Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane death

[JoeMP2]

Let me preface this post by stating it is written w/o malice but is intended to shed light on an already glaring problem:macro#8. This macro born out of good intentions has morphed into a devilish mishmash of misinformation. Obviously, it is a pet peeve with me. I can't begin to imagine how many tens of thousands of dollars and wasted manhours are caused by this macro and its evil twin: the suggested reposition. I came on w/Panther before the"suggested reposition" came into being. Those were better days in that we had to call in by phone (or use the QC) to determine where trucks were needed. We spoke with a live person and got accurate info instantly. This allowed us truck operators to make quick decisions as to where we should relocate for our next load. It was simple and it worked.
Since the inception of suggested repositioning, chaos rules the day. Many a time Macro#8 has, for example, told me there is only one truck on a particular board and when I speak w/dispatch I find there are actually 5 or 6 trucks there. This does not inspire confidence in the system. I suggest macro#8 is hopelessly flawed and should go away quietly. Either give us a computer link showing live truck counts 24/7 or increase staff to answer phone inquiries. It's in the best interest of companies and drivers. Can anyone defend the status quo?

 

[cheri1122]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Can't do that, but: have you forwarded that suggestion to your Driver Council Representative?

 

[unorthodoxneon]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

One thing this Macro 8 got me on was when i had a load dropping off near Memphis. Macro 8 said there was 2 trucks there. They paid me an empty move to move to Memphis. I get down there. See a few panther trucks and then decided to ask what my position was.... 12th... Hey atleast its error was in my benifit and paid me...

 

[ebsprintin]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

I'm wondering if part of the mac 8 problem can be fixed by also providing a way for a driver to tell the system where they are headed. I turn down the suggested move, but the system now has no idea where I will resurface. I plan on heading to location "x" that has no trucks--computer doesn't know this, so it sends another vehicle there as well. There is always going to be a computer. Call into dispatch and they are just an extra interface to a computer, so it's still a matter of getting the computer to work efficiently.

eb

 

[JoeMP2]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Computers can't possibly "know" the minds or intentions of 1500 drivers. Truck operators are human beings making human decisions. Macro#8 is merely an extension of the programmer who designed it. Obviously, some higher-ups have a lot of personal prestige invested in this turkey or it would have been gone long ago. Again, I will say if dispatchers can have a screen showing them live and accurate truck counts for each boards, why can't owner/ops have access to the same screen? We are partners after all, right?

 

[LDB]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

There are definite problems with mac 8. Memphis is a good example. For some reason when the system looks for trucks in Memphis TN it can only see them to include if they are in Tennessee so any in Arkansas aren't counted. The one thing it does well is tell you how far to all the boards so you can tell if you are within 50 miles of the board from your current location. Mac 8 is being reworked and hopefully will be updated soon.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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[cheri1122]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Memphis is a great example, because most of the trucks in "Memphis" are actually in West Memphis, Ar, or Olive Branch, Ms, lol

 

[Falligator]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Don't forget about Romulus, MI now! I've mac8 only to see 10 avail vans when I called in one evening i was 42nd out. Guess everyone lives in Michigan except me. No intentions.


ShawnF
11997
Panther

 

[JoeMP2]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Leo... I'm not drinking the Panther Kool-Aid. Macro#8 is beyond tweaking or calibrating. What is this blind allegiance to a machine?

 

[LDB]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

I'm not drinking any koolaid. It's a known issue and I'm sure will be improved once it's redone. I'm not sure how stating a known issue is being looked into relates to koolaid unless the goal isn't discussing the topic.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
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[pelicn]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Leo, has any time frame been discussed for the changing of Macro 8?

 

[fortwayne]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

The suggestion on fixing macro 8 is the same as everything else at Panther - LEAVE WHILE YOU CAN!
They are to big, answer to stockholders and customers only. I just got tired of the same old speech they give.....you know the one.......
"Without the customer calling us we wouldn't have a job..."that is such a crook.
What these carriers need to know is that it takes one customer on one end to buy something from another customer on the other end for the carrier to survive....the customer is like to fence polls...one on one end one on the other - but without the fence (the driver) the polls don't mean ##### either.

Fort Wayne
Like Is Good!

 

[JoeMP2]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Leo... respectfully I submit to you Mac 8 is a source of misinformation. Whose interests are served by that? My frustration with this issue is high but my expectation of change is low. Many times I have raised it with P2 only to be ignored. Nevertheless, I know how to work around this annoyance. Newbies, not knowing better, pay a dear cost climbing this learning curve. For their sake, change cannot come soon enough. I applaud your efforts to work within the drivers council to make improvements. We will see if anyone is listening.

 

[LDB]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

I am very dissatisfied with it myself. I don't know how long it's going to take to fix. Some of the systems are written in an antiquated programming language that very very few can now write. Conversions are being done but it a painstaking and painfully slow process. It isn't an absence of concern or desire to improve, it's a constraint imposed by time and technological changes. Unfortunately it's the only tool available at the moment so it has to be taken for what little usefulness it does provide while avoiding the pitfalls it offers concurrently.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
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[Turtle]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Picking up the phone and calling dispatch to find out where to go only works if the person on the other end of the phone also knows where all the other drivers who have called in and talked to other dispatchers are headed. It'll work for a small fleet, but once you get above 500 trucks, and certainly upwards of 1500, it won't.

In its current state, the Macro 8 is nearly useless. First order of business is to get Macro 8 and dispatchers on the same 50-miles-out page. It's something that is high on the list of things to do today. Once that is accomplished, Macro 8 will become probably 60% or 70% accurate.

Next will be the education of the drivers to actually respond, one way or the other, to the reposition suggestion. That should bump up the accuracy to 80% or more.

Then, in order to get the drivers to accept the reposition suggestions, some incentive would be needed. No, more accurate information leading to an increased chance of getting a load once you get there isn't gonna cut it. All accepted reposition suggestions should be paid moves. It doesn't have to be a lot, either, like 10, 12, 15 cents a mile for vans, more for straight trucks, maybe even only after the first 50 miles or so. Just something to help cover fuel costs and to help the drivers feel like they're not being hung out to dry the split second they've PODed out. A paid, empty move makes you feel wanted, important, like you matter. And if it, and you, is important enough to pay you to go there, you're likely to go there.

Then, with all this stuff in place, accurate Macro 8, response to the reposition suggestions, paid moves, the fleet will have to become more than 90% properly positioned at any given time. A fleet manager can then take a look and make tweak decisions based on the information they have at hand with regards to the big picture.

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

 

[Moot]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

>Then, in order to get the drivers to accept the reposition suggestions, some incentive would be needed.

Paying a driver to relocate? Why that just reeks of positive reinforcement. How about accept the suggested layover or you will be taken out of service for 24 hours.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

Moot I like your last suggestion better...or even further reduce thier rate per mile for the next 7 days if no compliance...?

 

[LDB]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

I'm presuming you guys are being facetious with your last two suggestions. Disregarding how incredibly insulting it would be to indirectly tell the driver they are too stupid to choose where they wait on their next load, if the company were to set up a mandated reposition system that would change the status from independent contractor to supervised employee. When the fixes for mac 8 are in place, provided they are correct and accurate, the 90% or so success rate should be a good baseline incentive to get units to move there. Combined with an amount adequate to bring the fuel cost to move there to $1.20 a mile, based on reasonable mpg numbers such as 8mpg for straight trucks, you should see a very high acceptance rate.

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

 

[davekc]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

I believe the new zip code based system was suppose to be available in August. I think they found some problems with it, so I haven't heard lately when it is coming out.
Without a doubt, the current system is useless except for QC distances to a particular board. More information needs to be made available. I think it is more critical as fuel prices and operating costs continue to rise.
I think it is currently one of the most important issues that needs to be addressed where both parties benefit.












Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[cheri1122]

RE: Panther's Macro#8 should be given a humane dea

In the "Panther people" thread, my reply #8, suggested exactly what Turtle proposed: offer the drivers an incentive to choose the suggested relocation, (and use the QC to confirm their intentions). It doesn't change a driver's status to employee, as they are still free to relocate wherever they choose, but won't get paid if they relocate elsewhere, or neglect to inform dispatch through the QC of their destination.
Dispatch is privy to a great deal of information on probabilities of available loads, and units in place & enroute, but it's not much use to the drivers if there isn't a reliable way to make the information available to the drivers who need it, in real time. And calling on the phone to ask for the information is the worst possible option, unless the phone system has made some serious improvements in the last 6 months.