Drivers Council Meeting
- Thread starter Scuba
- Start date
If the "Q&A Session" that was just posted to the Web site is any indication of what the Driver Council has to deal with, and I think it is, then the Council might as well take up head-banging as a hobby.
There were no questions, there were no answers. It is a six minute reading of a prepared statement that sounds like the audio from an orientation video. It's well written, and someone obviously put a lot of time and thought into it, but it don't answer any questions. Why spend time sending questions to the Questions E-Mail address when nary a one gets answered? I want specifics, not promotional gobbledygook.
The only thing that was touched on that directly effect the drivers is that the Ohio boards were restructured on Feb 17th. Great. How were they restructured? For what purpose? What is different about them? If 2008 is supposed to be all about communication, I'm less than impressed. We can't play by the rules if the rules keep changing and we don't know what they are.
"You get better, or you get worse, you never stay the same." Come on Andy, lets get better.
There were no questions, there were no answers. It is a six minute reading of a prepared statement that sounds like the audio from an orientation video. It's well written, and someone obviously put a lot of time and thought into it, but it don't answer any questions. Why spend time sending questions to the Questions E-Mail address when nary a one gets answered? I want specifics, not promotional gobbledygook.
The only thing that was touched on that directly effect the drivers is that the Ohio boards were restructured on Feb 17th. Great. How were they restructured? For what purpose? What is different about them? If 2008 is supposed to be all about communication, I'm less than impressed. We can't play by the rules if the rules keep changing and we don't know what they are.
"You get better, or you get worse, you never stay the same." Come on Andy, lets get better.
Turtles correct....My carrier likes the same gobbly gook....conference calls that seem to end when someone asks a tough question.
Turtle once said before regardless of any council...bottom line is the company is only going to give back what it wants to....You may get a concession to a problem but it's only because it doesn't hurt the bottomline and THEY want to give it....you won nothing but a cheap Attaboy.
Turtle once said before regardless of any council...bottom line is the company is only going to give back what it wants to....You may get a concession to a problem but it's only because it doesn't hurt the bottomline and THEY want to give it....you won nothing but a cheap Attaboy.
Critter Truckin
Expert Expediter
The thing, OVM, with our carrier's driver's council meetings is that no one knows when they are unless they are invited. Then the only way we find out is thru a watered-down version of the minutes in the newsletter. WHICH THE DRIVERS DON'T GET!!!
Why don't the drivers that have the ideas just deliver the message? Like an appeal court you apply to speak and you have 5 minutes to present your idea. And say in a preset time period the company gives an answer and reasons for acceptance or refusal. And the old standby answer of " Under advisement" doesn't count.
Critter Truckin
Expert Expediter
That would be entirely too easy. And, I think that the higher ups would have a coronary if they heard that there are actually things that the greater masses of their drivers (sorry, Value Providers) don't dig 100% of what the company does.
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
And why would a lowly driver have a need to know how the system works? You know that your fleet owner will keep you updated. It is rather stupid that the people trying to understand and work with the new system are not told anything about the changes. I guess you could always ask an ex PII owner. If they don't fix it and then tell the people who have to use it....there will be plenty of ex PII's to ask.
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Critter Truckin
Expert Expediter
I'm going to think of a really good and clean way of putting this... Are you outside your mind???
Actually, our owner e-mails us a copy of the newsletter now. But it's the fact that they put out a newsletter that directly affects the people that do the work, and don't give it to them. We do 100% of their leg work, and get 0% of the news that we need to know. I know you were joking, but it's something that strikes a chord somtimes.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Both companies have come a long way since "open door policy". What it's telling me is to run for the hills when my company is bought out by a "milk it for what it's worth" corporation.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Because everything is on a need to know basis. Apparently, the drivers don't need to know.
What I see is a graduation to what's going on in the big trucking companies. Drivers are an infinite pool to be tapped; and to a lesser extent, so are owners. What they don't realize is that drivers in expediting are smart animals, for the most part. They too graduate... to owners.
Drivers and owners who have been out there awhile tend to gravitate toward companies that treat them right. Those who haven't learned end up at JB, Swift, Werner, etc. It's up to the DRIVERS to tell them if they're headed toward "Swiftdom". If the company decides to lend a corporate ear to 10 mins per truck class I'd advise everyone speaking better say the same thing... less the company shoo you away like the fly you are; and become "Wernerized" in the process.
What I see is a graduation to what's going on in the big trucking companies. Drivers are an infinite pool to be tapped; and to a lesser extent, so are owners. What they don't realize is that drivers in expediting are smart animals, for the most part. They too graduate... to owners.
Drivers and owners who have been out there awhile tend to gravitate toward companies that treat them right. Those who haven't learned end up at JB, Swift, Werner, etc. It's up to the DRIVERS to tell them if they're headed toward "Swiftdom". If the company decides to lend a corporate ear to 10 mins per truck class I'd advise everyone speaking better say the same thing... less the company shoo you away like the fly you are; and become "Wernerized" in the process.
I think the purpose of the first one was more of an introduction and what went on JAN/FEB than a Q & A.
The way it was delivered is the Q & A is coming with folks in specific departments.
As far a people speaking at the council meeting, you would have to have some limitations so the same question isn't asked repeatedly, and long stories of a run that went bad a year ago aren't hashed over for an hour.
The way it was delivered is the Q & A is coming with folks in specific departments.
As far a people speaking at the council meeting, you would have to have some limitations so the same question isn't asked repeatedly, and long stories of a run that went bad a year ago aren't hashed over for an hour.
"As a first step in the communication process, we are instituting a “Panther q&a” which is a recorded message from the executive team at Panther addressing relevant issues in the expediting environment and answering some of the questions submitted via email by drivers and owners."
Silly me for expecting actual answers.
It fell far short of what was needed. What we got was fine insofar as an introduction, but it should have been just that, an introduction, and then followed by the Q&A that is supposed to be coming with the folks in specific departments.
They're draggin' their feet. This is the expediting business, not Congress. 2008 is all about communication, and we're not gettin' any. Oh, wait, my bad, I almost forgot...
"...you ***cannot*** make a better decision based on your years of experience."
Got it.
Well if everyone is so unhappy with there carrier why not just get your own authority and become a carrier yourself. I did it and it was not that hard, but there is a few things to remember. The only person you will be able to cry and wine to is the one in the mirror. There will be no safey net, no one to call to bail you out when your in trouble. You will have to run your business all by yourself, nobody to find you loads, nobody to make sure you get paid, you will do it all yourself. In the end the rewards far outweigh the hassles and it is much better to control all of your business than just part of it. Good luck with your next big step.
Scuba
Veteran Expediter
Do you use the Drivers web at all most of the info is there. What type of truck do you drive? Contact your council person I am sure they will be happy to talk to you about how things are run and have the experience to give you the scoop on Panther. I say talk to your council member because each fleet has it’s own issues. I don’t know what the “hot spots” are for other types of trucks.
You have access to the internet you can go to the Panther driver web site and post questions, read the driver councils meeting minutes and get all kinds of info. It seems to me that you would rather bi...ch on a open forum then to really know what is going on with the council and to help to solve problems. THE DRIVER WEB SITE IS FOR ALL DRIVERS AND OWNERS. Please be apart of the solution not apart of the problem...
You can go to the Web site and post all the questions in the world, and read every scrap of information available, and you'll be only marginally better off. The Driver Council was ready, willing and able to offer input as to the new changes and how they were to be implemented, but they were never asked. Not being allowed to _be_ a part of the solution _is_ the problem.
And it's ironic that you used "apart" rather than "a part", as "apart" means "removed from" or "separated". A typo, I'm sure, but it reads as...
Please be removed from the solution not removed from the problem.
And that's exactly what is happening.
