Comments By King Pin

Had to cancel my interview because I haven't been able to get routed home. My job hunting has been put on pause till I can get some time off. Hoping in Jan. I'll be able to.

Any updates King Pin? How did interview go, and what did they say job entails?

Dropped phone and submitted before I could finish. United Natural Foods Incorporated is there name. Eugene,Oregon is location.

Have a interview in few days would like some info if there's any one here is or has worked for them. Culture, pay etc. Been looking on internet and not much info besides negative reviews.

Have a interview in few days would like some info if there's any one here is or has worked for them. Culture, pay etc. Been looking on internet and not much info besides negative reviews.

I'm a Advocate! I some what agree.

Thanks for the advice Susan and Rob. I have 5 applications filled out and been over a month, haven't heard back. There on line applications with no phone contact info. Been wondering why I haven't received any calls.

Kingpin, I was hired as a "driver apprentice" for Performance Food Group. They sent to me to CDL school and paid to while there, and had a local food delivery job waiting for me upon successful completion of school. I have a diary in the training diary section if your interested on reading more about it. We have a guy out of out yard that's 60 years old still lumping groceries. As long as you're able to get the trailer unloaded without violating DOT. Laws you'll be golden. I also posted a video there that PFG had put together to give a look at what delivery driver job entails. Just know that your backing skills will definitely be tested.

With my company accidents are D.O.T. reportables. For company file/records 1non preventable, 1 preventable

My 1 yr. exp. is right around the corner. Dec. 16th. I'm 40 yrs. old and going to look for local positions. I have 0 accidents, 1 preventble,1 non preventable. My preventable shouldn't be but is. Tight space, trailer rubbed side of driver mirror with 0 damage just left little paint that wiped off easily. OTR isn't for me cause, I'm an active person and this job just isn't physical enough for me. My question is will my age have an impact on finding local work. My ideal job is unloading trailer, food delivery position. Appreciate all advice and none taken offensively.

My 1 yr. exp. is right around the corner. Dec. 16th. I'm 40 yrs. old and going to look for local positions. I have 0 accidents, 1 preventble,1 non preventable. My preventable shouldn't be but is. Tight space, trailer rubbed side of driver mirror with 0 damage just left little paint that wiped off easily. OTR isn't for me cause, I'm an active person and this job just isn't physical enough for me. My question is will my age have an impact on finding local work. My ideal job is unloading trailer, food delivery position. Appreciate all advice and none taken offensively.

Wow, that was easy! In the past I've tried countless times with 0 success. Bravo Bret!

Hey you guys, I think I've got it set up now so you can upload an image to use for your avatar instead of finding one from the web. Try it. Go to the main website menu and near the bottom click on "My Profile" and it will take you to your profile. Then click on the button at the top that says "Update My Profile" and you'll see a the button that says "Upload New Avatar" - try it.

Now I have an Android and an iPhone and with both of them it was very easy to select images from my photo gallery.

I'm going to be adding image uploads for comments here in the forum very soon also.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Thanks O.S. I'll give it a whirl next time I'm early and see how things turn out. Keep everyone up to date on progress.

King Pin, do you remember what I stated earlier in this thread? Here's what I'm referencing...

Being safe and on time are piees of the puzzle, but initiative and creativity have got to find their way into your approach also.

Did you notice in Calkansan's response how he took the initiative and got creative with his own ideas. He went and looked at the bills on trailers at a drop yard and then started a dialogue on the Qualcomm so that he could keep himself moving. This is just the kind of stuff extraordinary drivers do every day that they are out here. I don't sit and wait for my dispatcher to come up with a way to get me moving. I am usually two or three days ahead of him in my thinking and I keep him appraised of where I will be and when I need my next load. Any time I have a load that has two days extra time on it I am on the phone directly with that customer. I can't tell you how many times I have had notes on the Qualcomm that say, "do not call this customer," and I call them anyway and get myself unloaded. Most of the time the customer appreciates that I took the initiative and helped them get there product quicker than it was scheduled.

I would never recommend that a brand new driver try this, but someone in your position who is getting a ridiculously low amount of work done because your waiting around on scheduled delivery times; I would say you have got to give it a try. I mean, what have you got to lose? You aren't happy with the way things are now. I say shake things up a bit. I can almost promise you that your dispatcher is going to appreciate your extra effort, and the results, regardless of whatever company policies to the contrary you have seen.

Let me tell you something about dispatchers. They are usually overworked. They have a lot of drivers on their board, and if they see that you are under a load and not late on the appointment, then they may not be too worried about you. In other words, you are the last thing on their mind. They have plenty of other pressing concerns. I make every attempt to be on the top of my dispatchers mind - in a good way, that is. I want him always looking out for me, and one effective way to do that is to establish yourself as always getting things done ahead of time.

Let me try to make this clear... These dispatchers have got managers over them - there are layers of management at these trucking companies, and everybody's job is getting measured - everybody's job is performance based, not just the driver. If you are not showing up as late on your deliveries then nobody is really catching on to the fact that you are sitting too much. Just try this: get one of those loads that you think you are not supposed to change the appointments on delivered early, and then be sitting on his computer screen as empty, waiting for a load. Now you are being noticed on everybody's radar, including the managers who are trying to make sure your dispatcher is doing his job. Nobody wants an empty truck just sitting around waiting on a load when there are loads available that need to be delivered. If you can get an appointment moved forward, then just send your dispatcher a message stating the time that you will be empty. Send him an ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival call) and a PTA (Projected Time of Availability) Then take care of your business - you don't even need to tell him what you did, just do it. See how it all pans out. You are going to discover that this is the way the pros do it, and they never have to worry about getting fired for being the most productive members on the team.

Company policy is drivers are forbidden to reschedule loads. Asked in the past for my DM to reschedule my appoints because I'm mostly ahead of schedule, if been told that policy is no rescheduling. Most loads have more time than needed to get to destination. Example 640 mile load dispatch, do in three days. Can't drop off or reschule. There is lots of sitting and wasted time.

Had my 6 month review and was told my log book, time management, safety record is superb. I received a $.01 raise. I asked if there's anything I can approve on and was told no and my track record is very impressive. Also, ask my DM time to time what can I approve on? He always says," your doing very well keep up the good work".

I take the advice you and Old School gives to new driver's on being more efficient and more productive, however, there policies seem to be differently than TT members describe how there company is. I get along with my DM. I'm still trying to figure out how to get miles without being a complainer or roughing any feathers. Oh ya, forgot to mention I do at least 9 resets a month do to waiting for dispatches. Maybe transferring to different terminal or DM might be my only hope. Under $2000 a month gross, just isn't worth it to me. I have taken 7 days off in almost 9 months. I know my performance and attendance is great. In turmoil on what to do.

Driver's aren't allowed to reschedule appointments.

The miles are there. They're available. You're just not getting your share. You have to be more convincing.

Here's another thing. The load planners assign freight but your dispatcher is responsible for making sure you're being taken care of. If you're not getting the miles you deserve it's up to your dispatcher to get with the load planners to get you better freight. If your dispatcher is telling you there's nothing he/she can do then you let them know you're going to make some phone calls to those with the authority to do something about it - and do it. Make those calls. Get your dispatcher's boss on the phone. Get the operations manager on the phone, or the terminal manager. Keep making phone calls and keep asking:

"Why am I not getting the miles I deserve? I've proven I can handle 3,000 miles per week and I know they're available so why am I not getting them? What do I have to do to get 3,000 miles per week? I know other drivers at our company are getting that many. I know drivers at other companies are getting that many. What is being done to make sure I get that many from now on?"

But remember, this all hinges on you doing your job at a Top Tier Level. You have to have the hours available on your clock and you have to make all of your appointments on time without exception.