How To Get Off My DM's Bad Side

As I have talked about in my other posts, I'm not exactly my DM's favorite driver. I run as hard as I can and am really trying to learn this business but not getting much training before being thrown on to a truck has caused me to make a lot of dumb rookie mistakes and cause him extra work, he even tried terminating me which Western Express over ruled. He complains that I have too many questions, and that I should know alot more then I do, he gets ****ed whenever I call him since he never responds to macros but blows up my phone to screame my head off and cuss me out because I had a hard time finding an empty or took too long to get somewhere etc he has told hire ups I'm a crap driver etc etc. I'm not the only person who has issues with this guy, I've kept in contact with other drivers I've met either on the road or from ordination that have him as a DM and have the same issues, and even my trainer who had him as a DM has gotten in to countless altercations and it seems like it's a no win situation. Ive only been off my trainers truck for a few weeks t and it seems everything I do is wrong and nothing I do to improve is good enough, is there any of fixing this or is it something I should just let go and stop worrying about. I've delt with hire ups like this for a long time, from NCO's in the Miltary to contractors that only knew how to communicate by screaming cursing and insulting but ive already had an extremely rough time since I got off my trainers truck and have felt like I'm not cut out for trucking and having a DM making me feel worse about myself and my abilities out here on the road is not helping, and I also have a co driver that I have to look out for since he knows less then I do and is having a way harder time catching on then me which is just more stress especially since we are held accountable for each others mistakes.

Also any advice on what else I can do to improve? It seems like Western Express is a huge cluster**** where nobody really knows what exactly is going on lol

Just continue to learn and improve day by day, try to make his day as easy as possible. With DMs, dispatchers, load planners or what ever a company call them they less they have to babysit a driver the more they like you. Remember they have numerous drivers they have to manage if every drivers sends in 1 message a day that is already a lot of messages if drivers send in multiple messages a day it would add up to a overwhelming amount of messages to deal with.

Same goes double for phone calls, if your having a problem try your best to solve it yourself, if your DM gets mad with however you decide to solve the problem tell him " sorry I was trying not to bother you, so I did X" or something to that effect.

Ask other drivers for help, even if they are not with WE. If you are at a customer's lot and and can not find any empties ask their spotter, guard or whoever is around if they know where any WE empties are. You will be surprised how helpful people can be especially if you tell them you are new.

You haven't hit anything yet right? So you are not doing horrible

GREETINGS ZACH,

Well "I ain't nevah" heard from any dispatcher "you have too many questions". I have heard "we don't supply Customer Phone Numbers" because of too many Drivers being negative to Customers. I acquired a few Customer numbers at P.T.L. when new addresses were not updated in Directions (common at many Freight moving companies).

I worked at P.T.L. (Paschall Truck Lines, Murraysville, KY) through a Leased on Owner Op for about 8 months in '02 and had 4 different dispatchers. In person, the dispatchers were generally good. Over Qualcomm or Phone, not so good (MY Perspective). Never was I a Trainer, as I was rather Green for a few years and preferred Solo Operation.

You're a Team Driver or a Green Trainer?? I've never had any dealings with Western Express Drivers apart from minor chit-chat. I do not recall any Drivers talking up or down about Western Express.

Is your Dispatcher being nasty on Qualcomm [which is recorded] (or whatever in Truck Communication device) or just on Phone? Any way to not actually SPEAK with him/her? Maybe you can report his/her actions to his supervisor(s)? There are usually ways to work through such problems, like requesting another Dispatcher.

As to Trainees that appear not to be "catching on", well, they have been, can and will be replaced. Do you want to run Team or Solo? Might be much safer/better for you as Solo. I'm just grasping from MY Trucking Experiences.

Keep US Apprised! BE WELL, SHINY SIDE UP! CHEERS!!

Quit calling him so much and figure it out for your self bro !!! And I have no idea why you can’t change dms . Or stop running teams and go solo maybe and I think you did sign up for teams !! But even then you should be able to switch I’ve see at least 60 different people get new dm just like that !! He’s not your boss!! He is your team mate but when he sends you you load dispatch right down all info figure out eta and go don’t need to talk to him send arrived at shipper loaded call arrived at consigne empty call google earth entrances follow qaulcom! Only call the dm if it’s really necasary especially over in Fontana ... they’re different than the other terminals but if you want a new dm next time in Fontana walk into the office and tell him in front of the planner I can’t work with him!! But you need to stop calling

Also any advice on what else I can do to improve? It seems like Western Express is a huge cluster**** where nobody really knows what exactly is going on lol

You will at western especially the terminal in Bloomington ca but so what I never let it get to me I call anyway if I needed to just not everyday lol

GREETINGS ZACH,

Well "I ain't nevah" heard from any dispatcher "you have too many questions". I have heard "we don't supply Customer Phone Numbers" because of too many Drivers being negative to Customers. I acquired a few Customer numbers at P.T.L. when new addresses were not updated in Directions (common at many Freight moving companies).

I worked at P.T.L. (Paschall Truck Lines, Murraysville, KY) through a Leased on Owner Op for about 8 months in '02 and had 4 different dispatchers. In person, the dispatchers were generally good. Over Qualcomm or Phone, not so good (MY Perspective). Never was I a Trainer, as I was rather Green for a few years and preferred Solo Operation.

You're a Team Driver or a Green Trainer?? I've never had any dealings with Western Express Drivers apart from minor chit-chat. I do not recall any Drivers talking up or down about Western Express.

Is your Dispatcher being nasty on Qualcomm [which is recorded] (or whatever in Truck Communication device) or just on Phone? Any way to not actually SPEAK with him/her? Maybe you can report his/her actions to his supervisor(s)? There are usually ways to work through such problems, like requesting another Dispatcher.

As to Trainees that appear not to be "catching on", well, they have been, can and will be replaced. Do you want to run Team or Solo? Might be much safer/better for you as Solo. I'm just grasping from MY Trucking Experiences.

Keep US Apprised! BE WELL, SHINY SIDE UP! CHEERS!!

I'd just like to add, not to excuse your DM , but his job probably sucks. He's probably flat out all the time dealing with stuff, and maybe getting yelled at for stuff he can't control. So I agree with the above, try to make the best decisions you can instead of calling. My first DM was nice to me so I got the idea he didn't mind my calling, so it took me a bit to find out that in fact he preferred that I never call. And I think I was like you, I would be worried about doing the wrong thing so I'd call and ask when in doubt. So yeah, try to get by without calling and don't worry so much. Just call if you can't proceed without contacting someone.

My first few month's solo were like that. My trainer was only worried about the money She'd make so let's say I learned by doing. There are good and bad trainers out there, I learned what I could and moved on. I worked with my Dispatcher and at first I think they all try to push you. They want to see how you'll perform under pressure. After a while I learned how to complete most everything and my Dispatcher backed. A big thing I learned was use written conversation that way you cover your "bacon" and you'll have an electronic paper trail. Telephone conversions will turn into I said They said arguments. Good luck once you learn it it will be like you knew it all along.

Quit calling him so much and figure it out for your self bro !!! And I have no idea why you can’t change dms . Or stop running teams and go solo maybe and I think you did sign up for teams !! But even then you should be able to switch I’ve see at least 60 different people get new dm just like that !! He’s not your boss!! He is your team mate but when he sends you you load dispatch right down all info figure out eta and go don’t need to talk to him send arrived at shipper loaded call arrived at consigne empty call google earth entrances follow qaulcom! Only call the dm if it’s really necasary especially over in Fontana ... they’re different than the other terminals but if you want a new dm next time in Fontana walk into the office and tell him in front of the planner I can’t work with him!! But you need to stop calling

Also any advice on what else I can do to improve? It seems like Western Express is a huge cluster**** where nobody really knows what exactly is going on lol

I only call him because he likes to semd free-forms with special instructions that make no sense and if I respond asking for him to clarify he gets mad

Take all the time you spend posting on this forum, and all other non-productive time, to learn the job better.

You will get off your DM's bad side when he doesn't have to hold your hand.

Regardless of the level of training you received it's up to you now to do the job.