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Question about winter driving

J

Jumbuck

Seasoned Expediter
Hi everyone! I made the plunge. Leased on with On-Dekk Transportation and LOVE the job. On-Dekk is a great company to work for. Everyone is helpful, honest, and you don't have to keep looking for a knife in the back. I guess I lucked out first time. My question is the times between pickups and deliveries is BRUTAL! How do you guys contimue to make the schedules when the snow and ice covers the roads? I mean its bad enough now but I shudder to think how I'm going to keep this pace when the snow gets chin deep to a tall Native American. Do most companies understand or do they just expect you keep up the same pace. I mean if they do, I don't think I'm going to make it. I drove a semi in all kinds of weather but a sprinter seems to be an ice skate waiting. We didn't have the same pace when driving a semi.
If anyone could give me some pointers I sure would appreciate it. We ALL know what's coming. Br-r-r-r-r! Thanks in advance.
Jumbuck
 
tenntrucker

tenntrucker

Expert Expediter
If the weather turns bad while i'm on route, l call dispatch and say remember that delivery time for this load, well its not going to happen.

Sent from my DROID X2
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Jumbuck said:
Hi everyone! I made the plunge. Leased on with On-Dekk Transportation and LOVE the job. On-Dekk is a great company to work for. Everyone is helpful, honest, and you don't have to keep looking for a knife in the back. I guess I lucked out first time. My question is the times between pickups and deliveries is BRUTAL! How do you guys contimue to make the schedules when the snow and ice covers the roads? I mean its bad enough now but I shudder to think how I'm going to keep this pace when the snow gets chin deep to a tall Native American. Do most companies understand or do they just expect you keep up the same pace. I mean if they do, I don't think I'm going to make it. I drove a semi in all kinds of weather but a sprinter seems to be an ice skate waiting. We didn't have the same pace when driving a semi.
If anyone could give me some pointers I sure would appreciate it. We ALL know what's coming. Br-r-r-r-r! Thanks in advance.
Jumbuck
Click to expand...


Jim...We DON'T...only newbees keep to the schedule....Drive safe at all times and whatever the conditions allow for.....get the freight there maybe a little later but it'll get there in one piece and not in a ditch somewhere......DO NOT allow yourself to be pushed beyond your driving comfort level.....
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
tenntrucker said:
If the weather turns bad while i'm on route, l call dispatch and say remember that delivery time for this load, well its not going to happen.

Sent from my DROID X2
Click to expand...

Yep....that is the way to do it.....that load ain't that important..the world won't end....
 
TeamCaffee

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
scottm4211 said:
Just don't leave dispatch in the dark.
Click to expand...

EXACTLY!! communicate communicate communicate

When the weather gets bad and you need to pull over send a message or call and let dispatch know what is happening.

Safety always comes first. No one wants their freight damaged and you do not want your means of making a living damaged.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
scottm4211 said:
Just don't leave dispatch in the dark.
Click to expand...

Agreed....keep them updated of your progress.....they are NOT your boss...only a mediator between you and the customer....your truck, you have possession of a load that is your responsibility to get it there in a timely manner and in undamaged..... Timely does not mean quickly...
 
J

Jumbuck

Seasoned Expediter
Ooohooo! You guys have NO idea how much help you have been. I have been agonizing over this issue since I started. I'm not stupid enough to go full bore into a snow storm but I do want to try to be a good expediter. It helps SO much to hear that even you experienced "transportation emergency technicians" have to go slow to. Thanks and thanks.
 
scottm4211

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I'd be looking at why your delivery times are so tight in the first place. That seems a bit odd?
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
scottm4211 said:
I don't think that's the norm though.
Click to expand...

within the US..yes it is.....what do you mean by tight? ours are figured at 50 mph.. a tad higher then the norm of 45-47 mph

a 600 mile trip is 12 hours....granted if you pick up say at 3pm and the customer does not open till 6am you have more time...but if it is open all night....your going to run...
 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
and to get my dig in.....at least Panther allows 15 minutes at the pickup before the clock starts running....
 
chefdennis

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
What everyone has said!! You are in control of that freight once it is in YOUR TRUCK, you make the decisions on when and how to drive in all situations..you make the decisions on safe conditions and you make the desicions on what your limits are...

If t gets too bad that you have to drive beyond what you feel safe...stop...call dispatch and let them know...and DO NOT let them talk you into anything....you determine whats unsafe, not them....

Now that being said, most carrriers (the good ones) aren't going to push you do drive in any "unsafe" situation...they just don't what that liability....but some will push, its up to you to let them know it ain't happening...
 
scottm4211

scottm4211

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
The OP states that the times between pick up and delivery are "BRUTAL". That's what I'm referring to.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
TeamCaffee said:
Don't most companies allow fifteen minutes?
Click to expand...

Not that I know of Linda.....E-1 did not..neither do we....always been a bit of an issue to get that time back...


3 pm pickup....by the time you are loaded and secure load and get rolling you are 15 - 20 minutes behind and throw in at least 1 fuel stop of 20 min...you are 40 minutes behind...and we haven't even mentioned if the timing is such you hit a major city rush hour...
 
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