panther board positioning

[jands]

We have 5 years expediting experience, but are newbies with Panther. We are experiencing a problem with them that is extremely frustrating and were curious to see if other drivers have the same issue.If so is anyone complaining to Panther in hopes of them making a change. Here is the issue:

We were told that Panther looks for trucks within 50 miles of their load boards to offer loads. We other day we delivered a load 41 miles south of Dallas and once we were unloaded, called to get our position on the load board. We were told 4th team, 4th truck. So we then preceeded to head towards Dallas. We ended up traveling 30 miles to get to a truckstop that put us approx 15 miles outside of Dallas. We then went to sleep for 3.5 hours, awoke, and called in to see if we moved up in our position. We were told that we actually moved down the list because we moved our truck after we dropped our load earlier.We tried to explain to them that we never left their 50 mile criteria and couldn't sleep on the consignees property, so we headed closer to Dallas where there were t-stops. Our explanation didn't matter to them, we were told that we cannot mover our truck at all or our position on the board would be lost. This happens whether you move within the truckstop or miles down the road. For those of you that are familiar with the Dallas area, last evening we called to ask Panther if we could move from the Flying hook to the T/A to hook up to idleaire, and had to fight with them to keep our position even though it was only 7/10ths of a mile. We (after having a shouting match on the phone) finally got Panther to ok our move. To us, this is a controlling issue and we would think it would be for others as well.Our goal out here is get our load off as soon as we can, get back on the board, and get another load, but if we need to move our truck for any reason, we should not be penalized as long as we don't go outside their board boundries. Is it us? are we missing something? Any information or comments would be appreciated. thx

 

[cheri1122]

In my experience, "board position" was pretty much irrelevant. First, because you have no way of knowing whether it's accurate, and second, even if you really are 'first out', you can be bypassed, for various reasons. (I've had the driver next to me, who was there before me, bypassed for a load offered to me, and vice versa.)
So many loads were offered with the incentive of 'first out', that I began asking how many other 'first outs' were in the area, but even that didn't ensure accurate info, because a unit with 'first out' could arrive at any time, to further muddle the mix.
Relying upon your own experience, and that of others, is a more reliable way to position yourself, or decide when to stay, or go, than relying upon what dispatch tells you, IMO.

 

[romoore245]

That's a tough one. Have you talked to multiple dispatchers about this. Sometimes weekend dispatchers and weekday have a totally different set of rules. We have trouble from time to time with dispatchers getting on a power trip, trying to control your every move. We were told once after getting a first out your position follows you regardless how far you travel. So we drove 160 miles to a major area and took our first out there. Got a good load and kept rolling. Dallas is a slow area so maybe they are trying to be controlling since you could be there a week. We live 180 miles east of Dallas and when we come back in service after time off, we have to go to Houston to get loaded. The times we tried going to Dallas we would loose most of the week. In Houston it only takes a day and a half. We don't put a lot into dispatchers trying to tell us when or where we can go. If there is too many trucks ahead of us we go fifty miles out, off the board, then we are first out in a different area and get loaded. Works most of the time. Don't let the dispatchers get to you too much.

 

[jands]

thx for the comments. our problem isn't being first out, it's the controlling aspec that panther puts you in by not allowing you to move anywhere without losing your established position. this has happened both during the week and wkend, so its their policy,not the dispatchers. once you are on the board, you are not allowed to move the truck at all and if you do, you get penalized by going to the bottom of the list.

 

[davekc]

Make sure when you ask about your position, ask for a certain city. Alot of times they will scan from YOUR location rather than from a specific city. Depending on location, that will make a difference. It also doesn't take into account trucks migrating to that board that haven't indicated their direction. They are at some point coming out with a different repositioning system that is zip code based.
As far as moving around, we don't really worry about it as long as we don't jump out of that 50 mile radius.








Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[jands]

thats the problem dave, we only moved 7/10ths of a mile and lost our position. that was after they approved us to make the move. we had to fight with them to get our position back. moving within the 50 miles should be ok to maintain your established position. to tell us that we cant go to a mall, movies,repair station, or just move to the other end of a truckstop is wrong in our opinion.

 

[are12]

We agree that it is wrong for Panther to put such restrictions on O/O's.

Here is a hypothetical situation: you are sitting in Dallas since Friday. It's Sunday, you are bored from just sitting in a truckstop and there is a movie theatre 2 exits down. Knowing that 9 out of 10 times you will not be getting a load today, you decide you would like to go to the movies or just walk around a mall. What can Panther do for us, to make that possible and not loose our position on the board?

We, as O/O, feel we should have a little freedom to enjoy the area's around us - especially if we stay within the 50 mile radius. That is why we drive a straight truck!

 

[jands]

are12 we agree..without a little freedom out here, you'll go nuts.hopefully panther will change their policy on this.

 

[davekc]

We have never had that problem moving less than a mile somewhere unless we were sitting on the far edge of a board. Have them send your position over the qc prior to moving?








Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[Suds43]

Why not get some O/O's together and have a sit down meeting with the powers to be at Panther, face to face. Get everything straightened out???
I don't, and won't, drive for Panther, so I'll bite my tongue on any other comments....
Here's a solution: Next time your home and out of service with the truck, wire in a shut off switch to the qual-comm.....turn it off, they won't have a clue if your moving 7/10 of a mile or 20 miles....
Go do your movie or whatever, then come back, turn the qual-comm back on and waaalaaaa........your back in business...

 

[FAMILYEXPDT]

Back in business and contract terminated. I had trucks in Dallas this weekend also.....they called for board position on dalls and fort worth.....if you move a certain location you lose fort worth but stay on dallas......like dave said you have to be specific on what board....I have NEVER lost board position moving to another truck stop.



-charlotte

 

[davekc]

I think I answered that already. They are coming out with a zip code based system. Already discussed with driver council in July and they are currently addressing it. Not sure on the start date?









Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[are12]

Hey Dave,

Do you know when they plan on posting what was discussed at the driver council meeting?? This way we will all know.

 

[jands]

suds we've been with 2 other carriers and they r pretty much all the same. so we're not going to bad mouth any of them. as for shutting down the qc, not a good idea.

family, it would have een nice to know that panther had two boards in the area. i guess not knowing the boards is an issue for newcomers. our position was on the dallas board, and as we said b-4, moving 7/10 of a mile changed our status. hopefully they'll get this resolved soon.

 

[Suds43]

HOLY COW!!!
Ya'll took me serious???? LOL
I wouldn't mess with the qual-comm either........NOT a good idea

 

[Suds43]

We drove for another company, but delivered in Tenn. one time...Got our board position while still at the dock where we delivered. We went out of the driveway straight across the road to a small truck stop to get some sleep. Right away the qual-comm goes off with dispatch giving us a new board position.......we were right on the line between both boards........

 

[vandriver101]

I have found the QC to be highly sensative in some areas,it may be qual comms settings for boundries.Go to the owner web site and check your sat positions.(sometimes,after being parked several hours it will jump from one city to another and you will lose board position every time it jumps)The QC goes off of zip codes and if you bypass the zip your in you will lose board position!!!I was told you have 30min to relocate after dropping a load and after that you run a risk of losing board position.Once I drop and relocate ,I will not move my truck till next load.This is definately a issue that can be fixed by qual comm and panther, to make it easier on drivers to enjoy there free time off.It would have my vote!!!


O/O B unit Panther #11514 Since 03/06

 

[Moot]

Before I check my board position I make a hand puppet from one of those disposable shoe cover thingys. Somehow it just seems fitting.

 

[davekc]

>Hey Dave,
>
>Do you know when they plan on posting what was discussed at
>the driver council meeting?? This way we will all know.
>
=========================================
Good question. I seldom look at the drivers web, but I will check it out. Leo might know as he is part of the council?


Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[Turtle]

I rarely ask for my board position anymore, unless I know I'm in an area where there are likely to be several other vans. Even then, I'll ask once, then forget about it. They're gonna give me a load when they give me one, regardless of what I think my board position might be. I've been #1 on the board for 2 or 3 days, and I've been #9 on the board and gotten a load offer 30 minutes later. I've been dispatched around while they save me for a Canada run, and I've jumped over others because they need a Sprinter for a load.

If I want to go to Wal Mart, or the mall, or the movies, I go, and I don't look back. Whatever happens, happens.

If you move and the computer changes your position, there is little that most dispatchers can do about it. Just like Indian Tech Support, if it ain't on the screen, they don't know it, and all they do know is what's on that screen. More than a controlling issue, it's an issue of incompetence in software programming and implementation, and in failing (for how long has it been now?) in getting it fixed.

Why bother to give up repositioning tools when those tools are inaccurate and rendered worthless? It's nearly impossible to make an informed decision when you have no information to base it on, or worse, when your only information is utterly inaccurate.

It is absolutely unconscionable that something as important as satellite board positions and accurate Macro 8 QC numbers be left in such a sad state of implementation for this long, particularly since it's a (relatively) simple software programming issue. This is something that should be taken care of in a matter of two or three weeks, and it's going on 14 months and so far... well, there ya go.


But, hey, on the bright side, we've got people in Safety making decisions based on the legal speed limits in a state, and they don't even know what the legal speed limits are. GrrrowlRoar. Uhm, meow.

Slow and steady, even in expediting, wins the race - Aesop