Do You Feel That You Are Being Micro Managed?

I left my previous position at a company with 20,000 employees because I was just a number. The management was looking for bonus checks. I am hoping to find a carrier that has the size to have good freight, but is still small enough to know me. I hope that you might know what I mean. Feedback will be appreciated. Thanx in advance.

If you're looking for a friendly relationship with your boss or something, most companies are like that. No, the company president doesn't stop in the driver lounge and say "Hey, Mack! How's it going?" That doesn't keep you rolling ($$).

I drove for Swift, the largest trucking company. My DM certainly knew me by name. The driver service window people knew me, and we often had short chats when I picked up my dispatch. Even the shop people were friendly and got my truck fixed in a reasonable time.

The largest trucking company. I was comfortable talking with nearly everyone in the dispatch office that I dealt with.

I am hoping to find a carrier that has the size to have good freight, but is still small enough to know me.

This is something I have never understood. It doesn't matter how many drivers a company has. You are not going to be having the CEO patting you on the back and taking you to dinner once a week. In trucking relationships are vital to our success. I work for a company with about 20,000 drivers. I know my home terminal manager. I can call him or email him at anytime. I have his cell number. I know my driver manager and have multiple ways to contact him. They know me and know how to get in touch with me via several methods. I also know the safety coordinator at our terminal and a gentleman they call our driver liaison. Each of them know me.

I left my previous position at a company with 20,000 employees because I was just a number.

The only way you are going to be just a number in trucking is because you haven't made the effort to build the important relationships that contribute to your success. This is a performance based business. You prove yourself and they will take note of who you are. You just produce like an average Joe and that's what you will always be. You produce some numbers that are worthy of note and you will find that you are in an inner circle of folks that make the company run like it was meant to. Every trucking company has it's core group of producers. Those folks are highly valued. Everything hinges on our performance in this career. I have had people call me that I don't even know. They called to express their appreciation or to ask me for information. They know who I am. I have made sure of that.

I have never been micromanaged. The truth is that they sometimes call me and ask me to teach a class or help a new driver. They even pay me extra each week to be available for phone calls from drivers who need help. They see what I have accomplished and they want more of that type results with their other drivers. They are actually asking for my assistance. They do not push me or try to control me. They recognize what I have accomplished and they are hoping I can figure out how to spread some of it around.

In trucking we are on a team, but it is the individual players who get noticed. Check out this article. I hope it will help you understand that in trucking you are under scrutiny, but how you look under that scrutiny is what determines your success.

Can You Hang With The Big Dogs?

This is somewhat confusing as your post has nothing to do with the title. Are you wanting to be micromanaged? Are you looking to start with a smaller company that has time to micromanage you? Personally I cannot stand to be micromanaged, give me a load and leave me alone, I'll get it there. If I have a problem I have multiple people I can call if I cannot get it taken care of, which I usually can do if a problem arises. I don't get daily phone calls or messages on the Qualcomm questioning what I'm doing. I don't get a call at 10 hours 15 minutes wondering why I'm not moving yet etc. I run my clock how I see fit and I reset when I see fit, everything i do or don't do is done for a reason. I wouldn't be at a company like that. Is that what's happening with you? Again, its confusing what you wrote.

How much driving experience do you have?

Mikey, I believe Mackerel is in CDL school right now. He's probably seen some of the whiners on the internet complaining about being micromanaged. Hopefully we can help him realize there is the reality of trucking and there is the internet of trucking. They are two separate worlds that are seemingly irreconcilable.

I am not micro managed. I am a company driver, yet as long as I'm safe, on time and communicate any problems, no one bothers me.

I am not micro managed. I am a company driver, yet as long as I'm safe, on time and communicate any problems, no one bothers me.

That's been my experience and I see management everyday. I know the people I need to know and that's it. I've never had a conversation with a CEO and I've made small talk with building managers in person, but that's pretty much it.

Yes I am in CDL school right now. I drove for a very short time 9 years ago, but a family emergency took me off the road. I went to work for the Railroad, Passenger rail, there are so many people employed that you get lost in the mix, and I was in the Navy for 10 years. Both of those places issued blanket policies when the problem they are solving only applied to one person or division. Managing from the a desk somewhere far away. I don't know if you see what I mean. I am trying to listen to whiners and winners from. Thanks Old School and Big Scott for taking the time.

Mikey, I believe Mackerel is in CDL school right now. He's probably seen some of the whiners on the internet complaining about being micromanaged. Hopefully we can help him realize there is the reality of trucking and there is the internet of trucking. They are two separate worlds that are seemingly irreconcilable.

Just so you know, in trucking you can be unknown because you got it and you are a top preformer. You can be known for the same reason. If you're a screw up, that would get you noticed as well. Many people at CFI know me and it's all for good reasons.

In my 7+ years as a Swiftie; I’ve never been micro-managed.