Working For Nothing

I was sent a 100 mile total load thursday evening after driving 10 hours. This load required load load bars or straps which I didnt have. So Im out of time and dont have the required tools to pick this up which I explained to ####### (dispatcher). Friday morning I shoot another message stating once again that I dont have bars or straps for this huge 100 mile load. The closest truck stop is 40 miles away. ####### tells me to go to the shipper, they sell straps there. He loves to tell me "NOW" and "ASAP". I'm highly doubtfull of this but I go anyway. I get there, they dont sell straps. No #####. 6 hours have past now, he tells me to go to the truck stop 40 miles away. 2 hours later Im back at the shipper. The load is due at 4, it's 3:30 and the receiver is 2 hours away. I explain this to #######. ####### doesnt reply. I call receiver myself and find out I cant deliver that day and cant until monday. I take the trailer to our drop yard and shut down. Not a word from ####### about what to do. A 10 hour day for about $54, and it was only that high because I had to drive to get straps. (the added mileage wont show up on my check. it never does. so $28 for 10 hours)
Number 1. Why is a OTR driver made to do local bullshat work?
Number 2. Should I tolerate this incompetence? I've been putting up with this dispatcher for 6 months. I feel like I do his job most of the time.

 

If the dispatcher isn't the owner of the company...he obviously has someone over him. Take your complaints...minus the expletives...to his supervisor, and remind them of the penalties to the company, not just the driver anymore, that violating HOS rules and regulations can be brought!

You should have said NO, right off the bat. the rules and regs work both sides of the fence...you know them, use them to your advantage!

 

Same thing, different day at a big company. Thats just how it is when your a number, not a name. He got you under a load for the weekend so you won't have a chance a layover pay, more then likley.

 

Would I tolerate that? No, I would not.

Next!

 

What otherhalf said. You need to document EVERY communication with this outfit. Every detail. If the evidence does not correct your situation; Then leave and use it as a defence against any bad reports. You really do need to leave this outfit. IMHO.

 

Yep, using a digital camera to take pictures of the qualcom is one way to do this.

 

What he said plus almost any digital voice recorder will accept an external mic for the phone.

 

Love your screen name,lol.But anyway you're going to find that with every company out there,especially with the starter companies.Had it been me I would not have done all that extra work without getting paid extra and the dispatcher put the extra pay right on the qualcomm for proof.Then if the dispatcher ignores my message well i'm going to ignore him as well and just sit.You have to remember dispatchers don't care at all about the drivers,it's all about them.You need to treat the dispatchers the way they treat you.In other words don't let them walk all over you.You give them an inch and the're going to take a mile.

 

Dispatcher's job is to get that load covered, from there on it's the driver's responsibility.

That's where experience comes into play. Each and every one of us "old guys" had to deal with the same crap until we learned better prep. Now at least you know to carry bars and straps for that kind of load. Check with more experienced drivers on there for further stuff to prevent "surprises" again. That's your responsibility.

To all "newbies"..... get rid of the idea that any dispatcher is your "buddy" or mentor.

 

What kittypaw said why didnt u have equipment from the get go? That was standard issue when I started and made sure I knew how to use them in week 1. So it was kind of your fault 2. When ur dispatch told u bout shipper selling straps that should've been a huge redflag n u should have used ur common sense in going to the truckstop besides what kind of company dont tell u about loadlocks from the get go. 3. Learn from this n dont let ur self get pulled around n stepped on like this.