Leave Me Alone

Moot · Mar 15, 2016

Yesterday afternoon I picked up a load that delivered to Chrysler in Belvidere. The protect time was noon today. Last night or possibly early this morning I stopped at a truck stop 20 minutes out from the delivery. My intention was to get a good night sleep and when I awoke I would run the last few miles to delivery. My phone rang at 04:06 Central Daylight Saving Time. The nice lady said the customer had just informed her that I could deliver early. I thanked for that informative bit of info and told her I was going back to sleep. At 04:11 my phone rang again. Same woman. This time she said the customer told her I had to be there by 04:30 or wait until 07:00. I told her I would deliver well before the delivery time and for her to please not call again.

At 06:49 my phone rang again. I answered with my customary "hello". No response but I could here people talking in the background. I said hello again and then one more time before I hung up. One minute later my phone rang again. I said hello. No response so I hung up. Two minutes later it rang again. This time I was ready to play stupid. I said nothing. I did some light breathing and dragged the phone across my pillow. Finally a voice said hello so I said hello. He asked if I could hear him. The thought crossed my mind that it might be fun to repeat everything he said, but I didn't. I must have been tired!

He wanted to know where I was. By this time I had grown weary from the stupidity so I told him: "I have a QC, you tell me where I am". He said I hadn't pinged for over 5 hours but the last position was in Illinois. I began complaining about the relentless phone calls, he interrupted me saying I was breaking up and then he hung up on me. I guess he showed me. I tried to get back to sleep but couldn't. I had breakfast and coffee and drove to the consignee. I delivered about 3 hours early.

I'm tired, waiting for receiving to open in about 40 minutes so I can deliver the load I'm on now. I've got a load picking up in the morning about 70 miles away. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight without interruption.

wimpy007 · Mar 15, 2016

Normal Moot, been call with 'were are you" when I was parked in the receivers parking lot, waiting to unload even when you send a" at delivery." message.

acvox24 · Mar 16, 2016

That's why I turn my phone off when I'm on a load. I got tried of of getting woke up 3 hrs into my 5 hour break. With my carrier saying "your fine on time, we were just curious when you were planning on leaving." That's of course after I've been up 20 hours before my break.

blizzard2014 · Mar 16, 2016

I was called once right before delivery time while parked at the customer sleeping. I had already checked in on the QC. I told the nice gentleman on the phone that I arrived early and the receiving department would not be open until the actual delivery time. The guy told me that some drivers sleep too long and cause problems. I told him that I'm a professional. I don't need a babysitter. That is what Panther does. They babysit their drivers. Also, if you do not answer your phone for a certain period of time, Panther will send a state trooper to check on you. Drivers have been woken up by state troopers before telling them that their five hour break is over. Believe me, Panther knows where you are at. They know exactly where you are at all times!

Turtle · Mar 16, 2016

blizzard said:
That is what Panther does. They babysit their drivers.

The ones who do require babysitting ruin it for everyone else, as Panther treats everyone to the lowest common denominator. Just to be on the safe side.

blizzard2014 · Mar 16, 2016

Turtle said:
The ones who do require babysitting ruin it for everyone else, as Panther treats everyone to the lowest common denominator. Just to be on the safe side.

Panther is a good company for a noobie. You have to really try hard to screw up at Panther. But for the professional drivers, it is overkill. They have a reputation to protect though.

Turtle · Mar 16, 2016

blizzard said:
Panther is a good company for a noobie. You have to really try hard to screw up at Panther. But for the professional drivers, it is overkill. They have a reputation to protect though.

Newbies generally need their hands held and a little baby sitting, so in that respect Panther is actually a really good carrier with which to start out. Once you learn their system, know how it works, why it's in place, embrace the stupidity, and then are able to make it work to your advantage, Panther is a breeze. But if you fail to embrace the stupidity, make it work for you instead of trying to fight it, you're better off moving somewhere else. Because no matter your argument, regardless of how much sense you make or the validity of your points, you will not convince them to change. And if you do, it'll just change back at the next shift.

blizzard2014 · Mar 16, 2016

Panther is just like congress. The players (dispatchers) change every year, but the game remains the same! lol

ttruck · Mar 16, 2016

Moot said:
Yesterday afternoon I picked up a load that delivered to Chrysler in Belvidere. The protect time was noon today. Last night or possibly early this morning I stopped at a truck stop 20 minutes out from the delivery. My intention was to get a good night sleep and when I awoke I would run the last few miles to delivery. My phone rang at 04:06 Central Daylight Saving Time. The nice lady said the customer had just informed her that I could deliver early. I thanked for that informative bit of info and told her I was going back to sleep. At 04:11 my phone rang again. Same woman. This time she said the customer told her I had to be there by 04:30 or wait until 07:00. I told her I would deliver well before the delivery time and for her to please not call again.

At 06:49 my phone rang again. I answered with my customary "hello". No response but I could here people talking in the background. I said hello again and then one more time before I hung up. One minute later my phone rang again. I said hello. No response so I hung up. Two minutes later it rang again. This time I was ready to play stupid. I said nothing. I did some light breathing and dragged the phone across my pillow. Finally a voice said hello so I said hello. He asked if I could hear him. The thought crossed my mind that it might be fun to repeat everything he said, but I didn't. I must have been tired!

He wanted to know where I was. By this time I had grown weary from the stupidity so I told him: "I have a QC, you tell me where I am". He said I hadn't pinged for over 5 hours but the last position was in Illinois. I began complaining about the relentless phone calls, he interrupted me saying I was breaking up and then he hung up on me. I guess he showed me. I tried to get back to sleep but couldn't. I had breakfast and coffee and drove to the consignee. I delivered about 3 hours early.

I'm tired, waiting for receiving to open in about 40 minutes so I can deliver the load I'm on now. I've got a load picking up in the morning about 70 miles away. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight without interruption.

you work for panther don't you