Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Sad to say, but an “era" in trucking is anything that lasts from 1-3 years. Except in all but a very few instances does anything positive ever stay in place longer than that. The days of “my father-in-law worked for that company for 45 years” are long over. Nothing good or bad lasts, but you most assuredly “gotta” learn to go with the flow and roll with “da” punches, if you expect to survive, in this or any other industry.

I finally made it home last week. I no sooner sat down in my favorite chair when my Blackberry chimes. It was my DM – driver manager – dispatcher – friend. Let’s call her Miranda. She “kinda” looks like that girl to the left – whoever that is. We’ve worked as “partners” for the past 4 years. As the saying goes we’ve been through “hell and high water” together. “Tomorrow is my last day”, she says. “I just want to tell you that I’ll try and assign you the best possible replacement available. Let’s stay in touch.”

Although there are always two sides to the story, it seems she had an ongoing dispute with the SVP (senior vice-president) of operations. By the way, a company of this size doesn’t need a “senior” (let alone VP) of anything. Whatever the issue was, it just got “too much” for her. There is another “cheesy” flatbed company on the other side of town. Apparently the former owner is coming back to “clean house” and restore this never once great carrier to something resembling ok-ness. They offered her a bunch more money and so off she goes. I’ve never seen this company’s HQ’s – and – I’ve never been impressed with their drivers or their cheap late model never washed equipment. I think of them as one step up from Cypress out of Jacksonville. Experienced truck drivers will know what I mean.

Anyway I don’t mean to bore you, but if you’re a driver, you know the first year with any new company is shear hell. Your pond scum and nobody expects you to stick around. You are nothing but a unit number. And that was certainly the case with my company at first. I went through 4-5 DM’s the first year. They dropped like flies. I never saw any layover or detention pay, never got home on time – it was all attitude, attitude and more attitude. And bad directions, no support – bottom line myself and other drivers were treated like we were 5 year old children. But I decided to hang around. One thing I also know is that all trucking companies are terrible, but there are some that are just a little less terrible than the others. This was one of them, despite all the first year B.S.

Then I was assigned to Miranda’s fleet. And it was love at first QUALCOMM. She had been OTR with her hubby for a few years before running a pizza shop. After that went bust she took a job as a DM. She was made for the job. No attitude. She knew if her drivers ran 10,000 or more miles a month she received a bonus and “man-o-man” was the “runn’n” good.” She took care of me. And I made she sure she always looked good. I had her back and she had mine. She had 66 drivers on her board and there was a waiting list to get on. She was always available 24/7 to her drivers.

But NO company likes their drivers to be too happy. That’s a fact. And the freight slowed. And they took away the DM’s bonuses. And they hired a fuel dude to harass even their best drivers. And more log watchers to please the DOT and the insurance company. And they promoted some safety guy to run operations. And the attitude raised it ugly head once again. Nobody gets home on schedule anymore. And the company wanted everyone to work more hours. And other things made working there more and more uncomfortable for all the “good” people. And she – Miranda – decided she had enough. And now she’s gone – the end of an era. And like I said at the beginning, I’m just “gonna” have to go with the flow and roll with “da” punches. 

Photo credit: http://www.greatpriceshere.com/Images/Jen.jpg, Vhttp://www.pullenbros.com/images/qualcom.jpg