A Rude Awakening- A Rant-Pet Peeves

[OntarioVanMan]

I would have to agree with you 100% on this. I know if I was paying top dollar to have a shipment moved I would want the best service and a clean driver going to my customer. Think of it this way.

You just landed a new account and the customer wants the freight there ASAP. Now you can use Billy Bob's Expedite who has an older truck that has rust all over it and save $200.00 or use a Expedite carrier like Panther, Load1 or FedEx CC. Yea, Billy Bob's may save you $200.00 but it may cost you more than that in the long run. Billy Bob's send in a driver that looks like he hadn't taken a shower in a week with a shirt that is to small for his belly and he is wearing flip flops. What do you think your customer is going to think?

I know when I was in the Rent to Own business and we got shipments in from this company out of Cleveland that used a guy with a old beat up truck. I stopped ordering from them because the truck that was bringing us our TV's and high dollar bedroom suits didn't even have e-track in this truck and the floor of the truck was nasty. Now we ordered $5000.00 to $10,000.00 per shipment each time and sometimes twice a week. So how much did that supplier lose because of a nasty truck?

BIG difference in the customer between WG like Linda hauls and our NLM auto stuff....ours wouldn't care if you were a one legged, blind in one eye, old, bald, illegal Mexican....just get it there....thats all they care...

 

[Camper]

Where is there a current surplus of contractors?

Look around and therein lies your answer

If we are talking about the niche market part of the industry, yes but we don't all derive our work from there and haven't for a while.

Why, yes we are..This is an expedite forum, after all.

The surplus really does not have anything to do with the rates, really. Because we accept the rates as the norm and by doing that, we allow the customer to deal with that reality. The tie is the reflection that this niche market holds, it reflects the industry as a whole to a point but that reflection is clouded by the lack of adaptation that it should be doing.

Capacity does and always will dictate rates, at least to a material extent.

No can't agree, it is all of our faults that we accept lower standards while ignoring what impacts us until it has an outside force that wakes us up to the problem. Evolution is just the opposite of what has been happening in the past 10 years, I think we are devolving.

It's nobody's fault because quite frankly, it is what it is and is a microcosm of an overall shift from an inflationary to a deflationary economy that has been long overdue.

 

[greg334]

Look around and therein lies your answer

Really?

Where are all of these vans and trucks?

I used to count maybe ten or twelve going down I80 but the last time I counted, I counted four.

Why, yes we are..This is an expedite forum, after all.

So there again is the problem, everything is supposed to revolve around an group, a small segment of the market and that is an indicator of the rates that prevails?

Opposite from what I seen.

Capacity does and always will dictate rates, at least to a material extent.

Capacity in regards of capacity of carriers or trucks or general capacity of the industry?

It would be interesting to see how vans compare to straight trucks and compare vans to tractors to see where the surplus sits. The chances are carriers like say CH Robison don't often use vans as much as they would use tractors, but maybe the impact with a reduced capacity vehicle on rates is a problem - solution is get rid of the vans.

It's nobody's fault because quite frankly, it is what it is and is a microcosm of an overall shift from an inflationary to a deflationary economy that has been long overdue.

Yep I got that, I think we agree but it is the fault of the person who thinks that the buck a mile for the three pallets of autoparts is a great thing when it isn't.

Yea, Billy Bob's may save you $200.00 but it may cost you more than that in the long run. Billy Bob's send in a driver that looks like he hadn't taken a shower in a week with a shirt that is to small for his belly and he is wearing flip flops. What do you think your customer is going to think?

Well I think the customer may not give a crap. See it seems that unless they are rude, p*ss them off and just be an a** about the load, they will care and take note but if you show up and get the work done, it doesn't matter. That $200 will move something else or provide a buffer in their budget.

The funny thing seems to be thinking that a lot of customers, especially those doing volume in any given day has time to sit there and worry about what someone looks like, they really don't. It is the performance that matters at a price that fits their budget.

 

[Camper]

Really?

Where are all of these vans and trucks?

I used to count maybe ten or twelve going down I80 but the last time I counted, I counted four.

Well, have you been in Laredo recently?

So there again is the problem, everything is supposed to revolve around an group, a small segment of the market and that is an indicator of the rates that prevails?

No, I didn't say that. However, an apples to apples analysis would dictate that higher capacity in a given sector puts downward pressure on rates in that sector

Capacity in regards of capacity of carriers or trucks or general capacity of the industry?

It would be interesting to see how vans compare to straight trucks and compare vans to tractors to see where the surplus sits. The chances are carriers like say CH Robison don't often use vans as much as they would use tractors, but maybe the impact with a reduced capacity vehicle on rates is a problem - solution is get rid of the vans.

The surplus from my vantage point is in the cargo van category. However, some spillover effect has reached straight trucks in that these additional vans compete for some of the same runs.

but maybe the impact with a reduced capacity vehicle on rates is a problem - solution is get rid of the vans.

Bingo

 

[greg334]

I think we were saying the same thing.

Ban the van.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I think we were saying the same thing.

Ban the van.

Yep.....ban the van.....


go Sprinters....

 

[scottm4211]

Book the Box ;p

 

[davekc]

There are currently a surplus of vans. Pretty much why there isn't a lot of companies putting them.
As for straights and tractors, there is a shortage.
That should not be confused with a imbalance in freight lanes.
A convention of trucks for example in Laredo usually means there is a shortage somewhere else.

 

[BillChaffey]

OVM: Your getting kind of personal when you start describing me to the public.

 

[Camper]

Yep.....ban the van.....


go Sprinters....

- Splinter the sprinter

- Ax the Cargomax

- Ban the van

D).....ALL THE ABOVE....LOL


Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[x06col]

Trucking is a culture shock to many second career people including us. As a driver for US Xpress it was a rude awakening to a new world and frankly one we decided we could not handle and tried to get our of trucking. We found in a short time the wanderlust bug had grabbed us and we had to find another way into trucking, which is when we found expediting.

Rules are much different in trucking then they were in our former lives and we had a lot to learn. We figured out quickly that there are all kinds in trucking and all of us doing basically the same job moving freight. What we found different was how each of us approach getting the job done.

We figured out our niche and with us appearance and attitude matters first to us and our sense of accomplishment every day. When we look outside of our office windshield or down at a car we feel like professionals driving our truck. Does our company appreciate what we do and how we do it? Yes I believe they do.

One of the huge dilemmas out here that we face is when are at a customer and another driver from our company comes into the customers office and they are not dressed to the companies standards. We say we are the face of our company but are we the eyes of our company? How is our company to know what people look like after orientation? The company cannot be at each customer they are depending on us to do the job we signed on the dotted line to do. We have to make the decision do we risk losing a customer over another contractors disrespect or do we make a phone call? How can we in good conscience leave our company’s customer knowing a fellow contractor is not representing our company in the best light? How can we say our company does not care when the only way our customer can care is if we tell them what is happening?

I don't in any way condone sloppy drivers and trucks, but......i'd suggest it'd be the customers place to make complaints.

Now you fedupper contractors know whom the cheese eaters amongst you are....by their own admission.

 

[davekc]

I wouldn't be too worried about being the uniform police. Most of the large carriers have on site reps at numerous customers.
They will bump into the bad ones at some point.

 

[Bruno]

BIG difference in the customer between WG like Linda hauls and our NLM auto stuff....ours wouldn't care if you were a one legged, blind in one eye, old, bald, illegal Mexican....just get it there....thats all they care...

I would have to say that is not always the case. We had a driver that was on a NLM load and the shipper complained about the way the driver was dressed on their dock. I won't go into what he was wearing Ken, but it wasn't something you and me would wear brother. Your shorts was better than what the driver had on.

 

[Bruno]

I wouldn't be too worried about being the uniform police. Most of the large carriers have on site reps at numerous customers.
They will bump into the bad ones at some point.

I would agree 100% Dave. I could care less if a driver is in a uniform or not. I wear a uniform when I'm on the road because I like too. A clean looking driver and truck is a happy driver. I take pride in the job I do when I'm on the road. Is a uniform for everyone? Nope. I don't ask our drivers to wear a uniform. I do because if I mess them up, it's cheaper to have the company I use fix them or replace them. Where are you going to get your pants and shirts washed for $9.00 a week if you do it on your own.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I would agree 100% Dave. I could care less if a driver is in a uniform or not. I wear a uniform when I'm on the road because I like too. A clean looking driver and truck is a happy driver. I take pride in the job I do when I'm on the road. Is a uniform for everyone? Nope. I don't ask our drivers to wear a uniform. I do because if I mess them up, it's cheaper to have the company I use fix them or replace them. Where are you going to get your pants and shirts washed for $9.00 a week if you do it on your own.

Load 1 Driver Recreation Center of course...just bring your own soap or use one of our driver friendly dispensing machines..
Always open, Always Free....Load 1.....

 

[Hyperdrive]

Well folks,two days later, I have re-read my original post and, having cooled down a bit, realize I might have been a tad tough on carriers in general. I shouldn't have said it makes no difference to carriers how we do our jobs. Of course it makes a difference,but I still think they could do a better job of screening perspective contractors. It is hard to feel proud of the carrier you work for when you see someone, with the same logo as yours, look like they have a total lack of respect for themselves and their job.

Bob and Linda Caffee brought up a couple of points we all need to ponder. Should we be rats or should we let the actions of a few jeopardize an account of our carrier? Should we be the eyes of the carrier or ignore the bad social behavior of, a very small percentage, of other contractors?

These same people, with a lack of self respect, are the ones who are trashing the Walmart parking lots and urinating in the truck stop parking lots. Should we police ourselves or ignore this anti-social behavior?

I am asking the question because I don't have the answer.

With the popularity of cell phone cameras we have a strong tool to use. Maybe we should post these things we see everyday.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Well folks,two days later, I have re-read my original post and, having cooled down a bit, realize I might have been a tad tough on carriers in general. I shouldn't have said it makes no difference to carriers how we do our jobs. Of course it makes a difference,but I still think they could do a better job of screening perspective contractors. It is hard to feel proud of the carrier you work for when you see someone, with the same logo as yours, look like the have a total lack of respect for themselves and their job.

Bob and Linda Caffee brought up a couple of points we all need to ponder. Should we be rats or should we let the actions of a few jeopardize an account of our carrier. Should we be the eyes of the carrier or ignore the bad social behavior of, a very small percentage, of other contractors?

These same people, with a lack of self respect, are the ones who are trashing the Walmart parking lots and urinating in the truck stop parking lots. Should we police ourselves or ignore this anti-social behavior?

I am asking the question because I don't have the answer.

Being shabby dressed is ones own opinion....a personal standards call.....one might think yes the other no and yet another maybe....but dropping trash and stuff in parking lots is a definite no/no and should be reported...

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I don't get it. It's not an inconvenience to use plastic grocery bags as trash bags, tie the handles off and then put them in waste cans at truckstops or stores; ziploc type bags for cigarette butts; bathrooms are plentiful.

Ok, so in the winter I traipse through a parking lot in sweats, oversized quilted flannel coat, boots, no makeup or contacts. I have the nickname "Ragamuffin" December through March. I am clean though, and we don't trash the area.

"Bruises fade and bones will mend-but a psyche can be ruined FOREVER" : LisaLouHoo, c. 2008

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I do a heck of a lot of Walmarts..and from my observations for the majority..the big trucks are pretty good...even walking the cart to the return so the next driver can get in...

 

[mcavoy33]

I don't in any way condone sloppy drivers and trucks, but......i'd suggest it'd be the customers place to make complaints.

But don't you want to be a part of a quality team? I think good companies, start with good leadership that gets filtered down. Part of the problem with society, is people not holding their own accountable to a higher standard. When you are both contractors for the same company, you should do your part to promote the culture that is at your company.

Plus, if getting him canned, means more potential freight lanes open for you, why not get rid of the riff raff?

That being said, I don't think appearance really makes a difference for the most part. We have a company standard and I often change out of my shorts into pants even though shorts are acceptable but 98% of the time, a $8 / hr docker worker isn't going to care what you are wearing.