Any one missing a P2 truck?

greg334 · Apr 30, 2006

I feel sorry for Panther ii drivers because of Tom.

I really of the opinion that Tom should be fired.

If this was my department, I wouldn't hesitate to fire him for one reason - if there is somethign wrong ESPECIALLY IF SOME STRANGER CALLS OUT OF THE BLUE, it is his job to ensure the safety of every driver who is contracted with Panther ii.

I know that nothing will come to my post and hope that someone will take this to someone at Panther ii.

davekc · Apr 30, 2006

He (whoever Tom is) should have investigated the call further. When the truck number was called in, it likely corrosponded to another vehicle that was not in that location. The truck in question was not in his database as that vehicle because he parted ways with company. Who knows what kind of call he thought he was taking when that truck number was posting in a completely different location. They reuse truck numbers.
The truck that left was suppose to have the numbers removed. It is good that someone addressed the issue.
I wonder if the response would be the same if I call Fedex with my old truck numbers?

Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

fastman_1 · Apr 30, 2006

They have to wait a Year to reuse a Truck Number due to the Settlements are tied to that Truck for the Tax Year.Least that was what I was told.

Owner/Operator since 1979
Expediter since 1997
B Unit Semi Retired
Somedays are Diamonds and Somedays are Stones

jaminjim · Apr 30, 2006

Sorry, but we all know that there are some agents/dispatchers that could care less. Defending them does not make good sense. All companys have them, they are like that at any company, there to get a check and go on. Life is to short to get worked up about it. It will not change anything. Do we care if a dispatchers great Gradmother passed away, well I don't like to hear of someones death but I won't lose any sleep over it. There is 1200 drivers out here for that company, it would be a topic of conversation for a day or two and that would be it. Sure they should spend more than a key stroke to investegate, but he will go home and not think a thing about it. unless they find out he stroked out Monday morning.

davekc · Apr 30, 2006

I agree. I think that kind of response could come from any company.

Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

ATeam · Apr 30, 2006

>I wonder if the response would be the same if I call Fedex
>with my old truck numbers?

It is my understanding that FedEx does not reuse truck numbers. Once a truck is numbered, it keeps that number for the life of the unit. If the truck leaves FedEx, the truck number is retired. If someone called about an old truck number, I believe the number would trace back to the person who owned the truck when the truck left FedEx. I've never had occasion to check on an old FedEx truck number so I can't say for sure. If you are curious, Dave, give it a try.

davekc · Apr 30, 2006

Fastman
That is what I thought until one of the posts said it went to another truck. It would make you wonder how long that contract was terminated?
As for fedex, you are correct, I don't think they reuse numbers...but I don't know that for sure.

Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

fastman_1 · Apr 30, 2006

I'm Don't Know about FedExcc but The companys I've spent my time with always wait till the end of the Tax Year to Reuse a Unit Number.But I guess Companys have Diffrent ways of Doing This.

Owner/Operator since 1979
Expediter since 1997
B Unit Semi Retired
Somedays are Diamonds and Somedays are Stones

joebob1_30132 · Apr 30, 2006

if they r smart they told panther were to g0

scootr68 · May 1, 2006

>I Called Panther 2 and the agent named Tom Blew me off, and
>said that there Truck 5085 is not polling in that location.
>He got really crappy with me on the phone, So I told him
>that he just didn't give a s***. So I called the Flying J
>Back and they told me the same truck number and Gave me the
>plate number. So I called Panther back and once again I got
>Tom on the phone and ask to talk to his boss. He said she
>was busy and I could not talk to her. Then I called back
>again and Got a really nice young Lady on the Phone and she
>told me that the truck was no longer on with them and the
>the truck was based out of Iowa. So my guess it's just being
>parked there.
>
>Drive safe
>
>Dave Mayfield
>FEDExCC/Roberts express O/O Since 3/1/1995
>C1847,C2045,D3397,

Funny, I know Tom's Supervisor and she said she heard the conversation and it went like this per her own explanation and her own words...

"I remember thatâ€”this truck hadnâ€™t been with our company since October! The guy that called kept trying to get personal info on the driver for the trk, and Tom explainmed to the guy that we couldnâ€™t give out that info (due to privacy reasons). The guy got ##### and starting getting beligerent. He wouldnâ€™t give Tom any reason why he was inquiring on the vehicle. I advised Tom not to give any info out. "

Sounds like there's always two sides to every story. Yes,there are bad dispatchers but I always like to hear both sides before I believe anyone...even a fellow Expediter.
I've heard all sorts of stories of people calling in trying to get info on a driver or his truck only to find out it was an ex-wife, creditor,etc...Yeah, I'm sure we'd all like to believe everyone has honest intentions but in this day and age you just cannot.

greg334 · May 1, 2006

>Funny, I know Tom's Supervisor and she said she heard the
>conversation and it went like this per her own explanation
>and her own words...
>
>"I remember thatâ€”this truck hadnâ€™t been with our company
>since October! The guy that called kept trying to get
>personal info on the driver for the trk, and Tom explainmed
>to the guy that we couldnâ€™t give out that info (due to
>privacy reasons). The guy got ##### and starting getting
>beligerent. He wouldnâ€™t give Tom any reason why he was
>inquiring on the vehicle. I advised Tom not to give any info
>out. "
>
>Sounds like there's always two sides to every story.
>Yes,there are bad dispatchers but I always like to hear both
>sides before I believe anyone...even a fellow Expediter.
>I've heard all sorts of stories of people calling in trying
>to get info on a driver or his truck only to find out it was
>an ex-wife, creditor,etc...Yeah, I'm sure we'd all like to
>believe everyone has honest intentions but in this day and
>age you just cannot.

Funny, I think that Tom's supervisor needs lessons on how to inquire if there is a problem with someone's safety and get involved a little more than advising. She has the power to take the information from the caller, call the J and if need be the authorties to make the company look like they really care.

There maybe two sides of a story but I don't belive Dave would call up and not explain the situation to Tom right from the start and post the results to make anyone look bad. He went through the effort and I feel he did the right thing, Tom and his supervisor did not.

I have been on the other side of the phone and know that a little effort make a big difference in how people can precieve a company and many times the questions need to be asked. I still stand by my statement that Tom should be an ex-dispatcher.

scootr68 · May 1, 2006

>>Funny, I know Tom's Supervisor and she said she heard the
>>conversation and it went like this per her own explanation
>>and her own words...
>>
>>"I remember thatâ€”this truck hadnâ€™t been with our company
>>since October! The guy that called kept trying to get
>>personal info on the driver for the trk, and Tom explainmed
>>to the guy that we couldnâ€™t give out that info (due to
>>privacy reasons). The guy got ##### and starting getting
>>beligerent. He wouldnâ€™t give Tom any reason why he was
>>inquiring on the vehicle. I advised Tom not to give any info
>>out. "
>>
>>Sounds like there's always two sides to every story.
>>Yes,there are bad dispatchers but I always like to hear both
>>sides before I believe anyone...even a fellow Expediter.
>>I've heard all sorts of stories of people calling in trying
>>to get info on a driver or his truck only to find out it was
>>an ex-wife, creditor,etc...Yeah, I'm sure we'd all like to
>>believe everyone has honest intentions but in this day and
>>age you just cannot.
>
>Funny, I think that Tom's supervisor needs lessons on how to
>inquire if there is a problem with someone's safety and get
>involved a little more than advising. She has the power to
>take the information from the caller, call the J and if need
>be the authorties to make the company look like they really
>care.
>
>There maybe two sides of a story but I don't belive Dave
>would call up and not explain the situation to Tom right
>from the start and post the results to make anyone look bad.
>He went through the effort and I feel he did the right
>thing, Tom and his supervisor did not.
>
>I have been on the other side of the phone and know that a
>little effort make a big difference in how people can
>precieve a company and many times the questions need to be
>asked. I still stand by my statement that Tom should be an
>ex-dispatcher.

That is why there is two sides to every story and the reason our judicial system says innocent until proven guilty. Now if you'd like for a dispatcher to just throw around your personal info to anyone on the other side of the phone just call and tell them to do so. This happens everyday where someone calls in looking for info on a truck/driver with not so honest intentions. Not everything is as black and white as you may want to believe it is.

greg334 · May 1, 2006

>That is why there is two sides to every story and the reason
>our judicial system says innocent until proven guilty. Now
>if you'd like for a dispatcher to just throw around your
>personal info to anyone on the other side of the phone just
>call and tell them to do so. This happens everyday where
>someone calls in looking for info on a truck/driver with not
>so honest intentions. Not everything is as black and white
>as you may want to believe it is.

I understand what you are saying, but...

I think you missed my point, the dispatcher and supervisor should have asked questions and acted - not assume someone is looking for personal information for no legitimate reason.

What Tom or his supervisor should have asked;

Who are you and where can WE contact you?

What is going on and where is the truck located?

Have you called the police or talked to anyone else about this?

Write it all down and repeat it to the caller to ensure it is correct.

These questions all have nothing to do with personal information, they don't release any information - do they? These questions put the responsibility on the company, which people will not do because they lack integrity and should not be doing that job.

I think that by simply asking these three questions as a dispatcher or supervisor and THAN doing some research is better than blowing someone off.

In this case the supervisor should have called the J herself and asked the manager what is going on to confirm the information given to her by the caller and than looked up the truck to see if it still in service with Panther ii. At that point she should have contacted the caller to tell them what is going on as a courtesy. If something did not seem right, she should elevate it to a higher level to cover her a**. Does this take time? Yes. If you get three phone calls a week and out of those three, two are fishing for information but the one is legitimate, is this a reason to ignore them all together? Not at all and I think others would agree.

I don't care what others think about my comments, be there - done that and I for one am very critical of dispatchers and their attitude. Tom would not be a dispatcher in my department anymore because he did not do his job.

scootr68 · May 1, 2006

Please re-read this excert from her exact words...
"He wouldnâ€™t give Tom any reason why he was
inquiring on the vehicle." I didn't miss the point I just think, you as you already stated, have a bias against dispatchers in general. There are many more excellent ones then there's bad ones. It's the same on the drivers' side as well. I'm sure the dispatchers could tell stories of not so stellar drivers'. Panther's safety dept monitors non-activity in trucks and act accordingly so it seems they were already aware that this was not a Panther contractor any longer.

roadweazel · May 1, 2006

Just so you guys/gals know i emailed a link of this form to:[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

So that if any action needs to be taken it will be, by the people that are there to help the drivers and the customers of a company.

greg334 · May 1, 2006

>Please re-read this excert from her exact words...
>"He wouldnâ€™t give Tom any reason why he was
>inquiring on the vehicle." I didn't miss the point I just
>think, you as you already stated, have a bias against
>dispatchers in general. There are many more excellent ones
>then there's bad ones. It's the same on the drivers' side as
>well. I'm sure the dispatchers could tell stories of not so
>stellar drivers'. Panther's safety dept monitors
>non-activity in trucks and act accordingly so it seems they
>were already aware that this was not a Panther contractor
>any longer.

Yep you're are right, I missed that point but this is third hand info and we didn't hear from Tom or his supervisor just someone who knows them. She still didn't get on the phone and ask questions.

I also agree there are a lot of good dispatchers and a lot of good management but it is not hard to hire a bad dispatcher and supervisors who for the lack of a better word are idiots. As for drivers, I agree that there are bad drivers but I am of the attitude that we drivers are the reason that they get paid and they are the reason we get runs - it is a two way street.

davekc · May 1, 2006

On a positive note,
I feel confident they will address the issue in the appropriate manner. I also applaud Panther for having a member of management come on the forum to review and respond to the members.
Many times issues don't get the attention they deserve, but that is clearly not the case here.

Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

jstpierre · May 2, 2006

I want to thank all of you for getting involved and following up with the P2 management team. It is nice to see that as an industry we can put aside our competitive differences and come together to aid one another. Thank you for that.

Panther is very concerned for its partners on the road and when made aware of a scenario like this takes immediate action. I want to thank who called and apologize if the response did not meet with your expectations. I can promise you that this was followed up on and investigated. I am just thankful it was a positive outcome.

If in the future you have issues or concerns please feel free to contact me. Please be safe and continue to look out for one another.

[email protected]
x3701