Vice or Virtue

[Moot]

Am I being greedy, virtuous(sticking to my principles) or just plain stupid? You decide.

Monday morning I got a load offer: 711 miles, my rate and a .24 f.s.c. When I got there (metal foundry)the load canceled because the parts were defective. Shipper told me they would be cast again and ready the next day. I got dry run pay, a first out and it's only 13:00 so I should be outta here today anyway.

Tuesday morning and I'm still here. Just got a load offer. Same shipper, same consignee, same f.s.c. rate is .02/mile less and the mileage is now 705. I asked how this could be after explaining the previous day's load offer. I was told this is what the offer is. So I politely declined. I realize the difference between the two loads only amounts to $18.72, but for me it's the principle of the deal. After all we're partners, right?

Tracking the load showed the driver that did accept the load was 159 miles away. Unless the delivery time is changed this load will end up swapping and probably cost more than $18.72 to do it.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

But you being right there the load prolly wouldn't swap...

I think your virtue got the best of ya...

and you do realize the load could have been bid on differently? to make that .02 difference?

The mileage should have been the same tho...

Maybe the FSC was adjusted because Mondays the Natianal average is posted...

E1 our rates changed on Tuesdays with the swing...

 

[LDB]

Same weight and piece count? Company has more than one person booking loads and they don't keep notes from one load to another? That's a tough call. You want to do what you did on the principle but it's tough to decline a long run paying a lot (presumably, since swapping was mentioned). That's where you'd really hope dispatch would step up and fix it since it's cheaper for the company than paying dh from 159 miles away plus a swap plus 3 hours delay getting to the customer but then again, when did common sense and dispatch go together.

 

[scottm4211]

Moot. how do you feel about your decision now that you've had time to reflect? After all, that's the only thing that matters.

 

[chefdennis]

For me it gets down to the carrier and your relationship with them...Id have done it with my current carrier but not my previous....

I did a favor for dispatch yesterday afternoon...less then 30 miles total, pay was good and the load was ready to pickup...pnly proble, wrong CITY on the dispatch and wrpng company name...took 90 minutes to get it handled and then only was it figured out by accident...once loaded and at the delivery, tookj another 90 minutes to get unloaded....the recieving clerk forgot that i was there and she was also doing inbound freight and forget there was a sprinter waiting to get unloaded ahead of also...her excuse, "those little trucks get lost in the system"....

So the favor piece of cake run turned into a pita....oh it also cost my my place in the dispatch line.....

It wasn't dispatches fault at all and they needed the run covered, it was offered to me because of the weight (heavy) and needed covered...inj your situation, the dispatcher didn't bid the load and just wanted it covered....but when the differences and simularities were pointed out, and the added expense of bringing a driver 159 mile to get it, if there was a "relationship" of trust and a real partenership between the company and the contractor, they'd have fixed it...I know Load 1 would have.....

 

[paullud]

Depending on how much the dry run pay was I probably would have taken it. Long loads like that don't come along very often so I think I would have swallowed my pride and taken it, I might contact driver relations to see if they would give me $20. I know Panther is a large company so I don't know how effective the driver relations dept is but if they see someone is under bidding miles they might look into it.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[Moot]

Same weight and piece count?

Yesterday was 1@1500#. Today 2@1585#.

I was 19 miles from the shipper and had plenty of time to make the delivery without swapping. The driver that is now on the load has an extra 159 miles and will probably swap.

...it's cheaper for the company than paying dh from 159 miles away plus a swap plus 3 hours delay getting to the customer but then again, when did common sense and dispatch go together.

Maybe dispatch is sticking to their principles also!

 

[Moot]

Moot. how do you feel about your decision now that you've had time to reflect? After all, that's the only thing that matters.

I feel fine! I've done this before and most likely will do it again. I won't lose my van because I turned down a $700 load. And I won't lose my mind reflecting on it because I lost that a long time ago. I'm just curious as to what others would have done and why.

 

[scottm4211]

I feel fine! I've done this before and most likely will do it again. I won't lose my van because I turned down a $700 load. And I won't lose my mind reflecting on it because I lost that a long time ago. I'm just curious as to what others would have done and why.

Ok well in that case since we won't be pushing you over the edge I'd have taken it, cursed a bit inside the confines of my truck, and stopped and grabbed a coffee. Coffee Cures All (implied copyright on slogan)

 

[LDB]

Maybe dispatch is sticking to their principles also!

Which dispatch principle(s) would that be?

Oh, and if I liked where I would finish up I'd probably take it and call on my CC to get me the extra $18. If that didn't work I'd just ask for an extra $20 on another load when I'm the only unit available.

 

[aristotle]

Moot, I played the Cat's game for seven years until my threshold for aggravation was irrevocably crossed. Getting nickeled and dimed endlessly over petty stuff becomes tiresome and hurts morale. I am sure a lot of institutional change has been implemented since I moved on. Hopefully, for the better.

 

[davekc]

Oh, and if I liked where I would finish up I'd probably take it and call on my CC to get me the extra $18. If that didn't work I'd just ask for an extra $20 on another load when I'm the only unit available.

That would be the correct answer.
Have to always look at the big picture even when dealing with some of the new "high school dispatchers".

 

[Moot]

Getting nickeled and dimed endlessly over petty stuff becomes tiresome and hurts morale.

It sure does. A couple hours after I refused the load this thread is about I got another load offer. This was a bid load that was 783 miles, but at a reduced rate and .15 f.s.c. I turned that down. No problem, someone else took it. About 20 minutes ago I got a call about that bid load. The driver hadn't taken a break and safety shut him down about 70 miles into the load. I was asked to go rescue it. I explained to the dispatcher about my dealings this morning and that it wasn't anything personal with her, but I wasn't going to play the game any more today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today.

 

[highway star]

I certainly understand principles, and one of them is making bucks. I'd have done the load. $18 wouldn't have been enough to ruffle my feathers. But, I will concede that if I dealt with the amount of bovine solid waste that I suspect you have to it might be a different choice.

 

[ebsprintin]

For me it gets down to the carrier and your relationship with them...Id have done it with my current carrier but not my previous....

What chef said sums it up for me.

eb

 

[greg334]

Am I being greedy, virtuous(sticking to my principles) or just plain stupid? You decide.

Moot,

Virtuous by all means.

I don't second guess myself, I forget about the load that got away and worry about the next one. I do the same as you, I won't play games. I don't do favors because 50% of the time those favors are not paid back.

Something better always comes down the road.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

You guys are really over thinking this....as I said before

The FSC is dropping quickly...
3 weeks ago.. 3.897
2 weeks ago...3.835
Monday just past...3.810

Loads you ran last week may not pay the same this week...depending on how quickly adjusts the FSC...

 

[cheri1122]

Moot: would you have taken the load if you didn't know about the prior one?
There's your answer.

 

[chefdennis]

But you can't change that fact that he knew....thats like asking if you would marry your ex spouse if you didn't know all the bad "stuff" they would bring to the marriage...

 

[cheri1122]

But you can't change that fact that he knew....thats like asking if you would marry your ex spouse if you didn't know all the bad "stuff" they would bring to the marriage...

There are enough angles to factor into a load offer [$, ending area, day of week, toll roads] without stirring some emotional baggage into the mix, at least for me, because dispatch generally wants the answer like yesterday.
Oh - the answer to the ex spouse question is 'in a heartbeat - if I DIDN'T know', the real question is if I did know....And you meant the opposite, of what you typed..