This concerns panther people

[kangar0085]

Dispatchers are no longer allowed to give out board averages from the past day and the past 5 days...how am I supposed to relocate after I finish a pro? Whats going on with this company guys I've emailed 5-6 top people they said they would look into it ...elite services is saying dispatchers HAVE to give us that info and to report the dispatchers that don't, meanwhile no dispatcher knows what info macro 8 gives us on the qualcom they are completely ignorant about the fleet and alot of them tend to brush me off while some still give me the averages. Did anyone else hear about this and what are your thoughts?

 

[davekc]

The daily averages are on your macro 8. We may call and ask how many trucks are at a location, but that is it. We only run teams so that is the only reason we call on that. Averages by the day don't mean much. I look at freight volumes out of specific areas to determine if they are of value.









Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[jaminjim]

I look at freight volumes out of specific areas to determine if they are of value.

What do you mean, loads, tonage? Where do you look?

 

[pelicn]

Same question here Dave. If the Macro 8 isn't really of value, then why have it?

 

[dieselphreak2K]

The Macro 8 is handy for positioning yourself on the boards. For instance I know that from this spot it's 27 miles to Columbia, and 49 to Nashville, So I can be called from either board.

The numbers on a Mac 8 don't always mean a good place to go. Laredo is always a 6 a day or so, and look how long most of us have sat there. I keep a log of where I have picked up, and where I have delivered, and where I've d/h'd out of because of slow frieght. I keep this in a notebook, along with the dates that I was there, and it gives a better idea of which places to go to. After a couple years I hope to be able to spot areas that are good for certain times of the year, and those that are reliable year round.

 

[cheri1122]

Like Gumby, my experience has been that the only accurate numbers on the Macro 8 are the miles to each board. I was told by dispatch that it's updated 3x a day, but no one knew what times that happens.

 

[pellgrn]

I too only use the macro 8 for distance,i was told the way they get there averages is.In a 7 day wk if Troy A.Z did 7 loads on mon of that wk and for the rest of the wk did nothing,its considered a load a day.I don't use the system so i never questioned if this is correct,i also don't know if it's that town that's a load a day or 50 or 25 mile radius.

 

[joebob1_30132]

I was 7 down in laredo few days ago still 7 next morning out 2 hrs later.. why ?? I promise you good folk, what number you are isnt the top criteria..This is still a people game. I would rather have 10 drivers ahead all day long call and blast my dispatch b***h and complain.Cuz Im flying under your radar. I always give da lady dispatch a "good morning sunshine" I ask them hows their day? . Boy that opens them right up .. guess what ..now she feels im with her not against her.and Im not against I need her..(and if you think you dont your lieing to yourself, and foolish unlike those 10 others ahead of me. Im the hero.. ive done her a favor (by not gripping) and she will now work with me, IT DIDNT COST ME A DIME. And know for a fact it slid me out of crap locations ahead of a few. Im now "easy to work with".Little favors get done ..Do you know how many cups of free coffe I have gotten with a "good morning sunshine?" 2nd its not always her falt for some crappy load offers, so I dont beat her up. I respectfully decline make a little joke we laugh.(try to always leave them laughing). Never make it personal.. its just business, "The Godfather" and we ar done.
I also do them favors on some loads Its my business and I have a responsibility to be proactive and get my end done.
Is it perfect naaaa. But its playing the odds alittle and my odds just got better than yours.

 

[jaminjim]

I know about macro eight, it does give you some milage info that can be handy, load count info can also be of use. Hardly ever pay attention to the vehicle count. It will give you aleast an idea of which direction to head in after delivery.

 

[FAMOUS AMOS]

ok...i said i was never gonna respond to threads like this again but i can't hold my fingers back any longer.

JoeBob...you go right ahead and get your nose good and brown. You are setting yourself up for the backstabbing you are going to get.

We did that....kept our acceptance rating up 100% over a month...did all kinds of favors....until this weekend. Now we are 60% acceptance. When u ##### one of them off they retaliate against you. They will get you. We have been here 2 years now and this weekend is the worse weekend crew they have ever had. They have their own lil notes and codes that go on a driver's status. We have had dispatchers yelling at us. Telling drivers they are first out...and we are sitting at the table having dinner with them and get a call for a load over them....a crappy load (mind you) just to get another NO from us.

As far as macro 8....you can get the #'s on there...then call and ask how many trucks are in a area and its never the same. we have some dispatchers that will tell us the averages and they are fearful for telling us....and some that won't. That should tell u what kind of people we are dealing with...when they themselves are skeered of losing their jobs.....the good ones there!!

We love the work we do...when we get to do it. But are really getting tired of the dipatchers BS. Figure there is no need to email or go to the higher ups because we have done that and still waiting since Thanksgiving on a return call.

 

[kangar0085]

Yeah I hear davekc and dieselphreak but if I offload in Kansas City and it says 1 load per day average same thing in Potosi Mo, 1 a day. But the past five in KC is 3 loads and the past five in Potosi is 12 then I'm going to Potosi of course. If I dont have that info I might end up wasting 2 days in Kansas City because the dispatchers are no longer allowed to give out that information. Some of the dispatchers say the past 5 and past day numbers are incorrect most of the time and thats why the higherups have told them not to give out those numbers anymore, while most dispatchers tell me the reason they cannot give out the numbers is they are trying to get the drivers to call in less and rely more on the suggested repositioning system which in most cases sends you to the worst spot possible. This is a major issue that needs to be adressed.

 

[FAMOUS AMOS]

They have told us the reason they can't is because another driver relied on it and had to sit a few days and called dispatch up and went off on them. so what is the REAL reason???

 

[nobb4u]

I am not with Panther but I would still like to comment. We are expeditors and as such load counts really don't mean much as most people call us because they didn't make the regular freight routes for what ever reason and usually what we haul is emergency freight therefore you might just get unload in Helena MT and get a reload a couple of hours later 20 miles away. That is a real stretch I know but in our business it is possible.

 

[panther_art]

Hey JOE BOB thanks for putting that post on now in the morning when those in the higher ups come to work in the morning and read these post which they do and see your post some dispatchers head may be rolling because what you are saying there are cheater dispatchers and even though we all know that why would anyone post on these forums that they brown nose to get loads.
You don't need to cheat and take loads ahead of those that have been sitting 2 0r 3 days waiting for a load remember the day will come when you may be sitting next to these people again. And they are going to be keeping an eye on you.

 

[are12]

We also heard the same as Famous Amos: driver's are taking the numbers that dispatch give them as gosspel but we all know, you can not do that. They are just averages that are given.

We have also been told by some dispatchers that they are no longer able to give out stats so we just say thanks, hang up and call back. Chances are very good that you will get another dispatcher and they will give you the stats. It works for us!

Here is how we work it:
If a dispatcher tells you that they averaged 4 loads out of an area in 5 days and have no trucks available but the other area has averaged 12 loads in 5 days but 2 trucks are showing available, which area would you go to?
We would pick the one that averages the 12 loads - with 2 trucks available. Why you ask?? Because the 1st area is not even averaging a load a day so chances are you will not get a load anyway. Where as, if you go to the second area, if anything, you may have to sit a day but you know you will get a load. Even if we do not get out on the second day, we certainly do not blame the dispatcher's. They are just averages, these numbers are not written in stone!

As for the macro 8, we just use that as a reference to the number of loads each area averages and the mileage. The # of trucks that are available always changes so we do not go by that.

Hope this helps.
:+ :+

 

[pelicn]

We drivers have a job to do....Dispatchers have a job to do. What good does it do to call and scream?
Treat everyone as you would like to be treated because what goes around comes around.

 

[jaminjim]

NEVER MIND

 

[kangar0085]

Right are12 but what if NO dispatchers will give you any numbers except the past 21...which u already can do the math urself 4 a day is 21x4=84 you call up dispatch they say I cannot give you the past 5 but weve had 85 in the past 21. Jeez thanks for insulting my intelligence!!

 

[kangar0085]

Muncie Indiana has had 10 loads in the past 5 days macro 8 still says they get 7 a day. Thank god for the dispatcher that gave me that info saved me a day of sitting.

 

[jaminjim]

Why in the world some people feel the need to talk to a dispatcher everytime they deliver is nuts. A quick message over the QC will give you all the info you need. If every now and then they don't respond quick enough, I will go to plan "B". Plan "B" is to use my expereance(sp) and go where the freight has been good. If I am that far out in the boondocks then calling in after awhile has ALLWAYS gotten me an answer to my request for info.

If some people would quite making needless calls three times a day dispatch would have more time to give answers to important questions.

While I agree that you should be friendly while talking to Dispatch, If you need to call in to each shift change and plant a big wet one on one of thier four cheeks, try doing your job better with less begging for a pat on the back.