The Joy's Of Home Time

This is a unique career. We all make sacrifices to make it happen and be worthwhile. Our families make as many sacrifices as we drivers do.

I'm taking my home time this month in Ohio at my oldest daughter's house. I've got my wife with me and we are enjoying spending time with our children and grandchildren.

One of the things I always enjoy while being home is the chance to do some cooking. Tonight we had a nice salad, raw oysters, boiled shrimp, and french bread toasted with garlic. It just doesn't get any better than this!

Once you've established yourself as a competitive Top Tier Driver you'll find your dispatcher bending over backwards to keep you satisfied and happy with your job. That's one of the many benefits of proving yourself valuable in a competitive field. I set this trip up with my dispatcher a month ago. He did everything he could to make it happen. Once it had all materialized I sent him an email thanking him for coordinating my loads so this worked out. His response was, "Anything you ask, I never question. I just get it done."

I share that with you guys because I want you to realize how important it is that you always work efficiently to keep your dispatcher more than satisfied with your results. Great drivers get treated differently than their peers. Great drivers are valued highly. If you can make sure you're helping your dispatcher make money he will do whatever he can to insure your satisfaction with your job.

Incidentally if you're improving your dispatcher's paycheck you'll also be increasing your own income. It's a simple formula that most people completely misunderstand.

Awesome enjoy that family time at the end of the day thats what its all about

La Fheile Padraig shona duit!

or, Happy Saint Patrick's Day, friends.

Old School, enjoying so much your sentiments and the lovely family pics you just shared. Likewise, my day has been filled with Patrick's Day chats and merriment with those here on US soil and across the pond, living loud in spite of circumstances pressing in.

I just came across a vid of a raw song penned this afternoon and performed by Bono, written for the Italians singing through their lockdown, and for the Irish today, and for everyone, everywhere.

There's many incredible facets to current events. Keeping out front what matters most is very appreciated.

That's an awesome perk being able to travel on the companies dime to see your family in another state. Enjoy that family time!

Old School explains the quid pro quo in trucking:

I share that with you guys because I want you to realize how important it is that you always work efficiently to keep your dispatcher more than satisfied with your results. Great drivers get treated differently than their peers. Great drivers are valued highly. If you can make sure you're helping your dispatcher make money he will do whatever he can to insure your satisfaction with your job.

This is part of my long term plan. My wife retires in a couple of years. Until she retires, I plan to build my relationship with my FM , running hard and taking those loads no one else wants. When my wife retires, I hope to use my home time for trips with her all over the U.S. And being that St. Louis is so centrally located, hopefully I will be able to swing through St. Louis and pick her up a week or two before my scheduled home time.

Old School explains the quid pro quo in trucking

Rob D, that's a good way of putting it. This is a job where your success oftentimes hinges on your working relationship with your dispatcher. I can't stress how important that is.

When we do our jobs effectively it benefits our wallet and theirs. Everybody is getting performance based pay. Your efforts and performance are what helps to put your dispatcher "in the money" each month. Trust me, they know which drivers are pushing their numbers up where they need them to be. Those drivers are always getting the best treatment.

OS that is awesome your getting some great family time.

Not all companies have performance incentives for dispatchers. At my company the dispatchers are salaried. They make the same no matter how many loads/miles get done. The relationship still needs to be top tier and is crucial.