How to be a good team member??

[flatbedin]

I don't know if I am just an complete idiot or what anymore.. I lay out my expectations to people while at the house during our interview, and all of them seem to talk the talk, but can't walk the walk once on the road..

Is it unreasonable to expect someone to sit in a seat 11 hours out of 12?

Is it unreasonable to expect someone to run more than 450 miles in 11 hours on a trip from CT to Wa??

Is it unreasonable to expect someone to drive from 8pm - 8am without waking me up at 2,3,or 4am because they are too tired to drive anymore, yet during their 12 hours off, they won't lay down and sleep?

Give me some help here people... What expectations do you lay on team members??

 

[x06col]

I'd put em on mileage pay, and pay em for what they drive, if'n it waz me. Might break em of sukk'in them eggs. Probably not tho, they'll wanna be paid for the ride'in, be my guess. Self discipline is a very rare thing in our society these days.

 

[arkjarhead]

i had the same problem when i was trying to help a guy get started in the biz and he did all of those things you talk about plus he wouldn't bathe. so after that i talked to our owner the owner told me i could fire him or he could fire him. i fired him. we tried another fella atleast the 2nd one showered but he couldn't run, and i let him go as well. after that i prefered to roll solo. surprisingly enough i could cover more territory alone than i could with either of those other guys.

 

[BigBuzd1]

As i am teaming w/ the wife (wouldn't do it any other way) we have a set schedule...I drive and or stay awake during the day, she does the nights. There is always 1 of us up, dressed, and waiting to go at the drop of a hat. When 1 of us is finished driving the shift...you go back...have a light snack, AND GO TO BED...no exceptions. yes this is a lifestyle choice to do this type of work...but it IS a job and rules must be followed just like anywhere else.
the runs that really mess us up though are small, back to back loads across the border...i'm sure ya'll know why.

 

[LDB]

Don't know how much difference it would make, and probably very little, but it might help some if shifts were 4-4 instead of 8-8. Unless the other driver is spouse or some (not all) members of family I think solo wins.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[tec1959]

Just wondering can't you do the old 5 on 5 off shift or does it not work with the new HOS anymore???

 

[flatbedin]

I always let the team members pick the hours that they want to drive. So 8-8 was the hours that they picked.. The reason was because of less traffic, ect.. And that makes me think twice again. For me personally, I don't care if it's Brooklyn at 7am or Billings MT at 10 pm, a job is a job, and it has to be done!!

 

[flatbedin]

TEC,

The new HOS will not allow the 5 split.. You can run a 8/2 split, but running team, that doesn't work well either..

 

[fortwayne]

Well, my friend, maybe the goals you have for yourself and the truck sounds great to the person you interview, thus he can talk the talk. But, when it comes to hoppin' on in the saddle and getting the job done, the walk is far much tougher than the talk and is far more than what that person needs to walk to be successful in his own eyes.

I guess what I am saying is that you have certain goals as the business owner but to find a co-driver that basically must share those same goals, dreams and quest is a tough assignment to complete.

Most of us as you are finding out prefer the solo route, we only have to worry about our own goals and our own targets. What you are trying to do is to reach a goal by cramming someone else into the picture that will never deep down care about your goals - no matter what they say. Eliminate anything that gets into the way of YOU reaching YOUR target and if that means running solo to control YOUR path than so be it.

Fort Wayne
Stop The Mexican Truckers!

 

[guest]

For the people that drive with your spouse or family member,do you guys REALLY OBIDE by the HOS? 10 hours of driving at a wack is crazy on a routine basis, I like driving 4 to 5 hours max then hand it over.

Now I dont know how that will work with the paperloss logs but as long as were still using paper logs, they will always be up to D.O.T standards. ( wink ) ( wink )

 

[wombat52]

well i better be careful certain eyes might be watching this comment ok 37 yrs in this industry ,
if i can do 11 hours easy by the way just as a little note it is 14 hours over the pond ( australia ) ok you know your time behind the wheel is coming up in let say 6 hours and your co driver is still sitting there in the front seat wondering if your going to stop at a resturant to eat WRONG i am in this game to get there get the freight off and get myself ready for my next load hopefully ,

but it comes to changeover time let say just for the nature of this story let just try and imagin for a minute you done your 11 hours but you know your co driver has only just gone asleep he / she has now got 11 hours behind the wheel .

but what would happen if they fall asleep your truck your business is now lying on it side on the side of the interstate or they have hit a car killed someone because they have had not enough rest wow what do you do uuuuummmm do you keep driving a few more hours but hang on this is not illegal but the freight has got to get to the customer and hang on your paying him /she a good rate of the gross so drivers and owners get your proper rest we are in the truckin business the business to move freight from one side of the usa to the other up or down it does not matter i love this game i have for 37 yrs and i do it for the love of the game not for the money but it helps ok i get that freight inside my box that freight is now all mind i will look after it like it is worth billions of $$$$$$$$$$$$ right up till it comes off ,
pete ..wombat

 

[flatbedin]

I don't ever force my goals on anyone.. Nor do I expect them to have my goals.. Actually I am glad that most people don't have my goals.. It makes it easier on me to make my money..

Do people actually sit in the seat for 11 hours?? Well yes, there are those of us that do.. And maybe that's what set's US apart from others..

I do expect the person that I hire to do a job, be able to complete a job that is outlined to them, wether they have the same goals as me or not.. They are hired to do a job, and I expect them to complete the job, just as they would be required to in any other industry..

There are alot of lazy people in the trucking industry.. And now I understand why.. Heck, why do any type of manual labor, when you can sit in someone else's 100k truck, not having any exspenses yourself, and type your bs on here??

 

[Dreamer]

Flatbedin,
Not knowing your situation, I have to ask if you are hiring experienced drivers? It can be quite a learning curve to learn to run expedite. I've known a lot of regular OTR drivers who had trouble making the transition to the 'straight thru' mentality. OTR drivers 'USUALLY' have enough time built in for naps, breaks etc... where expedite is dispatched straight thru.

For a newbie who has NEVER done this, it is even MORE an extreme learning curve. Some people drive for years and never get that overnight thing down. Something about that 3am-5am time slot, your body says "NO".

Perhaps those signing on really don't know what they're getting into? Just a thought.


Dreamer
Forums Administrator


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"The present is what slips by us while we're pondering the past and worrying about the future."

- Ziggy

 

[theoldprof]

Had the plumber over the other day. We got to talking. He is the boss. Says he pays $22.00/hr plus bennies. Can't get anybody to work. He said one new guy missed 14 days before he got his 90 days in. The guy couldn't understand why he was being fired. I hear a lot of this from business people who have employees. Just a thought.

:+ :+

 

[Dreamer]

You're right oldprof, a lot of people don't have a work ethic anymore, and all the training and advising won't do any good. My step dad retired from plumbing at 65, and never made over $12.00 an hr in his life. He out worked young guys who STARTED at almost what he made. He was one of those guys who was there putting on the coffee when others came in, and locked up the shop at night.

Now at close to 80, he just shakes his head at a minimim wage of $6.85... and my kids get to hear the stories about how long it took him to make that kind of money.



Dreamer
Forums Administrator


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"The present is what slips by us while we're pondering the past and worrying about the future."

- Ziggy

 

[flatbedin]

I actually think it's a deeper than just experience or not. Most have had experience. They have just been ruined by the thought that you run 6-8 hours from point A to B, then sit and wait for a day or so for your next load offer.. You know, we have to be at the truck stop by 7pm so that we can get a shower.. And the buffet closes at 9pm, and "my" favorite show is on at 10pm..

 

[nightcreacher]

leo, the new hos wont permit the 4 and 4,we log 10 and 10 but (whisper)drive 5 and 5.my co driver is paid for a job,and that job might just be to sleep,we switch when ever one of us gets tired,but is usually a 5 hr split,10 hrs behind the wheel makes for a very tired driver

 

[layoutshooter]

I agree that there is a general lack of work ethic. One other thing to consider, a newbe has to build up to driving 11 hours straight. I could not do it right off and neither could my wife. We can now, but it took a bit. Just a thought. Layoutshooter

 

[jaminjim]

Being that this is a "family" rated forum, I won't disclose our team rules. Most don't have anything to do with driving anyway. }>

 

[Tennesseahawk]

It is all about experience. When I got with C&M as a team a year ago, we did the 5/5. When I ran solo, my endurance went up and I was able to pull some interesting loads. Now that my nephew is in the truck again, I pull 10 or 11 and he got up to being able to go 10. Funny how that works. I still tell him to wake me up if he's too tired, and I get the same in return. We tend to switch around 3am so neither has to drive the whole night.

Dreamer... does your stepfather also tell the stories of how gas was a quarter/gallon and bread was .30 a loaf?

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!