Yes, it is. When we accept an expedite load that's 8 hours out, we are removed from consideration from other load opportunities for all of those 8 hours. The farther out a pickup time is the better chance is has to be cancelled. If it's a good load we might prefer to take the chance of it cancelling and accept the load, but if it's a short load that doesn't pay much, we might prefer not to risk the chance of better load not even being considered because we are unavailable for it.
If I get a call on Friday night for a Monday morning pickup, I have to decide whether I'm willing to give up any and all load opportunities over the weekend, in exchange for an iffy possibility that may not pay all that well in 3 days, or might be cancelled on Sunday afternoon. If I turn that Monday load down on Friday, I shouldn't be hit with a refusal, unless dispatch can guarantee the full rate if the load cancels, because it's the full rate we are risking by taking the load so far in advance.
Obviously, there needs to be a time limit on just how far out time-wise a load can be before dispatch is willing to offer the full rate in the event of a cancel (bear with me), or in-kind, how far out time-wise a load should be before we get hit with a refusal that is a legitimate refusal. 8 hours seems to be the most realistic time frame regarding risk/reward decisions of the driver and booking efficiency of dispatch. Less than 8 hours and it's far more of a legitimate load that's not as likely to cancel, so a refusal would be just as legitimate. More than 8 hours and the load, and thus a refusal, becomes less legitimate.
Correct. less than 30 seconds after I posted that I got a load. It was just a snarly comment, because I'm in a snarky, sardonic mood today, because of something that happened on Friday, and today. No need to get you involved, unless it happens again, other than to say, if a dispatcher or a load booker (whatever they're called) screws up that requires a simple 1 or 2 minute explanation from that dispatcher or load booker (whatever they're called), the driver shouldn't be relegated to a level of irrelevance and contempt (condoned and suggested by management) simply because that dispatcher or load booker (whatever they're called) is off the clock and on their own time. They should man-up, be professional, and deal with it directly, despite the fact that in doing so the phone conversation would not be recorded. If it's that important, as the unwritten policy seems to indicate, then as ridiculous as it sounds, they should come back to the office and make the call from there. Doing the right thing, being professional, and treating others as you want to be treated should not be punch-clock dependent. It's over and done with and nothing can correct it. Mistakes happen and they can easily be forgiven, but being treated with a level of disrespect one doesn't earn, not so easily. What boggles the mind is, the one who recently asked you to add some extra points is the one who most staunchly defended it. So apparently I can be an angel or a pariah, depending on the circumstances and who is the one being inconvenienced.
If it helps, at my previous carrier refusals didn't count if they were more than 8 hours out, or more than 24 hours out on a weekend, if it was a mini (less than 100 miles), if it was at a reduced rate (doesn't really apply at Load One).
If you turn down a legitimate, reasonable load, then you should own it and take the turn down. Merely not wanting to go where the freight goes isn't a legitimate reason for a turn down which warrants a pass on it. I believe, anyway.
