What % of job related communication is verbal and what % is done via macros

I can go for a week or two sometimes without talking to my dispatcher. But as a new driver there are many questions youll only be able to get answered verbally. Within a year or two, after you get a better handle on things, youll be to the point where 80% or so of your communications with dispatch are through your qualcomm. But, calling customers is a whole different thing. If you have need to contact customers, and you will, it will be verbally on the phone. No way around that. Your communication skills will improve faster than you think. Youll be ok soon enough.

 

I have called 3 customers in 7 months. Most of my communication with dispatch is via Qualcomm. I do call planners a lot, mostly to tell them which way to point my truck. First month, expect to have them on speed dial and asking every question under the sun. Once you and they figure out how you like to run, you may bump in to them at the terminal every now and then.

Only time I really call now is when I have a problem that can't fit into 200 characters on Qualcomm. Just be prepared to sound like and read like a 13 year old girl txt her frndz lmaobwtfbbq

 

The best comms are via text or interface
in truck .... it eliminates confusion
No more ' he said - she said '

The Silence of text is Golden

 

My first company everything was done over the box as are most of them. You didn't pick up the phone and call unless it was an emergency.

Moving up in the world to the private fleet I'm at now, everything is done over the phone so there are the few exceptions to the rule. The only thing the box is used for is to send trip information. In fact, they told us in orientation that 'if you send a message over the box, it may or may not ever get read'

 

Yes. It all depends on the place you're talking about. Most prefer in-cab communication be used as much as possible. I have a lousy screen keyboard and keep responses as short as possible. I work at a non-mega with about 250 trucks and If I need to communicate a larger message, they don't mind if I email the appropriate person, however some places won't make accommodation for email communication to the appropriate desk.

 

Verbal always gets me in trouble
I have no filter and I've plum run out of good moods.

 

You can do this job 100% messaging back and forth through the in-cab qualcomm or whatever ELD device they have installed. No need to talk on the phone unless there is a major problem.

Most recently I got two messages to deliver in the morning on a particular load then I see I had two voicemails instructing me to deliver today with 1:45 left on my clocks and about 70 miles to customer in Oakland CA. I called in and argued that I was not comfortable spending the night over there and the possibility the customer might be closed for the day once I get there hence the reason the two messages saying deliver in the morning. They insisted up and down to deliver today so I did and of course the customer said they would take no more trucks that day. I used my advanced charm and good looks to get in and done. Did a split break and made it halfway home for the other side of the split and haven't talked to anyone on the phone in over a month, I'm still pissed off about it. lol

 

During normal business hours my company is very responsive to Qualcomm, however over 90% is verbal