Assigned A Job While On Home Time

I really, really like talking with older drivers who've been driving a long time like 20 plus years. They know a heck of a lot of stuff. One guy told me he handles the situation by telling the dispatcher over the phone, " well, gosh I'd like to help but I've been home drinking beer all day long, and I'm not able to drive".

I really, really like talking with older drivers who've been driving a long time like 20 plus years. They know a heck of a lot of stuff. One guy told me he handles the situation by telling the dispatcher over the phone, " well, gosh I'd like to help but I've been home drinking beer all day long, and I'm not able to drive".

...and not all of the "stuff" is good.

All kidding aside, in order to build or maintain a professional, mutually respectful relationship with driver management, don't make an antagonistic statement like the above. Keep the response simple: "sorry but I have plans that cannot be broken". End of conversation,...a conversation that will not promote doubt or concern.

I totally agree with G-Town. Don't say you've been drinking all day! Good grief. Try to be a little more creative by not making yourself look bad in the process.

Like I said earlier, if you're doing an awesome job out there you can be comfortable explaining to your dispatcher that you are not to be bothered while you are on your home time. These major companies have thousands of trucks. There is absolutely no need to call anyone while they are at home. There are always other drivers that can get the job done.

Think about it - these companies have been around for decades. They got along just fine without you for 50 years. Do you really think they suddenly need you so badly that you can't enjoy a few days at home after spending weeks on the road?

Baloney.

Again, if you're fine with them contacting you at home then no problem. But if you're like me and your home time is precious to you then let your dispatcher know that. They owe you that level of respect. You've earned it.

Think about it - these companies have been around for decades. They got along just fine without you for 50 years. Do you really think they suddenly need you so badly that you can't enjoy a few days at home after spending weeks on the road?

Baloney.

That's a good way to put it! Made me chuckle a bit even though it's true.

I most certainly wouldn't want to be antagonistic and I certainly wouldn't want to make a bad impression....

This type of statement would have to be said in a respectful tone. It would depend how you said it and to who you said it to. It would also depend on your company and your companies personality, as well as the dispatcher and the personality of the dispatcher.

In the Swift handbook, under "alcohol prohibition", it states you may not consume any alcohol within 9 hours of being in service. Maybe it's 12 hours. I'm not sure since I don't drink and it isn't an issue for me.

In orientation at Swift, the facilitator told the class that if you get a call while at home time asking you to come on duty and you have had any alcohol within the 12 hours, even one sip of alcohol, then you are to politely inform your dispatcher making coming back in service forbidden by company policy.

example: ring ring, its the dispatcher asking you to leave home time early to pick up a load.... Hi dispatcher, good afternoon how are you? How's everything? Hows the weather where you are? Wow, your call has really caught me by surprise, I'm at a family reunion bbq today. We are celebrating. My sister just had twin girls and I am visiting with cousins I haven't seen in ages. I just had a beer so I am really not ok to drive today.

Think about it - these companies have been around for decades. They got along just fine without you for 50 years. Do you really think they suddenly need you so badly that you can't enjoy a few days at home after spending weeks on the road?

Baloney.

Again, if you're fine with them contacting you at home then no problem. But if you're like me and your home time is precious to you then let your dispatcher know that. They owe you that level of respect. You've earned it.

Ok, noone hit me, ha ha, GTown ? :) .... I disagree, Brett, in one respect. I understand where you are coming from, but even though a company has been around for awhile, they are still dependent upon those who are presently employed with them.

I do agree with the second comment. I had an employer who kept bugging me about working through my vacation time. It came to a head one day, and I ended up moving on from that company. The stupid thing is that when I left, I was running the largest route with the company (I found this out from the driver who took over my route). And what's really crazy, is that I found out that I'd made employee of the month that month. Nuts right?

It all can get a bit crazy out there sometimes. You do tend to learn how to better communicate with others. A lot of it has to do with growth and maturity on your own part. You really can't depend upon others to be reasonable all of the time, or at all in some (I'd like to say most) cases.

Ah, a really good thing to say to your dispatcher, and careful how and in what tone of voice you say this to them, but tell them, ' I'll do it, *if you have noone else available to*. '. Otherwise, turn off your phone and become very unavailable and let them know ahead of time that you are not at all interested in any loads on your home time.

Ah, a really good thing to say to your dispatcher , and careful how and in what tone of voice you say this to them, but tell them, ' I'll do it, *if you have noone else available to*

They're going to say they have no one else every single time. And of course that's total baloney. They always have someone else.

even though a company has been around for awhile, they are still dependent upon those who are presently employed with them.

Regardless of how long they've been around they can operate perfectly well with the people who are currently available. You do not bother someone during their home time when they only get a few days a month at home as it is. Simple as that.

Ah, a really good thing to say to your dispatcher , and careful how and in what tone of voice you say this to them, but tell them, ' I'll do it, *if you have noone else available to*

They're going to say they have no one else every single time. And of course that's total baloney. They always have someone else.

even though a company has been around for awhile, they are still dependent upon those who are presently employed with them.

Regardless of how long they've been around they can operate perfectly well with the people who are currently available. You do not bother someone during their home time when they only get a few days a month at home as it is. Simple as that.

Like I said, I understand where you're coming from. Even though, I don't believe that it is as simple as having plenty of other people who will be available to take a load. I might comment that I think it was crap for someone to put a load on someone while they were on their home time. With the drivers permission, yes, without it, no.

And like I said, careful how you say it to them and in what tone of voice. Or just simply tell them, ' I don't want to, but if you absolutely have no one else, I'll do it. ' Another words, encourage them in the other direction. They'll find someone else. This is of course if they were to inform you ahead of time of it. Instead of simply putting a load on you without your knowledge. That's simple crap for them to do this.

Like I said, I understand where you're coming from. Even though, I don't believe that it is as simple as having plenty of other people who will be available to take a load

Why don't you believe that? It is, in fact, that simple. If you're working for a company with hundreds or even thousands of trucks, it's simple math. They have trucks everywhere. Someone else can pick up the load.

Now if it's a company with only 20 trucks then they should never have accepted a load where the only person who was in the area to pick it up was on home time. Again, that's not how you run a company. You don't tell someone you expect them to stay away from their home, family, and friends for weeks at a time and then as soon as they get home you tell them to leave again. You simply don't do that to people.

just simply tell them, ' I don't want to, but if you absolutely have no one else, I'll do it. ' Another words, encourage them in the other direction. They'll find someone else.

No, they won't. Think about it. If you ask them to find someone else and they do find someone else then they're admitting that they disturbed you during your home time for no reason because they had someone else that could have done it. They're not going to admit that. The entire justification for calling you during your home time is that they have no one else available to do it. So they're simply going to say, "We don't have anyone else" even though you know that's baloney. They're simply trying to keep their deadhead numbers to a minimum.

When I've done my job and I've earned my home time it isn't my problem if the company has a load with no one to cover it. They can sell the load to someone else if need be, no big deal. I've already made my company a deal to earn my home time and I've upheld my end of the bargain. I spent weeks on the road hauling their freight without getting to see my home, family, and friends. Now it's their turn to uphold their end of the bargain and leave me alone for a few days.

You have to understand the nature of this industry. Everyone is always pushing the limits to see what they can get away with. Drivers are always trying to cheat the logs, convince shippers to unload them early, or lobby dispatch for better freight. Brokers hold onto their cash without paying their bills as long as possible and negotiate hard to get better rates from their customers. Dispatchers and load planners will try to work the system in such a way as to get as much productivity out of their trucks and drivers as possible while keeping their deadhead mileage and downtime to a minimum.

Everyone has an agenda. Sometimes people work together to achieve their goals. Sometimes one person may take advantage of another when trying to achieve their goals. Other times laws get broken or unsafe equipment gets driven to achieve goals. But the nature of this industry is to push the limits as much as possible. You just have to decide what you're willing to do to achieve your goals, and at times you'll have to decide what you're willing to do for others to help them achieve their goals.

Like I said, I understand where you're coming from. Even though, I don't believe that it is as simple as having plenty of other people who will be available to take a load

Why don't you believe that? It is, in fact, that simple. If you're working for a company with hundreds or even thousands of trucks, it's simple math. They have trucks everywhere. Someone else can pick up the load.

just simply tell them, ' I don't want to, but if you absolutely have no one else, I'll do it. ' Another words, encourage them in the other direction. They'll find someone else.

No, they won't. Think about it. If you ask them to find someone else and they do find someone else then they're admitting that they disturbed you during your home time for no reason because they had someone else that could have done it. They're not going to admit that. The entire justification for calling you during your home time is that they have no one else available to do it. So they're simply going to say, "We don't have anyone else" even though you know that's baloney. They're simply trying to keep their deadhead numbers to a minimum.

Whew, you guys must have dealt with some pretty hard nosed dispatchers. I do understand what you are saying. I was a dispatcher for 2 years. Not for a trucking company, but for a local delivery company. It all pretty much operates the same way, just not as much freight to be moved.

Hey, when I tell you to go look for someone else, that's what I mean. You'll know it by the way I say it to you. Or I'll actually consider doing it.

Trucking is actually a whole world easier when it comes to managing time. Whew, I've been running 4 wheels for 23 years, and all it is, is one big rush to get somewhere else. I hate it.... hate it.... hate it.....

As for working for a large or small company, they all run pretty much the same way. When they can't find someone, they have to go looking for someone else. It ties up more of their time that they could be using to schedule another load or be doing something else.... It's much easier to be able to depend upon someone at hand.

But, again, as for putting something on someone without their prior knowledge, that's complete crap.

And I'm sort of surprised that it would be a problem. A lot of drivers would jump at the opportunity to be available to make more money.

I guess, bottom line, why have to go looking for someone else? Why can't it be that simple. It cost someone more money when they do. Companies have made do with what they've got, not necessarily because they want it this way, but because they had to.