Repple Depple

So, we now haul freight on some runs. One of my former runs was a on-way Mail route (one of the P.O.’s grand “genius” ideas) and now, after many years, we are hauling freight back. NOT even my run anymore… And sure, I understand it. Makes sense, but alas, they (guys now managing it) have no one there and ends up, MY guys have to deliver it >:-( My one guy normally can do it, he likes it and the money (he’s ALL ABOUT MONEY), but on Mondays, he’s off. EVERYONE needs a day off. Everyone. My two relief drivers don’t want to do it because:

1. They’re both over 70 years old
2. The other day, my young driver had to unload furniture (not to happen again)
3. They get paid differently than on Mail… less as they don’t get the health and welfare part that Mail pays.
4. Did I say they were both over 70? 74 and 73…

Now, both of these older guys also don’t like each other and feud like my two dogs, wildly mad over some perceived insult or that one might get away with more than the other. What they don’t get is that this WILL happen and since they won’t help w/ the freight, then they WILL alternate on Sunday so my young driver can be off. Not a “maybe” or a “might” a “WILL DO.” Ya gotta love people.

Don’t get me wrong, these guys are both really good guys, hard workers etc. but they have this perception of the job and unfortunately, that job has changed 🙁 Not my fault, not my desire, but we have to deal w/ it. Still, their feuding is going to end up costing one or the other, their job. I don’t think they realize just how hard that will be. In today’s world, most companies will not hire older workers. My Dad had to deal w/ this after he retired. They don’t say it, but companies will not hire older workers. Age discrimination does exist. Here, we have them, they do a good job. Mainly because these runs are low intensity. I doubt it would work on one of my NJ runs at night, w/ a 3-4 hour layover. Those are rough on younger guys. I don’t have a solution, other than trying to explain to them. AND, if one quits, the other will have to take up the slack. What about when the younger guy goes on vacation?? SOMEONE will have to do the freight. Maybe rotate and do in AM other guy do Mail in afternoon, I don’t know.

Why Freight Hauling Sucks Shit

I detest freight. Delivery places treat drivers like shit “You’ll have to wait 4 hours” and shit like that. In our case, the answer is “We have a Mail run after this — if you won’t unload, we are leaving and you can reschedule your product another day.” Hasn’t quite come to that harsh an answer, but it’s there. All y’all wonder WHY there are so many truck accidents — this is part of it, shippers delaying drivers (most of whom get paid by the MILE, vs. by the hour) and the drivers trying to get caught up. Also, they not only don’t usually get paid while they’re cooling their heels at these places, they also are “on duty” which means they HAVE to log off 14 hours form the time they logged on, no matter how man hours they have driven, nor even if they’ve had a 4 hour nap. No. 14 hours, off duty. Used to be you could take and push your time out w/ a break but stupid, dumb-ass politicians and lawyers and dumb mothers-against-truckers_driving or whatever screwed that up. Hell, get this: for teams, you used to be able to do 5 and 5 forever. Worked well — 5 hours and you were off. Guess what… NOW you have to drive 10-11 hours before that can happen. Pretty bright huh? These are the dumbshits that are causing accidents and killing people. Know-it-all (well, know-NOTHING) “experts” get it wrong EVERY time. They pass laws, then there are huge court cases over this. Why can’t there be any common sense? WHY? Anyway, this is why the industry is screwed. Worse than that because there is already a driver shortage and it’s getting worse. Plus the new CSA system is weeding out scumbag drivers and there is no replacement. Young people are not coming into the industry. Old shitty, big, mongo freight hauling companies (whom I will not mention here) take new people and work the shit out of them, paying them peanuts to live on the road — not coming home, but MAYBE once a week, IF they are lucky. New people don’t want that — they want a life. Companies don’t care. Really, they act like they do, but the answer from “on-high” is “If they don’t like it here, get rid of ’em.” Sure. Where will we find another driver? This ain’t the ’80’s. The driver shortage is real and getting worse – good drivers can pick and choose and ya know what, they are increasingly picking not to drive for scumbag companies. C’est La Vie!

The Good News

Driver wages will surely go up as these companies will not be able to hire drivers to run stuff. Even w/ hiring new drivers, their accident rates will go up, as will maintenance costs. D’OH! I foresee a time not to far off where drivers will be making $50. an hour and owner operators, maybe $100. — well they should. Sure, your groceries will cost more. Got a better solution? Drivers deserve health benefits too. Cheating them on their pay is getting harder too with on-board log and monitoring computers (though they still find ways to do this) and someday, maybe trucking will be a decent profession again.

Ice

Yeah…. today, is freezing rain. Gott sei DANK it happened today, on my day off. What a mess. A kid spun out and got stuck right by my house. His buddies were trying to pull him out w/ an ATV, but that didn’t work. I wandered over looked and went and got Blue. They had a come along and w/ that, I had her in 4-lo and didn’t even gun it, just tightened up the cable and out he came. Peoples done wonders why ah gots me a foah wheel drives now. :-p

Trips Today and Saturday’s Unpleasantneß

Current weather radar (1.23.2012 -- Happy Birthday Erin and Ericka!)

I have one run out and going. I am sure they will salt the Pike and highways. The snow sure made things out of whack — mainly out in the Midwest. They were all WAY late the other night, then when it got rolling, there was a neat tanker accident right into Pennsyltuckey. Finally getting all those runs straight.

Anyway, here, to the left, is a radar from my phone a little bit ago. Sorry the text here touches the caption frame, but I couldn’t figure out how to rem that. Ever the A-R layout dork, I am! 🙁 So… it looks mainly just rain, so he’ll probably be alright. We hope. Now, I know, someone is going “But Marsh, you are an evyil, icky bastard to send out trips in this weather.” My answer is: “Doofus, ‘Through rain, through sleet, through dark of night’ AIN’T a marketing gimmick… it’s what we do.” How the HELL do you think you get your Mail on time? Fed Ex and “Buster Brown” (UPS) do it too. Don’t be naive.

Tech Thought

As a side note: ain’t technology grand? I love the weather radar on my phone and Weatherbug seems to do it really well. Okay, the ads kinda suck, but I have read their “pro” version is real buggy, so I will stay with this one. Koonta seems to like Weather Channel, but I haven’t had the joy with it.

Damn, it’s almost 2PM, where did my ONE day off this week go? I am not counting the day I had my tooth yanked as that was not particularly fun. Days off should be lounging around in the official uniform of the Internet (your underwear) and surfing or web building or facebooking or… whatever. Damn, wish I had money for a pizza (ha-HA, I could make ANOTHER driver go out in this weather).

Ende