Wednesday about 16:30 I accepted a 263 mile load with a .44/mile f.s.c. The load consisted of 10 - 5 gallon pails of black ink weighing 427#. Freight charges were prepaid. After delivery I received a paid empty move back to the board I started from.
Thursday about 16:30 I was offered a 263 mile, 10 pieces at 427#. Same shipper. Same consignee. It was like déjà vu or a parallel universe except for the f.s.c. which had mysteriously dropped to .28/mile. I questioned the dispatcher about this and was told that the customer sets the f.s.c. rate. I was having some difficulty comprehending this and asked in my best perplexed, thinking out loud kind of voice: “So the customer was feeling generous Wednesday and was willing to set and pay a f.s.c. of .44/mile but 24 hours later was feeling stingy and decided to set the f.s.c. at .28/mile? This after receiving prompt, courteous, and extremely professional service on the first load.
I was told that’s the way it is. When I pressed further he said, and I quote: “I assure you that the customer sets the f.s.c.” Okay, fine! I’m not knocking a .28/mile f.s.c. Especially since I paid $2.02/gal. for gas today. But even low life slug van owners have some principles. Aside from my principles I don’t like getting jacked around. So I declined the load and told them I would haul it if the f.s.c. matched Wednesday’s f.s.c.
The dispatcher put me on hold for about 5 minutes. While on hold I had the feeling that I was sitting at the desk of car salesman. The salesman departed to ostensibly talk to the sales manager but actually had a smoke with the kid that sprays the black rust proof gunk on the undercarriages of new cars.
Eventually I got a bonus of $42.08 to make up the difference between the two f.s.c.’s. On the way to the shipper I felt proud and satisfied that I stood up for what I believed to be right. That feeling of pride soon turned to guilt and shame. I realized that I had just stabbed my carrier, my business partner in the back by cheating them out of $42.08.
How could I make amends for what I had done? Should I vote for Barrack Obama and hope his wealth redistribution plan takes $42.08 from me and gives it to my company? Too late for that! I mailed my absentee ballot last week. Should I send the $42.08 anonymously back to the company? Maybe I should make a donation to Sally Struthers in my carriers name. Or possibly go have my tires rotated. That always makes me feel better. What should I do? I have not been able to sleep at night. Although I have been sleeping fine during the day!
Excuse me for a minute; I must remind the tire jockey to rotate my spare into the mix. …I’m back!
Has anyone ever come across the Magical Mystery F.S.C.? If so, what did you do. How do you deal with the guilt and shame that comes from cheating your carrier. Will I ever be able to look myself in the mirror and shave?
Thank you all for your time spent reading this. Please remember that tomorrow, dawn’s first rays of light will fall upon us all an hour earlier.
Thursday about 16:30 I was offered a 263 mile, 10 pieces at 427#. Same shipper. Same consignee. It was like déjà vu or a parallel universe except for the f.s.c. which had mysteriously dropped to .28/mile. I questioned the dispatcher about this and was told that the customer sets the f.s.c. rate. I was having some difficulty comprehending this and asked in my best perplexed, thinking out loud kind of voice: “So the customer was feeling generous Wednesday and was willing to set and pay a f.s.c. of .44/mile but 24 hours later was feeling stingy and decided to set the f.s.c. at .28/mile? This after receiving prompt, courteous, and extremely professional service on the first load.
I was told that’s the way it is. When I pressed further he said, and I quote: “I assure you that the customer sets the f.s.c.” Okay, fine! I’m not knocking a .28/mile f.s.c. Especially since I paid $2.02/gal. for gas today. But even low life slug van owners have some principles. Aside from my principles I don’t like getting jacked around. So I declined the load and told them I would haul it if the f.s.c. matched Wednesday’s f.s.c.
The dispatcher put me on hold for about 5 minutes. While on hold I had the feeling that I was sitting at the desk of car salesman. The salesman departed to ostensibly talk to the sales manager but actually had a smoke with the kid that sprays the black rust proof gunk on the undercarriages of new cars.
Eventually I got a bonus of $42.08 to make up the difference between the two f.s.c.’s. On the way to the shipper I felt proud and satisfied that I stood up for what I believed to be right. That feeling of pride soon turned to guilt and shame. I realized that I had just stabbed my carrier, my business partner in the back by cheating them out of $42.08.
How could I make amends for what I had done? Should I vote for Barrack Obama and hope his wealth redistribution plan takes $42.08 from me and gives it to my company? Too late for that! I mailed my absentee ballot last week. Should I send the $42.08 anonymously back to the company? Maybe I should make a donation to Sally Struthers in my carriers name. Or possibly go have my tires rotated. That always makes me feel better. What should I do? I have not been able to sleep at night. Although I have been sleeping fine during the day!
Excuse me for a minute; I must remind the tire jockey to rotate my spare into the mix. …I’m back!
Has anyone ever come across the Magical Mystery F.S.C.? If so, what did you do. How do you deal with the guilt and shame that comes from cheating your carrier. Will I ever be able to look myself in the mirror and shave?
Thank you all for your time spent reading this. Please remember that tomorrow, dawn’s first rays of light will fall upon us all an hour earlier.
