Panther safety exaggerate

[CharlesD]

The second one is why for example AllState drivers can run a 1200 miles run without brake and Panther drivers no.

1200 miles without a brake?

My Sprinter only goes about 500 miles on one tank of fuel, and since it's impossible to fuel without slowing down to a complete stop, I think it would be completely impossible for a cargo van to run 1200 miles without a brake.

 

[Zoli]

1200 miles without a brake?

My Sprinter only goes about 500 miles on one tank of fuel, and since it's impossible to fuel without slowing down to a complete stop, I think it would be completely impossible for a cargo van to run 1200 miles without a brake.

I hope that was a joke... If you consider fueling a brake ,no more coment.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

1200 miles without a brake?

My Sprinter only goes about 500 miles on one tank of fuel, and since it's impossible to fuel without slowing down to a complete stop, I think it would be completely impossible for a cargo van to run 1200 miles without a brake.

If Charles only gets 500 miles on his sprinter..he's dragging an anchor...what year?

 

[idtrans]

And your point is...

My point is I may not get freight since I saw a slew of vans LOL

 

[CharlesD]

I hope that was a joke... If you consider fueling a brake ,no more coment.

Brake...break...never mind.

 

[Turtle]

Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesD
1200 miles without a brake?

My Sprinter only goes about 500 miles on one tank of fuel, and since it's impossible to fuel without slowing down to a complete stop, I think it would be completely impossible for a cargo van to run 1200 miles without a brake.

I hope that was a joke... If you consider fueling a brake ,no more coment.

It wasn't a joke. You cannot stop for fuel without slowing down to a complete stop, and stopping at a relatively specific spot, give or take a few feet. I wish we had en-route refueling like military aircraft has, but we don't. We have to stop in order to refuel. I know of no cargo van that can run 1200 miles without refueling, so since refueling is an absolute necessity, and one must come to a complete stop in order to obtain more fuel, one must have a brake in order to make the required complete stop.

Now, whether or not one needs a break, that's debatable, I suppose, but needing a brake isn't even up for discussion. You gotta have a brake. I don't care who you drive for, there's no getting around that one.

 

[ATeam]

You have to be a fool to work for the large companies. They are mindless wonders.

My wife and I are leased on to a large company. We are not fools and they are not mindless wonders.

Regarding the routing scenario you present, Diane and I have been in similar circumstances but have never had a problem. Perhaps that is because we handled it differently.

Say we had a CA to NY load and I-40 was the FedEx routing but a bad choice because of the weather and I-10 was the better choice. We would advise dispatch of that and expect them to do what they have done for us before. They would call the customer, explain the situation and get customer approval for the different route and pay for the additional miles. There was nothing difficult about it. One phone call from our end and the problem was solved.

Our customers have always approved the route changes. If a customer refused to approve the additional miles, we would make a decision.

One choice would be to drive into the bad weather, stop, and wait out the storm. The other would be to take the better route and absorb the cost of the extra miles. The choice made would be the one that is most likely to put the most money in our pocket.

One thing wise expediters keep a close eye on is the weather. A quick glance at the national weather map is sufficient. If a load is offered that takes you where weather may be a concern, you can raise the issue before saying yes to the load. If you lose the load to another truck that says yes, that's OK (for us at least) because we'd just as soon stay out of bad weather anyway.

 

[Turtle]

But seriously I can't figure it out most the time when I talk to panther drivers they say panther sucks ok so why do you stay with them if they suck ?

For the same reason men stay with their wives.

OK, maybe not.

All I know is this from panther people I have talked to either they love them or hate them and that is the same with every single company out here.

Yes it is the same with every carrier out there. All carriers suck, even the carriers that people love. If you stick a gun to the cheerleaders' heads, even they can come up with ways their carriers suck.

But just because a carrier sucks doesn't mean it sucks in all aspects, and it comes down to whether or not it sucks in a manner you can deal with. It's the wart thing. All carriers have 'em, you just have to find the one with the warts that don't make you throw up every time you see them.

Because like beauty, ugly is only skin deep. It's what's inside that counts.

Of course, there is some ugly that goes all the way to the bone.

 

[LDB]

needing a brake isn't even up for discussion. You gotta have a brake.

I'd say you are in pretty big trouble if you have a brake. Two or three is also not good at all. Now if you have 4 brakes... (and we're talking vans of course or it would be a different answer).

 

[Turtle]

The more the better.

 

[davekc]

Almost scary.
I agree with Phil and Turtle at the same time.
Seriously though, Panther is no different in route changes. If one is smart enough to call them and they confirm the weather issues (easy to do) they will reroute you with the additional mileage if it is warranted.

 

[blizzard2014]

My wife and I are leased on to a large company. We are not fools and they are not mindless wonders.

Regarding the routing scenario you present, Diane and I have been in similar circumstances but have never had a problem. Perhaps that is because we handled it differently.

Say we had a CA to NY load and I-40 was the FedEx routing but a bad choice because of the weather and I-10 was the better choice. We would advise dispatch of that and expect them to do what they have done for us before. They would call the customer, explain the situation and get customer approval for the different route and pay for the additional miles. There was nothing difficult about it. One phone call from our end and the problem was solved.

Our customers have always approved the route changes. If a customer refused to approve the additional miles, we would make a decision.

One choice would be to drive into the bad weather, stop, and wait out the storm. The other would be to take the better route and absorb the cost of the extra miles. The choice made would be the one that is most likely to put the most money in our pocket.

One thing wise expediters keep a close eye on is the weather. A quick glance at the national weather map is sufficient. If a load is offered that takes you where weather may be a concern, you can raise the issue before saying yes to the load. If you lose the load to another truck that says yes, that's OK (for us at least) because we'd just as soon stay out of bad weather anyway.

Bravo, I like your logic. There is more to think about when driving through bad weather conditions than getting the customers freight there on time. When you elect too drive through adverse weather conditions with your truck, you are in essence putting your entire business in jeopardy. If you lose your truck in the ditch, you are going to be put out of business until the truck is repaired, or until you get another truck. Not to mention a preventable accident notation might be added to your DAC report. I have been pushed to drive in bad weather in the past, I am hoping this year will be different for me. I think drivers who take weather into account when they are going over a load offer are wise and prudent. Kudos to you A-Team. Protect your investment with a little bit of common sense.

 

[Scuba]

Basically the dispatcher lied to you to get what they needed to get done. They lie to their partner carriers too, not only their own drivers!

That's what happens when you have 10 dollar an hour robots that are kids out of college.

Panther at one time had some good people, honest truthful people. They have all been run off it seems the last few years. Seems everything changed once they went public.
If you been driving since 03, with deadhead that load is not hard and can be done by a single.

I don't think it's a saftey thing as much as trying to keep their trucks busy.

Even if the dispatcher thinks you can make the whole run it is up to the safety sup they can and will at times over ride everyone. Does that mean that the dispatcher lied?
I don't think so and thats not to say that some don't. Panther has some very good people in dispatch right along with some that need to go. By the way they haven't gone public yet they are just starting the process.

 

[Scuba]

Ok . I try to make you understand. When they give the load the dispach does not know if the load is gonna be swap or no. Panther has a different departmant who decide that . So is nobody to ask. The dipach can tell you ,no we will not swap this load. The decission will be made buy safety and YOU CAN"T TALK TO THEM.

NOT TRUE 99% of the time they can tell you it will swap just not where it will swap. And that is because before they go looking for the swap truck they need to get the load covered. So once you say yes to the load they they go looking down the line to see who is close enough to get to you somewhere out ahead of you. Sometimes you get lucky and you get most of the miles and other times the other driver makes out. Thats life if you dont want to swap don't take loads that combined are over 650 miles.

 

[Zoli]

Even if the dispatcher thinks you can make the whole run it is up to the safety sup they can and will at times over ride everyone. Does that mean that the dispatcher lied?
I don't think so and thats not to say that some don't. Panther has some very good people in dispatch right along with some that need to go. By the way they haven't gone public yet they are just starting the process.

You didn't understand the point in this discussion. They can swap no problem at all, the thing is WHY THEY NOT PUT it IN THE LOAD OFFER? Don't tell me they can't ,because we know that they can. See TriState example. When TriState offer you a load with swap in the load offer is everything ( your millage ,your fuel ,transfer location etc.). One more time ,you can't take a healthy business decision on ''maybe''.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

You didn't understand the point in this discussion. They can swap no problem at all, the thing is WHY THEY NOT PUT it IN THE LOAD OFFER? Don't tell me they can't ,because we know that they can. See TriState example. When TriState offer you a load with swap in the load offer is everything ( your millage ,your fuel ,transfer location etc.). One more time ,you can't take a healthy business decision on ''maybe''.

Zoli...because they won't..period..it is one of them "warts" we always talk about.... take it or leave them....that is another business decision to be made....

You are aware of how Panther plays the game....now WHAT are YOU going to do? Your move...

Seriously....good luck on your decision....Drive safe...

 

[highway star]

There's what they could do, and then there's the system they have in place. Other carriers offer the load "pre-swapped", so to speak, Panther just chooses to do it differently. I started my expediting career with a carrier that would handle the split before the offer went out. So, I'd accept the run from point A to point B, without knowing the run was going to point C. For me, it was as much a problem as if it was done the Panther way, because the vast majority of the time it was a run I'd have had no problem with at all. But, I accepted what was offered...

So, OVM's question is a good one. You know the policy, so what'cha gonna do?

 

[Zoli]

Zoli...because they won't..period..it is one of them "warts" we always talk about.... take it or leave them....that is another business decision to be made....

You are aware of how Panther plays the game....now WHAT are YOU going to do? Your move...

Seriously....good luck on your decision....Drive safe...

Ok.I know it is a fact. I just share my opinion. I thought that this is a discussion forum . Panther has a driver council who can change that. But untill we think '' take it or leave them''....we will not solve anything. Not here ,not in our life.I don't want extra things ,what I would like is TO KNOW my miles when I accept or decline a load offer. Do I ask to much?

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Not at all. Knowing your mileage is paramount to being successful.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Ok.I know it is a fact. I just share my opinion. I thought that this is a discussion forum . Panther has a driver council who can change that. But until we think '' take it or leave them''....we will not solve anything. Not here ,not in our life.I don't want extra things ,what I would like is TO KNOW my miles when I accept or decline a load offer. Do I ask to much?

Ditto to what Hawk said...

As long as the revolving door keeps spinning Panther prolly won't change a thing that drivers think worthwhile...only what benefits them....nearly all carriers work on this premise.

It is amazing when management takes on a new direction and a rule change here and an adjustment there...just how the warts change meaning....
My last carrier had warts I could live with...but nothing ever stays the same...I did not like the new warts...sooooo I terminated their services (fired them) I felt they no longer served my business plan and moved on....it is not personal just business...