great life before expediting

[kg]

recent threads about dispatch gripes and things that trouble people about expediting makes me wonder.

where did some of these people work before they tried expediting? it must have been a wonderful and fulfilling life.

i mean to be so upset and enraged about such things as a rude encounter on the phone, poor directions or instructions,inability to cope with standard operating time or location checks, or HUMAN ERROR!

yep, their jobs must have been GREAT, SO PEACEFUL!

oh well, back to the grind of the small businessman.

just wondering

 

[davekc]

I think it is like any profession. It is just people venting in the areas that they would like to see improvement. Very comparable to the current fuel prices or HOS.






Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[Streakn1]

Ok, now you struck a nerve with me,in a good way of course! You share the same question we've had for a long time.

We run into this a lot at Petro/Atlanta,Ga and elsewhere. We'll be sitting at our table in the restaurant and a group of expediters wearing their company logos will be sitting within earshot. Their conversation will be centered on what a horible company they haul frieght for, how the loads pay crap, and they haven't made any money for weeks or months.In the conversation it becomes appearant some have been with the company for years. We sit and wonder where did they work before and was it better, why did they leave to come work for this company that seems to make them so unhappy. At times we want to just walk over to their table and ask " why do you still work for this company that you seem so unhappy with. Aren't there other companies out there that would make you happier?"

We haven't forgot (3-years later) where we came from. We drove an 18-wheeler 5500-7200 mile a week 7-days a week killing ourselves for 32 cents a mile team split. We put up with grocery warehouses and nasty customers, and I could go on. We feel like we died and went to heaven doing what we do now.

Do we always feel that we get paid what we should for every load? Not! Do we get misinformation on directions or the load requirements? Yes! Do we get a dispatcher or customer occasionally thats having a bad hair day? Heck yea! Bottom line is, we know we have the best no matter how bad it seems. If its really that bad, then we need to find somewhere else to go rather than sit and complain about it to others. Better yet, we could always go back to our 32 cents a mile team split!

 

[davekc]

Good post.
Pretty much sums up why I have been at this as long as I have.





Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[Mudflap]

Expediting has been a joy compared to what I did before it and has made me much more money, I don’t want my old job back for any amount of pay! So no sir it was not a great thing before! It is always human nature to complain about things though, or praise the things or people we like. But if all we saw on the net and forums were fluffy promotional things for companies or products with no way of being able to comment on them in a realistic manner with our own experiences good or bad without a topic becoming heated a trucking site or forum would be little more than picking up a promotional flyer for something. Yes expediting has a lot of great aspects, but I think most of us agree it is not a perfect thing with all of us being highly paid tourists working for the best trucking companies in the world. That is what some company promotional videos and some people who might have had really stressful careers, little careers at all, or worked for bad low paying trucking companies prior to expediting attempt make the expediting business out to be and that is much more fantasy than the reality to those who can keep things in perspective. Thx Denny

 

[davekc]

I think that is one of the best things about EO. It does provide a platform in which new people can get information or opinions in order to make an informed decision upon entering the profession. A dose of reality is paramount prior to making any large financial commitments. Many take great strides in directing folks from any kinds of puffery that may leave them down a undesirable path.
A informed new driver that is researched and prepared well is likely to stay in the profession much longer than someone guessing that they might want to do this.




Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[Moot]

Maybe Lawrence could setup a new forum expressly for ranting and raving.

THE UNLOADING DOCK: Got a 22' box full of pent up anger? Open the doors and back right up. Anything goes here. You can even use that U.A.W guy as a wheel chock. Just don't spill his beer.

THE BOXING RING: Got an axe to grind with another member? Step inside the ring. EO moderator "I want a good clean fight. No hitting in the lowercase. When the bell rings come out typing"

All persons posting on these forums will have access to a variety of fonts with type sizes up to 72 pts. Nothing quite says P.O.'d like Bodini Extra Bold.

What do you think Lawrence? Ya maybe it's not such a good idea. But I feel better now that my head is empty. Time for bed.

 

[Mudflap]

That is great Moot! But don't forget about the POWDER PUFF ROOM for other rants and raves on the opposite end. Where the background music is Donny Osmond's Puppy Love song, everything is always happy and perfect, everything surrounding everyone is the best known to man, everything for everyone always goes along as planned, everyone only kisses up to the people in their company and the equipment they own and drive, only lower case pink light type is allowed and the only emoticons are teddy bears holding balloons! Probably not such a good idea either LOL! People who do that sort of thing are every bit as much of button pushers as those who are considered to be axe grinders. Kind of like what you hear on the CB about getting truckers to agree if something is black or white: The truth usually lies somewhere in between and sometimes good argument makes for the best judgement on a topic. Thx, Denny

 

[pelicn]

> At times we want to just walk over to their table and ask " why
>do you still work for this company that you seem so unhappy
>with. Aren't there other companies out there that would make
>you happier?"
>
>We haven't forgot (3-years later) where we came from. We
>drove an 18-wheeler 5500-7200 mile a week 7-days a week
>killing ourselves for 32 cents a mile team split. We put up
>with grocery warehouses and nasty customers, and I could go
>on. We feel like we died and went to heaven doing what we do
>now.


I'm guessing that the old saying " A B****ing driver is a "happy" driver" is true in the Expediting world too.
We haul freight at moment, and we hear the same the things. It seems to me, that those drivers that are complaining all the time, are their own worst enemy.

 

[bryan]

HI
It would get pretty boring if everybody had the same opinion.

Alot of great businesses have went broke because of complacency.Everything needs something else to question it.It's called checks and balances.

Fortune 500 companies actually hire outside consulting firm to provide the services that we are providing for free.Maybe we need to start charging?

Knowledge is power.When they came out with the cell phones they were big and bulky.Customers complained.They made them smaller, more efficent,and widened the coverage area.Now everybody has one.They are constantly improving.But they never would of known what to improve if people wouldn't of complained.

So I say we need more people venting.It doesn't seem to be hurting anything.There are still people lined up waiting to start expediting.Every year more and more new companies start up.Robert's/FedEx, Panther and LEAM got bigger because they talked to their people and addressed their issues.Thus improving the industry.(Now thats fluffy)

 

[younglobo]

Got A few words for the complainers "A cheerful heart does good like medicine , but a broken Spirit makes one sick." Proverbs 17:22 Basically if you start to complain you can always find more to complain about and it makes you even madder, SO find the positive in the situation For example your load may not pay alot but at least you got one, maybe it will take you to a better area, or by a loved one or friends home you need to visit ect. It is never to hard to find folks with worse problems than yours, health, job ect. so just be thankful for what you have, and dont sweat the small stuff.
thats my 2 cents
:+

 

[Mudflap]

Nobody likes the perpetual complainer or whiner. But many good things have come about for people because of complaints that were aired that didn't fall on deaf ears. For instance years back before the dispatch system at FedEx was perfect :+ they used to have a more or less forced dispatch system where one was put out of service if they turned down 2 consecutive loads. That along with a few other things in regards to FedEx dispatch was changed and brought on par with the systems of other expediter companies due to owners and drivers making their complaints known. So see sometimes some good can come from complaining if its done in the right manner. If everyone just stays quiet under a false illusion that everything is the best and perfect, the company will think they have no room for improvement and future concerns and complaints will likely be unanswered. Denny

 

[davebeckym]

It's more than that with FedexCC. Forced dispatch makes you an employee, not a independant contractor. Ask the IRS! Ask Fedex Ground!

I believe Fedex's legal advisors have had a lot to do with the changes. We used to get punished for going home (bubble up), or going to an unauthorized express center. Pretty shaky, legaly, if you're NOT an employee.

 

[cheri1122]

I'd say it's not that their previous jobs were so great, but that their brains are off duty.
Badmouthing your employer/carrier in public is not just unacceptable, (would you like it if they were badmouthing you in public?) - it's stupid, too. You don't know who might be overhearing, do you?
Fora like these are a good place to air general gripes, because we all know where you're coming from, and every now & then, someone might have a helpful suggestion to offer.
Here is mine: When you can remember that happiness comes not from having what you want, but from wanting what you have, then you will be happy.
And I can do it at least twice a week!

 

[greg334]

> It's more than that with FedexCC. Forced dispatch makes you
>an employee, not a independant contractor. Ask the IRS! Ask
>Fedex Ground!
>
> I believe Fedex's legal advisors have had a lot to do with
>the changes. We used to get punished for going home (bubble
>up), or going to an unauthorized express center. Pretty
>shaky, legaly, if you're NOT an employee.

Sorry if this is going off topic.

I do not agree – force dispatching does not make you an employee. The IRS is one of two that make that determination; the Department of Labor usually has the final say in it. The IRS can only force the company to pay you wages, the DOL can force the company to recognize and treat you as an employee.

Using this premise – if force dispatching makes you an employee, well then acceptance percentage in a contract also make you an employee by the mere fact that you are force to take a percentage of your offers. I know almost every company has some percentage that they deem necessary to have a contractor on board in a cost effective manner.

I worked the contractor and the company end for many years – hiring/firing contactors, working with contracting houses big and small and worked with a larger than FedEx legal department by 3 or 4 times to know that there are things you can do and things you can’t do and force dispatching is something that can be done and legally. The reason I say this is that you are contracted to do a job – help the company produce revenue by moving something from point a to point b, there is a set amount for that job flat rate or percentage in your contract to do the work so the company depends on your independence to get that item from point a to point b legally, safely and on time – the key words are independence and on time. They suggest the route, but they do not tell you how to run your truck, how to secure the item or what to do in an emergency – independence. If you say no to an offer the company can simply say ok you don’t want to help us, we don’t need you.

Many of the suits being brought against FedEx has to do with the elimination of the independent nature of the relationship between the company and the contractor – not forced dispatching. The ground people are forced dispatched by the nature of their route, the package they accept to take to deliver on the route and the expectations of the customer who paid for the service directly or indirectly.

On topic, negativity is the root of all solutions – to look for things in a negative way leads you to the positives and solutions to eliminate the negatives. I was trained to look for problems - negatives, look at things negativity and to act on them to change them. I complain a lot but over all I see what others miss and enjoy life a lot more. My life sucks right now, no doubt about that but over all I see the light at the end of the tunnel and not upset with my situation - I know what I can do and can't do to change it and working towards changing it.

Oh yea, many of the older people I grew up with were complainers, some complained about everything – from Roosevelt to the price of gas (1973). It must have some positive effect on longevity because most of them lived into their 80’s and 90’s without too much difficulty. I guess become complacent when you retire has a lot to do with it – none of them were complacent, you think?

 

[DocRushing]

Cheri:
Smiles and thumbs up for the positive words --
and for the use of "fora" as the correct plural form!
Best wishes,
Doc.

 

[vipra]

I agree completely. I thought truck driving was the easiest job in the world until I got a van and started expediting. Simple work, short hours, great pay, what more can anyone want. I have no idea why people whine about tiny problems.
Vipra

 

[Mudflap]

My view on happiness- Voice your true concerns as a civil person, let whine-gones be whine-gones, give praise when it is deserved, don't be a jerk, help others when you can, and be fair:7 That's a lot to ask for even for me:7 :7

I will add to that you can use forums as well as fora for the plural of forum dictionary.com said so Have fun above all! Denny

 

[DocRushing]

Yes, Mudflap too is quite right.
"Forums" is not only acceptable but also more common.
"Fora" is the Latin plural of the Latin word "forum."
Cheri is a sharp lady to have known that.
Cheers to all!
Doc.

 

[cheri1122]

Ok, I have to put an end to this - although my favorite shirt has a message in Latin, ("if you can read this, you are way overeducated"), I am just a compulsive reader & word person, & didn't know the word "fora" till someone else (maybe it was you, Doc) used it first! But I will keep using it, because it just sounds right to me.