Can't take your call at this time!!

panther_art · Oct 24, 2009

Here it is 07:48 Saturday morning and every department has that same message.
Had a first out and now I don't was trying to find out why.
What they do fire everyone or they just go home.

pelicn · Oct 24, 2009

Maybe that's why my QC message has gone unanswered

panther_art · Oct 24, 2009

Talked to them and they said so many was out sick so they are not going to have a weekend night time staff for a while.

Kyle06 · Oct 24, 2009

So basically you are going to have to hit the emergency button if you need a answer to something

miguy1957 · Oct 25, 2009

Yea isnt nice to be partnered with a company that cant be bothered to take your call........

hondaking38 · Oct 25, 2009

yepp go figure...someone is there dispatching cause they called me on a mini....turned it down..noooo more favors....when ya do a favor it costs ya.

Kyle06 · Oct 25, 2009

Yeah I can't do as many favor's as I used to... cost to much...

sweetcdngirl · Oct 26, 2009

Helloooooo All out there in Panther land...

This is a good subject. They send you a load offer and then don't respond to your return call. Or like panther art said, you try to get to drivers relations because you have an issue with your board position and your call cannot be completed at this time.
I was told that the reason why they are not answering in dispatch is because they have loads they have to cover before they go home, and until then they don't take the calls. What happens if you actually have an emergency? We were stuck in a bad back up because of a semi accident on 71, and it took me 45 mins to get ahold of someone at dispatch to tell them what was going on. I was told that we could of sent a message on the qc, but how many times have we sent messages on the qc that we have never gotten answers to??? I'm sure i'm not alone on that one.
If they dispatch me on a load, and then wont answer the call I make to ask them about the load, I will turn it down over the qc. They should answer the calls of drivers out there that are on loads, because usually there is a good reason why that driver is calling dispatch.

dletheridge · Oct 26, 2009

You send the message on the q/c, and you include the phrase ... on hold 45 minutes, you need to know this.

That way you are covered.

davekc · Oct 26, 2009

I don't know why you would wait 45 minutes on hold to tell them about a accident unless your in it.. If everyone on that freeway was to call with the same thing, they now have a dedicated person just to take those calls on something they likely know at that point. Send it on the QC and forget about it
If there is a ACTUAL emergency with your truck, then hit that prompt when you call in and it goes to the safety supervisor.

sweetcdngirl · Oct 27, 2009

Ummmmm .....

Correct me if i'm wrong, but you are supposed to inform dispatch right away if you are delayed for any reason. Any time i post in here Dave, you seem to cut it down and defend panther to a T. Like you are a panther mark. Every time I say something about Panther and their dispatch you defend them. You drive a cargo van and they are alot easier to divert around accidents and make up lost time afterwards. But in orientation, we were told to notify DISPATCH by phone if you are going to be delayed for any reason. ANY REASON.

jaminjim · Oct 27, 2009

Unless something has changed Dave is a fleet owner, but anyway just send in your delay via the QC. I could be wrong but I don't think that there is a requirement to call in about a delay.

pelicn · Oct 27, 2009

Not that Dave needs any defending, but he's been with Panther for a long time. Instead of arguing with him, you might listen to him a little more, you could learn alot. Just sayin...
For the most part, for pick ups or deliveries, we don't cut the time so close that "traffic" back ups or accidents will even effect us. The only time we will notify dispatch of a delay is when we are on a DDP or PSS load. That is the requirement. For general loads, we don't bother.

davekc · Oct 27, 2009

sweetcdngirl

Both Jamin and Pelicn have it right. We are fleet owners with only one van. That van is a exclusive mall/Wal-mart hauler for the wife.

You are taking my post as defending Panther and that is ok, but not the motive for it. I am addressing your complaint/concern so you don't have to sit on the phone for 45 minutes. If you were to get hit with a "late", they will look at the QC messages before anything. Just how it is. The only exception is the government/Elite gigs and like Pelicn, we call those in. That is a separate dispatch department away from the general.
Outside of that, we seldom call in for anything Same issue with first outs and board positions. We don't pay much attention to them. First outs are generally a invitation for a load that no one wants.
Lastly, I don't have a clue what is talked about in orientation There was a point in time they use to also say there, "every load is a good load". You can probably guess my thoughts on that.