Comments By Drew Oswalt

But, people (my DM , other DMs and planners) did not get me scheduled for preventative maintenance

When I'm nearing a PM or other maintenance issue, I call the shop and schedule myself, cutting out all middlemen. Then it's a simple matter of telling my FM of my appointment, and he finds a way to route me where I need to be. Efficient, effective, and one less thing my FM has to do in an already busy day. He appreciates that, I assure you.

My worry is that I get a load that is not local/regional and they can't find me a load getting back to my truck.

If you are running and making miles, who cares? Logistics isn't an exact science. Plan accordingly.

I've requested permission to drive more than 20 miles to get to a truck for my 10 after dropping off.

So I had to go to the one further away any way. But had to waste time calling again to be able to do that.

I'm always on hold for 20-45+ when I call. All my buddies are rarely on hold.

Find a place to park your truck, and leave your DM out of it. Do you really think he cares about such trivial matters? When you ask him point-blank, he's forced to give you the "official" answer. In reality, he doesn't care, and is probably just sick and tired of having to respond to you. Just do your job.

DMs don't want to hold your hand. They don't want to micromanage you. They don't want to hear your complaints. In fact they'd rather not hear from you at all. The driver who stays out of their ear and gets it done without their help is the driver who keeps moving.

Like I wrote many times. It's not about me making the appointment. Someone in the office had to make the appointment. I tried believe me.

And as I wrote many times, I got in trouble for driving more than 20 miles to safe parking. MY DM SAID I HAD TO GET PERMISSION. I'm not making that up. I don't want to be micro-managed. Which got me into trouble in the first place.

Man...you guys act like I'm lying. I did my due diligence for the service. My DM and other did not. Even the shop manager was frustrated that they didn't make the appointment.

Regardless, they got me in today. As I said, I have a Cal-Bit service due. This let me jump the line.

I do go to the closest safe parking.

My Qualcomm will read messages to me

Yeah. Ditto. But for Swift if it's more than 20 miles away, have to call and get permission to drive there. Which I don't get, because they let us use PC for an hour a day.

Ours won't read messages aloud unless we were already on it then started driving. If we receive a new one, then we have to come to a complete stop to read it. Which sucks if we get a new load while driving. Most of the time, if we don't accept the load within an hour, it gets taken away or another driver will get it first. I understand safety, but sometimes there's no where safe to pull over for a while.

A potential solution for so many issues just came up. A buddy just called wants to make more money and wants to team for a little bit. Maybe 6-10 months. There's a couple dedicated accounts I've been eyeing. Both from the SoCal area. One is cross country and the other to the mid west. And both pay very well.

Yes, we both know the pay is split in half, some people can't sleep well in a moving truck, privacy, blah, blah, blah. We just dealt with that in training and neither of us hated it. Didn't love it. But didn't hate it. Coordinating home time will be easy. We both live about an hour from our home terminal. And we discussed our schedules for it.

Let's just hope the slots haven't filled up yet.

Also, with the phone thing. Me, along with all my buddies are on the phone with a DM or planner several times a week. They call us. And they want us to call them. The say it. We are all new and they check in on us. And we can't really can't send a Qualcomm message or read them when we are driving. We're locked out.

But you can call them when you are driving?

Yes. Bluetooth with voice commands.

I want to drive, but you know what? I'm pretty angry right now that I'm in this situation because the staff in the office just doesn't give a f***. And that I was sitting for about 58 hours earlier in the week because they were "light on loads" and only got $50 for it. So I think it's better that I don't drive for a day or two.

So are you going to stay at the terminal?

I might get into a loaner truck tomorrow and do a quick 2-3 day run if it gets me back to my truck sooner than later. I dunno yet. I'm pretty unfocused right now. Need to get my head right to drive safely.

How long have you had this dispatcher?

About 2 months.

I'm not the only one having issues with him. I don't know if it was monthly or quarterly stats. But there is a board in the office at my home terminal with driver manager/leader stats. My driver manager had a 77% driver retention rate. Bottom. Out of 5 or 6. 4 had 100% retention. Someone else wasn't 100%, but higher than him. Total miles for their drivers, my DM was 4th or 5th. I forget the other categories. But all towards the bottom if not last. Similar last month. I didn't want to bring this up because it's internal. And I tried to ignore the numbers so I wouldn't be biased against him. But just so everyone knows what I'm dealing with. And I'm not the only driver that has or is planning on dropping him.

Also, with the phone thing. Me, along with all my buddies are on the phone with a DM or planner several times a week. They call us. And they want us to call them. The say it. We are all new and they check in on us. And we can't really can't send a Qualcomm message or read them when we are driving. We're locked out.

Drew, you're having rookie issues that you can do a much better job of resolving. First off, quit calling your DM so much. Would it surprise you that I seldom speak to my DM?

Use your Qualcomm. Send in your macros, and then send free form messages indicating how long you've been sitting and waiting on a load. That way the planners see that you are not being utilized properly. There's not a shred of evidence that your DM is not getting things accomplished when you are talking to them on the phone, plus it is a real drain on them to deal with rookie drivers who call them all the time.

Keep sending requests for a load on your Quallcomm. You can send him a new one every hour if you like, but do it on the Qualcomm if you want results. Do you guys have a macro that indicates you are available for a load? I'm sure you do - use it.

Most of us have had to use loaner trucks. I used one for several weeks once. I didn't care where they sent me - just keep me busy. When it was possible they routed me back to my truck and I kept moving. It's logistics - it's not perfect - we learn to roll with the punches.

Top Tier Drivers learn that they can change their own destiny by doing things a certain way. It's easy to blame your DM, but it takes some humility to admit that there's probably a better way for you to do things. Your actions can definitely make their efforts more or less effective. I had a DM at Western that I didn't really care for, but I knew how to work their system so that I could hold him accountable. Consequently he kept me very busy, and at the same time I was making his job easier for him. You've got to figure that out.

I think you can't complain that they aren't keeping you busy while at the same time you say they won't schedule you for maintenance. You don't seem happy with whatever they are doing with you. I always help my DM know when I need service and will help him with understanding the best time to route me in for that. I usually start the reminders at about four thousand miles prior to the scheduled time. I don't use the telephone to do that.

Also, why do you ask them where to park? I've never bothered with such trivialities. If one place is full, I move on to the next.

Please don't assume anything because I'm a rookie. I don't know a lot. I mean a lot of things regarding trucking. But I know enough about how things work at the company I drive for. I ask a lot of questions to office and shop staff. I ask other Swift drivers questions too. But only take something as fact if I get the same answer from a majority of them

I only call my DM a few times a week. I Qualcomm him and never get a response. Always wait a good amount of time. So yeah, I have to call.

When I was sitting in Lubbock forever, I did my macros to let them know I'm available.

Or system shows we are due for maintenance. A and B service can be overridden so I can keep getting loads. Cal-Bit cannot be overridden. There is a "safety hold" on my truck. So yeah, I'm not happy they did not schedule me. And he never pre-plans me. I talk to 3 people, that I went to driving school with, on a daily basis. And they talk to other people we went to school with. Pretty much everyone gets preplanned.

And yes, I have to get permission to get to a truck stop over 20 miles from where I drop off. I did so one time and got in trouble. It's a company policy.

Has anyone had to use a loaner truck because their truck was going to be in the shop for a awhile? Or not able to get worked on for a few days?

My situation is that my truck is shut down by safety until it gets it's A & B and Cal-Bit service done. But, people (my DM, other DMs and planners) did not get me scheduled for preventative maintenance. Even though I brought it up multiple times starting about 7-8 days ago. So instead of being on the road, I'll be down until about Tuesday or Wednesday.

Meanwhile, my DM sends me a list of loaner trucks to use until my truck is done getting it's scheduled maintenance. He says I can do local runs for a big box retailer. I check up on what he said. There are a bunch of half truths. They're not really local. They're regional. Not the same thing.

My worry is that I get a load that is not local/regional and they can't find me a load getting back to my truck. This happened to a buddy of mine. His truck was in the shop for an extended period of time and he used to loaner truck to run a load or two. He was supposed to get back to his truck in a couple days. So he didn't bring much in the way of personal effects and food with him. Those couple days turned into 7-8 days. And they didn't have loads to get him to his truck. They even made him sit at a truck stop for 2-3 days. They wouldn't even deadhead him. Or at least drive to the closest terminal. He got ****ed off because they screwed him. He was 5-6 days passed his requested home time request. And was a few days drive from home. They eventually got him a load home. But they had to have another driver drive his truck to a terminal close to him. I don't think they even got it to his home terminal.

I have trust issues with my DM. Quite a few things he tells me are based off of his experience as a driver. But they are incorrect since they are dated. I've requested permission to drive more than 20 miles to get to a truck for my 10 after dropping off. Just to be told there's always plenty of parking at the closer one. Nope. Always full. So I had to go to the one further away any way. But had to waste time calling again to be able to do that. Or got lucky and got a new load right away. There are other things too. But he pretty much makes me waste my time because he isn't doing his job properly, not trusting me with the current and correct information I have, and not pre-planning me. All my other buddies are pre-planned 85-100% of the time from day one. Not me. Only happened twice.

Either he has too many drivers under him, doesn't give a crap or being a DM/DL is not the job for him. I'm always on hold for 20-45+ when I call. All my buddies are rarely on hold. Even then, no more than 10 minutes. No pre-plans. Hasn't really given me information on things I need to know. My buddies had to tell me a lot of information that their DMs taught them.

Anyway, how do you feel about getting into a loaner truck, especially without getting pre-planned.

And should I switch DMs? Regardless, I'm making calls to swap out on Monday. His inactions have already cost me around $3-5k in pay.

I have used a loaner twice. The first time, I got stuck out for a week for what was supposed to be a couple of days. But when I told my dispatcher I needed to get home, they got me home right away. Our company is known for that.

After the second time, I refused. Every drivers truck I have gotten into is disgusting. I refuse to ride in someone else’s filth again. But, I can (kind of) afford to not work.

You will have to decide for yourself which you care more about, driving and earning, or waiting for your truck.

I’ve already told them aim not driving someone else’s truck again, and they respected that.

Yes. Other driver's filth. I forgot to mention that. My current truck was nasty. Spent a whole day cleaning it. And still am getting to areas I don't really touch, once a week, just to try and get it his filth 100% gone. I takes 4-5 Clorox wipes to clean a 6"x6" area. Dude never cleaned his truck, looks like he smoked his butter popcorn swishers, (found wrappers) with the windows up and he even put those nasty things out on the side of the cabinet and even around the cup holders, instead of an ashtray....

My wife makes more money than I do. But it doesn't matter. We're trying to save money for a down payment for a house plus rainy day money, etc.

I want to drive, but you know what? I'm pretty angry right now that I'm in this situation because the staff in the office just doesn't give a f***. And that I was sitting for about 58 hours earlier in the week because they were "light on loads" and only got $50 for it. So I think it's better that I don't drive for a day or two.

Has anyone had to use a loaner truck because their truck was going to be in the shop for a awhile? Or not able to get worked on for a few days?

My situation is that my truck is shut down by safety until it gets it's A & B and Cal-Bit service done. But, people (my DM, other DMs and planners) did not get me scheduled for preventative maintenance. Even though I brought it up multiple times starting about 7-8 days ago. So instead of being on the road, I'll be down until about Tuesday or Wednesday.

Meanwhile, my DM sends me a list of loaner trucks to use until my truck is done getting it's scheduled maintenance. He says I can do local runs for a big box retailer. I check up on what he said. There are a bunch of half truths. They're not really local. They're regional. Not the same thing.

My worry is that I get a load that is not local/regional and they can't find me a load getting back to my truck. This happened to a buddy of mine. His truck was in the shop for an extended period of time and he used to loaner truck to run a load or two. He was supposed to get back to his truck in a couple days. So he didn't bring much in the way of personal effects and food with him. Those couple days turned into 7-8 days. And they didn't have loads to get him to his truck. They even made him sit at a truck stop for 2-3 days. They wouldn't even deadhead him. Or at least drive to the closest terminal. He got ****ed off because they screwed him. He was 5-6 days passed his requested home time request. And was a few days drive from home. They eventually got him a load home. But they had to have another driver drive his truck to a terminal close to him. I don't think they even got it to his home terminal.

I have trust issues with my DM. Quite a few things he tells me are based off of his experience as a driver. But they are incorrect since they are dated. I've requested permission to drive more than 20 miles to get to a truck for my 10 after dropping off. Just to be told there's always plenty of parking at the closer one. Nope. Always full. So I had to go to the one further away any way. But had to waste time calling again to be able to do that. Or got lucky and got a new load right away. There are other things too. But he pretty much makes me waste my time because he isn't doing his job properly, not trusting me with the current and correct information I have, and not pre-planning me. All my other buddies are pre-planned 85-100% of the time from day one. Not me. Only happened twice.

Either he has too many drivers under him, doesn't give a crap or being a DM/DL is not the job for him. I'm always on hold for 20-45+ when I call. All my buddies are rarely on hold. Even then, no more than 10 minutes. No pre-plans. Hasn't really given me information on things I need to know. My buddies had to tell me a lot of information that their DMs taught them.

Anyway, how do you feel about getting into a loaner truck, especially without getting pre-planned.

And should I switch DMs? Regardless, I'm making calls to swap out on Monday. His inactions have already cost me around $3-5k in pay.

We have 24 hour mechanics, detail shop, tire bay and wash bays. I cant imagine having to wait in line for repairs. It would drive me.nuts.

I just had an air leak, and I called the shop 24 hr ahead and told them I would.be there in the morning. I got right in. I was shocked to.find some didnt have this and doesnt want trucks getting repaired outside of terminals. I was also shocked to.find out that other companies dont allow drivers in the shops. i get to watvh the mechanic and ask a ton of questions... i have learned a ton.

24 hour shops? Why can't "the biggest trucking company in the country" do that? And getting a repair done right away? Forget about it. There's a backlog at almost every shop. And yup. We can go to the shop desk. But not into the bays. If we do, they have to stop working on our truck.