Raptor, stuff happens out here - it's trucking.
Here's the elephant in the room as far as I'm concerned... Did you make a phone call to the customer and give them a heads up?
I keep my customers current with ETAs and regularly update them if there's going to be a change. I consider this an important part of my job. My dispatcher loves the fact that I'm proactive with our customers, and the customers actually call the company and give me kudos for this behavior.
Nobody teaches us to do this, but it's just good customer service. If you're relying on your people in the office to do this stuff, I think you're missing out on an opportunity to improve your reception experiences at these customers.
I never blame my company's name when I can alter my own results with a little effort.
I've been assigned loads during my 10 hour break where the appointment ended before my break did and Schneider knew it. So no harm, sometimes I have to wait longer and other times it didn't really matter when I showed up as long as it was that day.
During my almost 10 months OTR , I have only been to a hand full of places where my appointment really mattered, usually its first come first serve. I always make my appointment times unless it's out of my hands such as traffic, weather and things like that. But I've been assigned a few loads where it was impossible to make the appointment time and Schneider knew that when they assigned it to me.
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Old School
Your right I should have called them to let them know, and not rely on my dispatcher to do it for me. Lesson learned. Usually, I just take it in stride, and keep on trucking. I guess I just had an off day. Normally when stuff like this happens, I just suck it up and keep smiling. It's just another day on the road. Thanks for the advise.
Raptor
I’ll bet it will happen again because it’s not a perfect day every day, thus it is part of the job.
Good luck tomorrow. Hope the job goes better for you.
Raptor, I'm not calling you out. It was a great opportunity to show everyone reading this conversation how to handle these issues we have in trucking. I knew from what you said that you hadn't called the customer. We all live and learn out here. Hang in there! This job has it's frustration, but we can deal with most of it if we just apply ourselves to the issues and not expect others to take care of things for us.
Overall, it seems to me you're doing a great job out here. Keep working on ways you can improve your results and you'll be a lot happier with this career.
Raptor said: "And I do6need to be reminded that it is part of the job. Etc......."
Ok, I'm not going to remind you that IT IS PART OF THE JOB!!!!!!!
No one ever told me about calling. One day I’m docked in Atlanta next to a female prime driver. I said I’m two hours early I’m glad they let me have a door! She said I’m a day early I’m called yesterday they were a head on loads and told me to come on in. Heck from then on I always call. Last night I had a 1:30 am appointment called the guard he said they start lining up at 11:00 if u will be here about a quarter till I’ll get u on in. Was it because I’m a woman, who cares it’s all part of trucking!
It never hurts to call because the worst thing they can say is “no”.
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Has anyone had the pleasure of been given a late assignment, then get to the shipper and treated as if it's your fault. Then because of your company name, you get get shafted for being late and you sit with your clock running and they take their time loading you?
I had to wait at my previous place to unload 2 hours before being called to my door. Which is why I was late for the shipper. Plus 4 hours drive time. This has happened twice this week.
Well, anyway, just blowing off steam. Wasn't really expecting anyone to agree or disagree with me. And I do6need to be reminded that it is part of the job. Etc.......
Raptor
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated