the terminal that is giving you the truck. In some instances the person giving you the truck is also a safety person. If you are not satisfied then contact your regular DM. If that goes nowhere contact safety in Omaha, in this case, or the main office.

I am going to take liberties here and guess that your friend thought hey if I get my new truck in Atlanta and I fuel there maybe I can get my new truck early. Wrong! You stated they are hooking up with another driver to team drive in a few days. So how many times does your friend want to take a trip through a terminal? They are not resorts. Avoid them at all costs! This truck when it left on the trip was already red tagged if it was going to be turned in for resale. Doesn't matter how much was wrong with it once it went through the gate and into the safety lane, game over! When a truck or driver is headed to the terminal (in Werners case) they know it is coming and what for. Here again this computer is telling the person red tagging the truck what it is there for, not, hey I need to fuel and get out of here so I can deliver my trailer and come back and turn this truck into to get my new truck and team driver in a couple of days!!!!
Now for the part you never thought I would get to. The advise on this matter. It's the weekend. Enjoy your stay at the Atlanta terminal!! You will find the weekend staff even less helpfull than the night staff during the week. Not sure if the truck runs or not, you didn't say. If it does that is your "room" for the weekend. Just because the truck is red tagged don't expect a motel stay for the weekend. Welcome to trucking! Your at the terminal. They have a drivers lounge and restrooms. Also showers. I am sure there are places you can order out from, or vending machines. Money may be tight but if you talk to some of the other drivers around there you should be able to get by. This is the part where you realize your recruiter lied!!!

Ok so it feels like the world is against you and nobody cares. Well this is where you learn to speak up and take care of yourself. Also a time to admit to your mistakes and make sure you don't do them again. So if you have to go off in the corner, scream, yell, pound on the side of one of the companies fine examples of a trailer. Get it out of your system. Then go in watch a little tv and zone out. After that go back to your "room" and think about what you need to do for your situation. First you need to take responsibility for your mistake. This is not always easy to do but it is the path to fixing this. If by Monday morning they haven't done anything with you call your DM. Do not use quallcomm just yet. Tell him/her your sorry for screwing up. You were not trained properly on the consequences of going through a terminal. Tell them lesson learned and want to go to work. Stop at this point and listen to what the say. See if they have a load and if not what time you might expect it. Don't be pushy, just as if you are planning how to use your hours, ie do I need to take a nap to be ready or do I have time to take a shower. Get the point? If this goes well send mac 26. Give them a couple of hours and then if no response send another mac 26. Don't be pushy but be firm, let them know you are still out there ready to work. Some might think why do I have to kiss these dirt balls ###. Well there is that little thing called DAC. This will also show you are sincere about what you have said. If you are still there on Monday check into to what you can get for dedicated accounts around where you live. That is a much better way to go with Werner. Even if it is Family Dollar or Dollar General you get steady work and home time.

Once you are out of the terminal stop where it is safe and kiss the ground. Make sure you keep your DM up to date with the proper messages about deliveries and any problems, like breakdowns. Road Breakdown now there is a chapter in itself. Oh well another place another time.

Trucking is not easy. It is not just a joy ride around the country side stopping where ever you feel like it. It has a lot of people who will take advantage of you when ever they are given the opportunity. Better start growing thick skin as your momma don't work here and you need to take care of yourself. You are going to run into a lot of people who just hate life and love to share. It will be shippers, recievers, other drivers, company people. Whoever promised you a rose garden has no clue. Alot can be and has been learned by me just keeping my mouth shut and ears open. Old hands will give you advise just listen. If you whine and cry about how bad it is and everyone is so mean they will shut you off, everytime. If they listen to you whine and cry and start tellin stories instead of advise they are full of BS!! You are paying dues here like it or not and at this point you haven't even got your wallet out!

Key things to work on and then I'll shut up (thank god right?). Trip plan, I cannot stress this enough. Plan where you are going, how far you will get and where you might be stopping for the night. Make several choices and write them down. Alot of factors to figure on, weather, traffic, types of roads traveled. Also after you are under current load and getting ready to move ask DM for a pre assigned load and make sure you give them an eta to destination, advised of any problems or changes in plans and I mean don't wait till last minute to let them know. Keep in mind that just because you are under a load that they won't swap you out with another truck or are sending you to a drop yard to pick up another load. Never assume. This will also help with best use of your hours. I guess what I am saying is communication.

Sorry for being so long winded but I am tired of the poor me, help I'm being picked on here. To whoever called the terminal. That one was good for a laugh. That Cleo hung up the phone and went back to his paper upset that you interrupted him! They don't care and if your "friend" intends to stick it out, they better figure out the rules cause it won't be the set they think it should be.

Take care and be safe out there.

 

While he is sitting he can get the little green book and review pretrip requirements . Too much not known here . Did he check for the DVIR from the previous driver ? No DVIR ?

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu.../fmcsrruletext.aspx?chunkKey=09016334800232b5


http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regu.../fmcsrruletext.aspx?chunkKey=090163348002397e