That was me....sorry bout that....
Follow Panther Execs As They Haul Freight
- Thread starter Lawrence
- Start date
That was me....sorry bout that....
The whole point is to get a little insight in to what happens out on the road and help a charity at the same time. Too many try to complicate the simple. I believe some would still find something to bi#ch at if they were delivering a load on a wheel barrow. It would turn into "are they suffering enough".
I agree Dave, it is an attempt. An admirable attempt at mediocre fact finding. Like how difficult it is to sleep in a moving vehicle,(tho they already knew that from their Spring Break trips), and a (few), other reinforcements.
It's all good tho.
It's all good tho.
panther_art
Expert Expediter
Bruno and Dave why don't you two go out and spend 2 weeks in a van doing this, then come back here and make a post.
The hope that most of us van drivers was hoping that they would see what the real life was like and maybe try and make some changes on our behalf.
Most of the post on here that are positive have never been on the road in a cargo van, and don't any ST drivers say what they do is the same as the van drivers.
The hope that most of us van drivers was hoping that they would see what the real life was like and maybe try and make some changes on our behalf.
Most of the post on here that are positive have never been on the road in a cargo van, and don't any ST drivers say what they do is the same as the van drivers.
You know as well as I do that that is never gonna happen.
I will give them a BRAVOZULU however Dispatch best bout be fare in how they do the loads!!! Dishing them out!! The EXECS should be treated the same as everyone else IE wait their turn for loads. Just like all of you. If this is done well then it will be A good deal.
The Toys for tots thing, If they make that a gimmick to keep the truck moving vice sitting then everything they have set out to supposedly accomplish will have been no more than a lie.
The Toys for tots thing, If they make that a gimmick to keep the truck moving vice sitting then everything they have set out to supposedly accomplish will have been no more than a lie.
Well, can't say I have done the van gig, but have done it in a Ford350 pickup with a 36" coffin sleeper for a lot longer than two weeks. I do believe that is smaller quarters than what might be in your van. No computers, no cell phones, no gps, and so forth. So, yep, feeling ok posting to this topic.
youngsamuel
Seasoned Expediter
If the point is to understand the drivers position then it should be incognito. If it is charity bring out the fanfare. So which is it?
This job can be tough and rewarding regardless of what we drive van or straight. We are all can dwellers out here not knowing where we will be next. BTW Merry Christmas everybody. Seriously
This job can be tough and rewarding regardless of what we drive van or straight. We are all can dwellers out here not knowing where we will be next. BTW Merry Christmas everybody. Seriously
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
In a different thread why don't you detail why your job is so much different. and then you could also detail what changes you would like to see Panther make.
1st off you don't know that I haven't, as for Davekc I can't speak for him. We started in Expediting with Roberts Express. We both know what it's like to live in a truck with a small sleeper. My 1st truck had a 48 inch double bunk sleeper. We didn't have cell phones back then or laptops. You would sleep during the day and drive at night. Try running team in a UD with a 48' flat top sleeper. When you wasn't on a load one driver would sleep across the seats, it wasn't fun.
What is probably funnier is that back then we had just AM radio, some with no A/C, and few had the luxury of a TV, Fridge, or a microwave. How spoiled we have become.
Air-ride.....what was that?
Falligator
Expert Expediter
I'm thinking this will at least make a lot of kids happy this holiday season...especially with the bad economic conditions our country is facing. "Good Luck!" --So I wonder how many loaded miles they will turn....could feasibly run 5-6,000 as a team...that would be a good hunk of change for Toys for Tots.
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
I'm sorry if I don't get this. It is a company promotion, so call it what it is. First I received a press release for the road trip and then I'm presented with a link to a Panther billboard. I might think otherwise if Panther had shared the billboard space with Toys for Tots. You want to call this a charity event then make it a corporate challenge and actually try to generate funds for the cause. As it stands it's just leftover pocket change from a company promotion.
As for the criticism of me for presenting my view. Think positive. I am providing my feedback of the impression I get when presented with this promotion, and if I see the event in this light then likely there are others who do so too. Companies spend lots of money on surveys and focus groups to evaluate their message, and I'm providing them my feedback for free.
And for the record, I have taken no offense to any of this.
eb
As for the criticism of me for presenting my view. Think positive. I am providing my feedback of the impression I get when presented with this promotion, and if I see the event in this light then likely there are others who do so too. Companies spend lots of money on surveys and focus groups to evaluate their message, and I'm providing them my feedback for free.
And for the record, I have taken no offense to any of this.
eb
Hey DaveKc, since everyone is bi*ching about Andy and Ed being out on the road for Toys for Tots and some of us are being called brown nosers. Lets go out in one of your trucks or one of our trucks for Toys for Tots for Panther next year. Maybe you can take Matt C. and I can take Sean K.for a week. Then we can be really big brown nosers. Coming from a very poor family growing up and not getting toys or gifts on some years for Christmas this is really dear to my heart.
If people think its slow then they should have been in Expediting in 1995. That was a very bad year. I sat in Memphis for 7 days in a C unit in June of 1995.
If people think its slow then they should have been in Expediting in 1995. That was a very bad year. I sat in Memphis for 7 days in a C unit in June of 1995.
panther_art
Expert Expediter
Mr Mayfield,
First of all I don't think anyone on here is complaining about them being out there too collect money for Toy for Tots, I believe everyone or most everyone on here thinks that is a great thing.
If they just would have said that they where going out and spend a week on the road doing loads to make money for Toys for Tots and left it at that they would of had everyones support. The main reason that there are those of us on here that are getting upset is they said they where going to do this to see what it was.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
( * To better understand the challenges of what the drivers and truck owners have to deal
with while out on the road
* To utilize first hand the technology available to drivers and owners to identify any needed enhancements or improvements
* All proceeds from the loads hauled will be going towards Toys For Tots)
And getting loaded first on the first day and never having to sit an wait for loads is not seeing what we go thought out here.
First of all I don't think anyone on here is complaining about them being out there too collect money for Toy for Tots, I believe everyone or most everyone on here thinks that is a great thing.
If they just would have said that they where going out and spend a week on the road doing loads to make money for Toys for Tots and left it at that they would of had everyones support. The main reason that there are those of us on here that are getting upset is they said they where going to do this to see what it was.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
( * To better understand the challenges of what the drivers and truck owners have to deal
with while out on the road
* To utilize first hand the technology available to drivers and owners to identify any needed enhancements or improvements
* All proceeds from the loads hauled will be going towards Toys For Tots)
And getting loaded first on the first day and never having to sit an wait for loads is not seeing what we go thought out here.
You quoted it, and still missed it. It is "to better understand..." not to fully, completely and thoroughly understand...
They are doing this to better understand what we deal with, in particular with the technology and tools we are given to deal with the loads, in particular the Qualcomm and the new kick-aѕѕ board system, and what it's like to run loas.
It also says they, "will be doing their best to see as much of it as they can the week of December 7."
I'm not sure how productive their time will be with respect to getting a taste of what we do and in using the tools we have available to run loads if they sit for extended periods. Sitting is part of it, but I guarantee you that, without leaving the office, they already know that sitting for extended periods isn't productive for anybody - that's not what they are looking to obtain information about.
It's like going and sitting in with Dispatch for a few hours to get a better understanding of what they do. You won't fully understand all the various permutations of their job, but you will at least have a little better of an understanding of what they have to deal with. It's certainly a better understanding than you would have if you've never done that.
Incidentally, if you're keeping up with their adventures, you'll see that they are, in fact, getting a little taste of what we have to deal with out here. They got to Rockford the night before the delivery, and instead of going to to the cons and waiting, because it was cold, cold, cold they got a room, while loaded mind you, and then this morning the van wouldn't start in the minus-4 degree weather after sitting there all night out in the wind.
Whatever they had on board wasn't too big, because they somehow managed to talk the hotel manager into driving them and the freight to the cons (using Toys for Tots as leverage, I'm sure lol). Still had a service failure, 45 minutes late. The customer was very happy they made the delivery by 0900 local, but a service failure is a service failure just the same. On Time. On Target. No Exceptions.
A motel room while loaded? Really? Wow.
Tow truck came to start the van, no joy, had to get it towed inside to warm it up. Stay Tuned...
They are doing this to better understand what we deal with, in particular with the technology and tools we are given to deal with the loads, in particular the Qualcomm and the new kick-aѕѕ board system, and what it's like to run loas.
It also says they, "will be doing their best to see as much of it as they can the week of December 7."
I'm not sure how productive their time will be with respect to getting a taste of what we do and in using the tools we have available to run loads if they sit for extended periods. Sitting is part of it, but I guarantee you that, without leaving the office, they already know that sitting for extended periods isn't productive for anybody - that's not what they are looking to obtain information about.
It's like going and sitting in with Dispatch for a few hours to get a better understanding of what they do. You won't fully understand all the various permutations of their job, but you will at least have a little better of an understanding of what they have to deal with. It's certainly a better understanding than you would have if you've never done that.
Incidentally, if you're keeping up with their adventures, you'll see that they are, in fact, getting a little taste of what we have to deal with out here. They got to Rockford the night before the delivery, and instead of going to to the cons and waiting, because it was cold, cold, cold they got a room, while loaded mind you, and then this morning the van wouldn't start in the minus-4 degree weather after sitting there all night out in the wind.
Whatever they had on board wasn't too big, because they somehow managed to talk the hotel manager into driving them and the freight to the cons (using Toys for Tots as leverage, I'm sure lol). Still had a service failure, 45 minutes late. The customer was very happy they made the delivery by 0900 local, but a service failure is a service failure just the same. On Time. On Target. No Exceptions.
A motel room while loaded? Really? Wow.
Tow truck came to start the van, no joy, had to get it towed inside to warm it up. Stay Tuned...
Mr Panther_art they didn't get out ahead of anyone they did wait. The load they was offered, one of my trucks turned it down because it was less than 300 miles for a team. So they aren't getting loaded ahead of everyone else. If you want to complain about something, complain about the guys wanting a 1st out for 566 mile loads and getting it. If the load is not over 75 miles no 1st out should be given at all.
Scuba
Veteran Expediter
Well it's safe to say they learned to keep the engine running when it is that cold out. I don't understand the leaving the van while loaded but that is one of those learning curves i guess. Not sure how legal it was getting the hotel guy to take them to the cons but it showed that they were thinking outside of the box which is good. While yes they faild had they done nothing and waited for the shop to thaw the fuel system out the cons may have been in a real bind. It will be something the cons will remember Panther did what it took to get the freight delivered