Worst area by planners....

Lancaster = Monkeys

 

well, I just sat for 6 hours here in marysville,oh because swift couldn't produce a PU number for my load. I wasn't the only swift sitting and waiting for this. Finnaly my dm just took the load of me and i left there property. They then sent me a preplan for a 110 mile run. I wrote my dm and said noway not after this mornings bs, give me miles. He sent a message to the planners and I got a 1600 mile run (this includes mt miles) from wv to laredo tx, Never been to laredo, but from what I hear, I expect to sit there for awhile.

 

Where is Wisconsin planned out of? Not saying anything bad just wondering.

 

If you get a chance, sit down with your DM and ask to have a look at the planning screen. Even better, if you drive out of a planning terminal, talk with the planner and see how it works.

It's very simple and it's easy to understand how planning can be very "hit or miss". The next load, in order of priority goes to the next truck in order of availability. It isn't as though there's a list of trucks on one side of the screen with a list of loads on the other and the planner playing matchmaker in the middle. The load pops up already paired to a truck and, unless there are a bunch of red numbers flashing, the planner strokes a key and sends you a preplan. There could be 50 plans sent out in a matter of a few minutes and there'll be a few plans he knows will have to be refined. Beyond that, the only info he'll have to process is the refusals and a DM's statement in support or confusion for a refusal.

Beyond that, short mile, ridiculous and impossible plans happen. The best advice I can offer is to do whatever you can to get the load delivered . . that's the bread and butter around here. Then, beyond that, ask for a back up or other dispensation. Planners can be stingy and planners can be grateful. Try to stay on the grateful side.

 

I have been known to piss off the Jonestown bunch.

 

I heard other drivers refer to Lancaster as the "black hole".

Sat for almost 4 days after I was avaiable from having to take a SIM class in Mira Loma, so for me, that was my longest period sitting while being completely available. Lancaster came in 2nd with 3 days.

IN PA, though, I sat for one day, then got a relocation move to Charleston, SC, so at least I got an excuse to move there.

 

I wanted to add that I've heard it both ways . . Planning terminals have an incentive, so to speak, for planning their own trucks first. While it may or may not be true, (LANCASTER! ATLANTA! FONTANA!) if it is done, it has to be done manually. I have watched manual planning on my own truck often enough to know that it can be time consuming. In much the same way as your evaluations include fuel route vs off route, the planners evaluation would include on and off optimizer planning. If it's being done systematically, the planner will be held to account for it.

 

My DM showed me a screen that was a map of the U.S. It showed where the freight was currently hot. Is This the planning screen?