I Was Told To Turn In My Truck If I Go On Vacation.

So, I put in a request for a two week vacation. My DL told me if I take a vacation, that I would have to turn in my truck, that the company couldn't have a truck setting around not making money. He said the terminal is short on trucks, and that some drivers are waiting for trucks. My terminal is in Jurupa CA. I see dozens of new trucks at our Phoenix terminal whenever I am there. Couldn't they send drivers there to pick up trucks? I was also told that, because of the shortage, that I might not be able to get a truck right away upon my return from vacation. I have been with the company for four years, and have never taken a vacation. I usually stay OTR for 5-6 weeks, then take five days off. This time, i have been out for eight weeks. Is this normal? Do other companies do this? Also, I was hoping to cash in my sick leave hours, of which I have over 100 hours. I have only been sick a few days, but have never used my sick hours. I was told that I can't cash in sick hours, that they could only be used for sick days approved by a DL. Even if I quit, or am terminated, I can't cash in my sick hours. I guess that I should have been sick and less productive more often. If any of you are trying to accrue sick hours to save for a rainy day, check your company policies for sick hours.

It really depends on the company. My last company I worked for, is a sister company to Giltner trucking in Idaho. When I developed AFib, the VA said I could go back to work, even though I was still in AFib with a constant heart rate of 115+ bpm. My company said absolutely not.

So while the VA jerked me around with getting my heart rate down, the company kept my truck for me for 7 weeks. When I still couldn't get an answer as to when my heart rate would come down to normal, I went and cleaned out the truck. It turned out they didn't need it for another person, but it's lease was up and needed to be turned in. Finally, after 4 months, I had enough of the high BPM, went to the Boise VA emergency room and my heart was shocked into normal rhythm. Been normal ever since.

This current company I work for lets me have one week off for every 3 to 4 weeks out. This past year, the owner said I should take 2 weeks off. When I asked about the truck sitting that long, he says I run hard enough that the truck makes its payments easily and can support me being off for 2 weeks. Haven't taken two weeks yet.. I'm thinking I will do that in October when it is cooler 😁

Laura

Have you taken any vacation before? Not hometime, but actual vacation?

Does the company have a policy that says you can't take more than 1 week at a time even if you have more than 1 week available?

I'm trying to figure out why they won't let you take 2 weeks. If there is no policy against it, and you earned the time, I'd be seriously annoyed if I couldn't use my vacation for when/how long I wanted it.

I'm also interested to see if anyone else here has had a similar issue with their company.

I have been with the company four years and have never taken an actual vacation. I stay OTR for five to six weeks, then home time for five days. I was told that it was company policy, that they have a right to give a truck to another driver if it sets idle for more than three days.

I have been with the company four years and have never taken an actual vacation. I stay OTR for five to six weeks, then home time for five days. I was told that it was company policy, that they have a right to give a truck to another driver if it sets idle for more than three days.

It’s not the craziest policy I’ve ever heard of but it’s definitely annoying. The company I work for has a similar policy but it’s a little different. We don’t really do OTR at my company but only a few of us on the local bulk fleet have sleepers, me being one of them. If I take any time off they won’t assign my truck to someone else but if they need it they’ll use it. I run really hard and it’s a super annoying deal because most of our drivers don’t take good care of their trucks and I don’t trust them to take care of mine if they use it but I don’t have a choice. At least I get to keep it but I clean it out if I have to go on vacation because I don’t want anyone else touching my things.

I think it’s messed up you’ve been with the company for several years and you’d have to wait for a truck when you get back from vacation.

I think that a lot of companies have the policy that if you are gone more than a week that you have to empty out your truck. I understand it because well that’s just trucking. Now 3 days… nah I think that is just a dispatcher not wanting a driver to take vacation

If you really want the 2 weeks then I think it would be worth it. In the end a truck is just a truck. If you really don’t want to turn it in then maybe take a week , come back for a few then take another week.

Bummer, although it happens. One of the reasons I stay with my current company and Terminal is thst even though they are a large carrier, they're very flexible, each terminal has its own discretion with much of the decisions.

I took two, almost three weeks off, my terminal manager said everything was fine and made sure no one disturbed my truck. Both my trucks I've had with them, she personally arranged for me to get as she knows my preference in trucks.

It sounds like you're a hard working loyal employee, it's unfortunate that your company can't work around the rules a bit.

That's no way to reward loyalty in my opinion. With the driver turnover rate so high, I'd imagine they'd want to make concessions for drivers that have been loyal to the company for as long as you have.

Maybe you can go to a higher link in the chain of command. If your fleet manager doesn't have the authority to approve your vacation while your truck sits idle, perhaps someone higher up can.

Sounds to me like your DL don't really want you gone for 2 weeks, since you're a hard worker/earner. Bet he loses a bit of earnings as well while you're gone? hmmmm.....Sounds like you deserve this vacation, regardless TCB

Not related to trucking, but employers. My brother's been a slot mechanic in Laughlin Nevada, for 30+ years now. In his earlier days working at the Colorado Belle,(13+ years) he accrued LOTS of time off....He didn't take vacations much either. So 1 year, he wanted to get his time off pay owed, but keep working. They declined, said that would be considered "Embezzlement" hmmmm

He works at the Tropicana now for buncha years. Hell in 2014 he was having chest pains at home, I called EMTs they told him he needed to go to ER NOW! He refused, because the next day (Friday) he was the solo tech on duty. Well, he comes home Saturday morning, more chest pains,and worse than before. I take him to the local ER.

Within 10 minutes, they reel him into surgery like NOW! They put a stint in thru the groin to 1 of his main arteries for blockage. He had a 2nd 1, within 2 years time. Clogged arteries are what killed his father (my step dad) back in 1997.

When our mom was sick, diagnosed with cancer, he used up his saved up time off at the Trop job to run her all over for medical stuff, before she died, 6 months later in July 2012.....Sorry for the novel :(

It can be pretty standard in a MEGA, to require you to turn in your truck during an extended break. When my mom had a stroke in January, my ETA for return was 10 days, but wasn't 100 percent set in stone. I emptied everything that I wasn't prepared to lose/replace into a storage unit/rental car, and drove away. The company makes zero money with the truck sitting. I get it. It's a pain in the butt and a hassle, but at the end of the day, it's their equipment, their policy.