Expediters, cut above the rest

[broker]

Had a long haul this week, with the usual encounters with other truck drivers.
Constant cursing on the CB (both on the road and in the Truck Stops) Drivers looking like they hadn't had a bath in weeks, dirty clothing, uncut hair, getting cut off, being tailgated by someone who thinks that will make me speed up (we drive the speed limit or under) backing into other trucks at truck stops, getting past by the "super trucker" going 80+, watching driver after driver pull up behind a 4 wheeler (less than 3 ft, between them (again, thinking they will speed up), reading a map on the steering wheel while driving thru a town, threaten other drivers with physical harm (over a CB disagreement), be abusive to truck stop employees, etc.
Yes, all this did happen on this trip.
It took me until tonight to understand something.
Since being in this business and having these things happen all the time, not once has it been an Expediter.
My hats off to you fine people.
You are a cut above the rest (truck drivers)
BIG JOHN .

 

[mypie]

Thanks, Big John. Its nice of you to say.

But, I think you're right. Expediters are more professional as a whole.

Just this past week we saw a tanker driver eating at the wheel (while he was passing us) and reading the newspaper. I was expecting to see him on the side of the road ahead of us.

 

[davekc]

Expediters are certainly my favorite!

 

[Lawrence]

Hear! Hear Big John.......We agree 100%!

 

[guido4475]

Tailgating is a pet-peeve of mine.I will not tolerate it.Often I have called in on a driver to his company to complain, along witha piccture to prove it.And what gets me the most is the drivers that litter in a truckstop, with a trashcan 50 feet away.Especially when they throw logbook pages out the window.I get them, and call the company and tell them I'm mailing them to the dot in the city that they are based out of.Taht gets their attention real quick.There is no excuse for this. Taht is why we have to pay to park at some truckstops.And dont get me started on **** bottles, either!!!

 

[Scuba]

For the most part the drivers that behave badly are company drivers. That said I am not saying that it’s just company drivers but they are the largest % of the problems. Owner operators have more at stake we aren’t just drivers we are business owners.

 

[guido4475]

That is so true.It often bothers me to see what has just come out of these 2-weeks driving schools.Our future is at stake.It seems there is a lack of pride and professionalism out here.

 

[pelicn]

For the most part the drivers that behave badly are company drivers. That said I am not saying that it’s just company drivers but they are the largest % of the problems. Owner operators have more at stake we aren’t just drivers we are business owners.

Scuba that's a terrible generalization! Company drivers can be just as professional as the O/O, or be just as bad as the O/O.
The behavior you have described has been seen in all aspects of this industry including Expediters.

I think that it comes down to accountability. It seems that the people that do these things, do them because there are little consequences for their actions. They don't have to face the same people each day. They can throw out a bottle, and who sees them? They can tailgate a car, and move on down the road.
That same bragging O/O that's been in the business for years, ragging on the "new" guy, will be the same one that steps between his tandems to take a leak!
There have been many times that I have wanted to confront the person as I see them, but the fear of getting my butt kicked or my truck trashed has kept me from doing this. My behavior toward it also contributes to the problem.

 

[scottanhelen]

For the most part the drivers that behave badly are company drivers. That said I am not saying that it’s just company drivers but they are the largest % of the problems. Owner operators have more at stake we aren’t just drivers we are business owners.

I would have to agree I have all ways felt O/O are not truck drivers, they are business people who drive trucks.

 

[Scuba]

Scuba that's a terrible generalization! Company drivers can be just as professional as the O/O, or be just as bad as the O/O.
The behavior you have described has been seen in all aspects of this industry including Expediters.

I think that it comes down to accountability. It seems that the people that do these things, do them because there are little consequences for their actions. They don't have to face the same people each day. They can throw out a bottle, and who sees them? They can tailgate a car, and move on down the road.
That same bragging O/O that's been in the business for years, ragging on the "new" guy, will be the same one that steps between his tandems to take a leak!
There have been many times that I have wanted to confront the person as I see them, but the fear of getting my butt kicked or my truck trashed has kept me from doing this. My behavior toward it also contributes to the problem.

I guess you didn't see the part with the disclaimer so i wasn't lumping all company drivers into the group and i also pointed out that some o/o are to blame as well.

 

[guido4475]

Scuba that's a terrible generalization! Company drivers can be just as professional as the O/O, or be just as bad as the O/O.
The behavior you have described has been seen in all aspects of this industry including Expediters.

I think that it comes down to accountability. It seems that the people that do these things, do them because there are little consequences for their actions. They don't have to face the same people each day. They can throw out a bottle, and who sees them? They can tailgate a car, and move on down the road.
That same bragging O/O that's been in the business for years, ragging on the "new" guy, will be the same one that steps between his tandems to take a leak!
There have been many times that I have wanted to confront the person as I see them, but the fear of getting my butt kicked or my truck trashed has kept me from doing this. My behavior toward it also contributes to the problem.

I couldnt agree with you more, Mr Pelican. but I dont confront them physically, rather I call the company and ask for their e-mail so I can send them a cameraphone picture of what their driver has just done.I was in a Loves truckstop in southern Alabama and a Florelli driver threw 3 milk jugs full of urine under his trailer.luckily the lids did not come off. I got a picture of him doing that, with the trailer and company name in full view of the picture, and called his company, which was on the back doors. Within 5 minutes, he was out there picking them up, and putting them back in his truck. I hope because of this, he wont do it again.I think this is the only way we can police our industry in a way that we, ourselves will not be found out as to who we are.(the complainer).

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Good, smart move Guido....

We see quite a few "thinking handicapped drivers" out there...pulling bonehead moves....bullying even other trucks.

The level of professionalism has certainly dropped....

And to add: Considering the proportion of expediters to OTR...we are no better then them....sorry...but I've seen my share of dumb butt straight and tractor and van expedite also weave in and out of traffic, speeding, tailgateing

 

[broker]

When I first posted this I forgot one important thing.
I was talking over the last 8 years (since I started noticing Expediters)
Something that always had me wondering (when I was T/T over the road) was why those expediters were going so slow.
Now I know. When dead heading or relocating, we are not getting paid, so we tend to keep the speed down for that maxmum MPG.

Anyway, from a past T/T and now Expediter, in general you folks are a class above the rest in driving habits and talk on the CB.
BIG JOHN

 

[OntarioVanMan]

When I first posted this I forgot one important thing.
I was talking over the last 8 years (since I started noticing Expediters)
Something that always had me wondering (when I was T/T over the road) was why those expediters were going so slow.
Now I know. When dead heading or relocating, we are not getting paid, so we tend to keep the speed down for that maxmum MPG.

Anyway, from a past T/T and now Expediter, in general you folks are a class above the rest in driving habits and talk on the CB.
BIG JOHN

Correctomundo....

 

[Turtle]

I think this is the only way we can police our industry in a way that we, ourselves will not be found out as to who we are.(the complainer).

Yessireee, the professional expediter, a cut above the rest.

 

[broker]

While on the subject of bad driving habits, maybe it would be entertaining to share the strangest thing we have seen a driver do.
Please, nothing sexual.

Mine would have to be the time I saw a co-driver and driver (female-male) change positions in a T/T Volvo.
No, not while it was parked but as they were going down the road at 70.
Caught up with them at a truck stop and asked what that was all about.
He (husband) said it was because she had a hard time double clutching the 18 speed.
Kind of dangerous isn't it I asked.
Naw, not with power steering, no dog house and cruise control.
Besides, they only do it on a straight stretch of road.

I'm sure we can all see a bunch of what ifs here.

BIG JOHN

 

[inkasnana]

Hmmm, I don't have any "strange behavior" stories to share. We had a Conway driver back his trailer into the side of our sleeper one night and rip a nice hole in the side of it. That scared the heck out of me.

Sometimes I wonder how some of the TT drivers make it safely through the mountains on I-40 east of Knoxville into NC. That stretch through the mountains is posted 50mph for trucks and no truck passing but some of those drivers just go flying on past. I half expect to see them crashed around the next curve. I think some drivers that get stuck behind me get irritated with me through there because I never go over 50 and I always seem to be at the head of the line with a bunch of trucks behind me. lol Oh, and it's usually dark out when I end up driving through there.

 

[pelicn]

I couldnt agree with you more, Mr Pelican.

Hey Guido? It's Mrs. Pelicn

No Scuba, I didn't see your disclaimer, sorry about that.

 

[wellarmed]

Tailgating is a pet-peeve of mine.I will not tolerate it.Often I have called in on a driver to his company to complain, along witha piccture to prove it.And what gets me the most is the drivers that litter in a truckstop, with a trashcan 50 feet away.Especially when they throw logbook pages out the window.I get them, and call the company and tell them I'm mailing them to the dot in the city that they are based out of.Taht gets their attention real quick.There is no excuse for this. Taht is why we have to pay to park at some truckstops.And dont get me started on **** bottles, either!!!

BOTTLES? I had a driver at rockwall TX dump an entire gallon from his passenger side window right at my drivers side door. dirty,nasty,lazy,sorry son of a b#@#%.Whoops,sorry, it pi$$e$ me off to think about it.

 

[Streakn1]

My hats off to you fine people.
You are a cut above the rest (truck drivers)
BIG JOHN .

Many of the instances you stated in your thread are true,sadly! But I for one will stand in defense of "the rest (truck drivers)".

I have almost thirty years driving big rigs on the road as a "truck driver" both privately and for hire. It has only been the last six years of my driving carreer that I have been an expediter. I, as many other truck drivers have always been a safe and courteous driver, my absolutely clean MVR shows that, as does many other truck drivers out here. I don't speed, tailgate, look unprofessional, act unprofessional in public, leave my garbage and p i s s bottle (don't need one) in the parking lot as some do. Plus i've never had a citizen or other call in or written complaint sent in regarding my driving skills and habits throughout my carreer. Other truck drivers on the road can make the same claim.

Unfortunately, you, I and John Q Public only see and remember the actions of the not so professional truck driver, thus causing all of us to be judged by his/her actions, not ours. That's life if you choose to drive ANY commercial vehicle on our nation's highways.

I for one proudly can say that I, along with many other truck drivers are a cut above the rest. Expediter or not.