Could be. I'm sitting here by the Inver Grove Heights terminal in MN. Got my truck out of the shop (again) Friday evening and I'm still waiting for a load. I got a preplan this afternoon, but it was canceled before I could even get to the QC. I took 3 days home time starting 11/3 and put the truck in the shop for some repairs. Didn't get it back until 11/8. Got a load 11/9, but after picking up the mt I noticed a bad oil leak (again, and a problem they had 'fixed, again, this time in the shop), so I picked up the load and headed back to the terminal to t-call it. So I am nearing 2 weeks with only 150 miles total. Guess I'll be requesting breakdown and layover pay come tomorrow.
Freight has been fairly steady on east coast and midwest and up in PA and NJ, been pulling reefer, heavy long haul coast to coast. but way up in NH and CT have to dead head down to get a load out west. as far as dry stuff, short hauls mostly. We got major customers like Tyson, Conagra, Americold, Millard USColdstorage that have warehouses on both coast and in Chicago, Dallas and Atlanta. Average week is 3000 mi. worked we don't do 200 mile runs x 2 perday, ?? big bucks Swift and Knight. Refrigerated is more demanding. I don't do 34 hour resets, go home 4 days after 3 weeks out. We do hire student grads also...
This Plus One is the root of the PTA problem, and it appears to be a fleet wide issue. I've even been affected by it on a dedicated account. DM can change the PTA, computer comes in right after and puts it where the computer thinks it should be. I finished out a 34 at home, called in for a load and found my PTA had been pushed out 18 hours past when I would be able to roll. It's gotten to be quite the irritant. Either IT needs to fix it, or we will wind up losing both good drivers and customers. It's gotten to where I call in the night before and tell them leave a note for the planner I will be available at XX:00. But that doesn't work if you have three planners and 600 trucks. Bottom line is, Swift messed this one up pretty bad. Rushed out a program the fleet wasn't ready for, and put way more trucks on it than it can handle. It's what could be properly termed, a "charlie foxtrot."
Just talked to one of my DM's and asked why I am sitting still after 70 hours, and was told that my PTA was set for today at 10 a.m. I never changed it from the original on 11/11 at 1630. Even sent in MAC 34 on Saturday and Sunday, never changing it, and she told me that it was not even in the computer. I find this very hard to believe especially since I was doing MAC 30 all day yesterday and never received the msg that I could not because my PTA was more than 18 hours away. I agree with what Injun said, all of these changes when they are not set up and ready for it. Wonder how many other O/O r having issues.
I sent in my mornin mac 10 & 34. Got a msg back saying resend pta, as its 0645 and I said im available at 0545, which was in 15 mins.. so im wondering if this daylight savings has screwed up the system..? I called my dm an hour ago, explained that sitting 60hrs yada yada sucks, and that I need a load heading back to phx, as I lost my debit card and new one is there, not home time but a stop n go, as I have no $ and not being on a load I can't get an advance.. im hungry.. lol anyway.. he said he would let planners know and do his best.. hung up the phone and 5 mins later they took me off my 2nd run. No new pplan has come over either. So I have a feeling ill be sitting again after this whopping 339mi run..
Yean, I sent in the 10 and 34 last night, and never knew that it was changed. Would not have known if not talked to my DM. Not even a msg that said that it was changed.
You know I used to program software a few years back, and from the looks of things swifts IT dept doesn't seem to test very thoroughly before pushing new upgrades live. To me it would seem that they would push upgrades to a single fleet, walmart as an example, and let them run the system a month or two to work on bugs etc, rather than pushing it company wide and shutting down 75% of the fleet for a weekend.. /shrug Man I just hope I get a new pplan before my next delivery..
They did test this. On a Sears dedicated in Columbus, OH. Dedicated accounts are not a good example of what will happen with OTR. There are too many variables with OTR. All I know is, this system is working up to be as big, or even a bigger, disaster than the Family Plan. I don't think DST had anything to do with this mess. IT, program designers, Operations, on this one, you FAIL
