SAIA | Mass Exodus

PistonRing83

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Well, it's happening, just like everyone has been saying it would for the last year or so. Drivers are quitting left and right because of the nanny-cams, insidious micromanagement and ridiculous rules that have taken over this company, and you really haven't seen anything yet, because there are still a TON of drivers that haven't been forced into camera trucks. It's only going to get much worse once they all are.

The big terminals like DLS, MPS and CGO are losing drivers almost on a daily basis. I also know of a couple medium sized terminals that have lost almost HALF of their total linehaul drivers in the last month or so. They have been begging for volunteers here to run linehaul to help get dozens of stranded loads moved down the line. Also have been asking for volunteers to run to nearby smaller terminals and help in the city because they can't find drivers.

Oh and don't forget in two weeks we will start moving freight in and out of the 4 new Northeast terminals. That will dump a HUGE amount of freight into the already massively understaffed system.

I can't say that I have ANY sympathy for this company after the amount of ridiculous BS they have thrown at us lately. Actions have consequences and anyone with even a shred of common sense would have seen this coming. Maybe upper management will pull their heads out of the sand soon, but I'm definitely not going to hold my breath.

Let's have a tally of how many drivers each terminal has lost recently. Here in CGO it's hard to tell because we usually have a revolving door of drivers anyway, but if i had to guess, I'd say at least a dozen or more have quit in the last month alone. How about everyone else's terminals??
 
Well, it's happening, just like everyone has been saying it would for the last year or so. Drivers are quitting left and right because of the nanny-cams, insidious micromanagement and ridiculous rules that have taken over this company, and you really haven't seen anything yet, because there are still a TON of drivers that haven't been forced into camera trucks. It's only going to get much worse once they all are.

The big terminals like DLS, MPS and CGO are losing drivers almost on a daily basis. I also know of a couple medium sized terminals that have lost almost HALF of their total linehaul drivers in the last month or so. They have been begging for volunteers here to run linehaul to help get dozens of stranded loads moved down the line. Also have been asking for volunteers to run to nearby smaller terminals and help in the city because they can't find drivers.

Oh and don't forget in two weeks we will start moving freight in and out of the 4 new Northeast terminals. That will dump a HUGE amount of freight into the already massively understaffed system.

I can't say that I have ANY sympathy for this company after the amount of ridiculous BS they have thrown at us lately. Actions have consequences and anyone with even a shred of common sense would have seen this coming. Maybe upper management will pull their heads out of the sand soon, but I'm definitely not going to hold my breath.

Let's have a tally of how many drivers each terminal has lost recently. Here in CGO it's hard to tell because we usually have a revolving door of drivers anyway, but if i had to guess, I'd say at least a dozen or more have quit in the last month alone. How about everyone else's terminals??
We haven't seen that here in DAL or GRL yet. That's not to say we won't lose some here due to the cameras but it will be very few. I can only speak about what I see personally. They have had no impact in turnover here. Maybe we have been more educated about them. I really can't say. But like you have said many times before. The difference in the North and South is very different. Maybe the North should come down here and see how it's done.
 
Well, it's happening, just like everyone has been saying it would for the last year or so. Drivers are quitting left and right because of the nanny-cams, insidious micromanagement and ridiculous rules that have taken over this company, and you really haven't seen anything yet, because there are still a TON of drivers that haven't been forced into camera trucks. It's only going to get much worse once they all are.

The big terminals like DLS, MPS and CGO are losing drivers almost on a daily basis. I also know of a couple medium sized terminals that have lost almost HALF of their total linehaul drivers in the last month or so. They have been begging for volunteers here to run linehaul to help get dozens of stranded loads moved down the line. Also have been asking for volunteers to run to nearby smaller terminals and help in the city because they can't find drivers.

Oh and don't forget in two weeks we will start moving freight in and out of the 4 new Northeast terminals. That will dump a HUGE amount of freight into the already massively understaffed system.

I can't say that I have ANY sympathy for this company after the amount of ridiculous BS they have thrown at us lately. Actions have consequences and anyone with even a shred of common sense would have seen this coming. Maybe upper management will pull their heads out of the sand soon, but I'm definitely not going to hold my breath.

Let's have a tally of how many drivers each terminal has lost recently. Here in CGO it's hard to tell because we usually have a revolving door of drivers anyway, but if i had to guess, I'd say at least a dozen or more have quit in the last month alone. How about everyone else's terminals??
You guys must have picked up a bunch of the ex-Conway management team. My condolences.
 
You guys must have picked up a bunch of the ex-Conway management team. My condolences.

I'm not sure whose corporate idiots we hired, but this is definitely the exact same thing that happened at Con-Way, and it's even worse in certain ways. At least following distance and lane deviation aren't camera triggers over there.

Just another round of the college educated fools thinking they are going to re-invent the wheel again...
 
This isn't about reinventing the wheel. This isn't about degrading a company that pays your bills guys. This is about evolving. We don't live in a perfect world with perfect drivers. We must evolve with the times. Conway had their share of troubles with DriveCam and so will we. But look at them now. A massive company that employees thousands. You can't please everyone. Managers ... Drivers ... Dock ... Office ... Sales ... We all get bad apples. You must have a system in place to cull the herd. Is this so hard to understand? You guys are professionals. Not everyone else is. Unfortunately we have to pay the price for all the idiots we have in our industry.
 
This isn't about reinventing the wheel. This isn't about degrading a company that pays your bills guys. This is about evolving. We don't live in a perfect world with perfect drivers. We must evolve with the times. Conway had their share of troubles with DriveCam and so will we. But look at them now. A massive company that employees thousands. You can't please everyone. Managers ... Drivers ... Dock ... Office ... Sales ... We all get bad apples. You must have a system in place to cull the herd. Is this so hard to understand? You guys are professionals. Not everyone else is. Unfortunately we have to pay the price for all the idiots we have in our industry.

Yes you're right, we are paying the price for the idiot management we have in the industry. This is what happens when drivers have no incentive to move up in the ranks anymore. I can remember even only a decade ago, a good percentage of the management teams at most of these companies were still former drivers. Now we have a bunch of kids with zero experience that can't understand why nobody's takes them seriously, and a bunch of older guys that resent us because we make more money than they do.

I've been told countless times how overpaid we are and how linehaul is nothing more than an expense to the company. I guess they are really going to hate us when they have to give out more raises to keep people! Bring it on!
 
Yes you're right, we are paying the price for the idiot management we have in the industry. This is what happens when drivers have no incentive to move up in the ranks anymore. I can remember even only a decade ago, a good percentage of the management teams at most of these companies were still former drivers. Now we have a bunch of kids with zero experience that can't understand why nobody's takes them seriously, and a bunch of older guys that resent us because we make more money than they do.

I've been told countless times how overpaid we are and how linehaul is nothing more than an expense to the company. I guess they are really going to hate us when they have to give out more raises to keep people! Bring it on!
I don't respect many of these college educated idiots but unfortunately I have to listen to them. I do respect ex-drivers in management however and we do have some. Like us they are caught in the middle and have to pay the bills too. I can't stand these punk ass kids just out of college telling me what I'm doing wrong. I've got a million plus miles of safe driving and they are telling me to fix what isn't broken. I don't mind an ex-driver telling me because he's paid his dues and understands the streets. And depending on who he is I can just tell him to go F-himself. I love my job and don't always agree with what goes on here. But my time is limited here with retirement approaching so I just accept things as they are.
 
I don't respect many of these college educated idiots but unfortunately I have to listen to them. I do respect ex-drivers in management however and we do have some. Like us they are caught in the middle and have to pay the bills too. I can't stand these punk ass kids just out of college telling me what I'm doing wrong. I've got a million plus miles of safe driving and they are telling me to fix what isn't broken. I don't mind a ex-driver telling me because he's paid his dues and understands the streets. And depending on who he is I can just tell him to go F-himself. I love my job and don't always agree with what goes on here. But my time is limited here with retirement approaching so I just accept things as they are.

I can't think of any management up here that has any driving experience whatsoever. There are plenty of older ones that have been in management from the get-go and they are the ones that are the biggest problem. Linehaulers might as well talk to a brick wall instead of taking their problems to those guys. There's a few that will flat out refuse to give you extra drop and hook or delay pay and will just tell you that you're overpaid.
 
I don't want to get in an argument with Train. I respect his go get 'em attitude, his desire to always be better, and his glass is always half full outlook on situations.

From his first posting on another thread, Train wrote, This is the best move for safety that this company has ever made. I know many hate DriveCam but if you will give it a chance you will understand it's here to protect you. Now, he writes that, A massive company that employees thousands. You can't please everyone. Managers ... Drivers ... Dock ... Office ... Sales ... We all get bad apples. You must have a system in place to cull the herd. Train went from the cameras protecting and helping the drivers to being part of a system to cull the herd. I think that even his glass half full attitude is starting to drain a little.

What's the truth? Everyone has an opinion and no opinion is wrong. From what I have heard on the gossip network, I think that Piston Ring's post, Drivers are quitting left and right because of the nanny-cams, insidious micromanagement and ridiculous rules that have taken over this company, is more right than wrong. A few years back, the company thought that it was a good idea to buy the International tractors. Since then, time has shown that it wasn't such a good deal. What I have heard is that, in the not too distant future, the Internationals will be gone. A questionable purchase plan and a easy solution, time to move on. In time, these inward facing cameras may be looked at as a mistake but I don't think that the solution is going to be as simple as turning them off. Qualified drivers, with multiple job opportunities, are harder to come by then tractors. In my opinion, the outward facing cameras are a good idea but the inward facing cameras are an International size mistake.
 
I'm with Dracula the outward was ok but the inward I can do without, if u really want to know how I'm doing come get in the truck with me as I drive down the road not behind a desk many miles away watching a camera. Behind the desk watching is war games in the truck going down the busy highway with me is live rounds and please don't take that comment out of context.
 
BRG lost 1 this week, and from my understanding the entire state of Florida has been losing guys at various terminals in the last year.
 
I think if the company say this year they can't afford to give a raise, then u will have sum really high exodus because sum drivers will feel like, so driver really is paying for the cameras in trucks if u look at it that way.
 
I don't want to get in an argument with Train. I respect his go get 'em attitude, his desire to always be better, and his glass is always half full outlook on situations.

From his first posting on another thread, Train wrote, This is the best move for safety that this company has ever made. I know many hate DriveCam but if you will give it a chance you will understand it's here to protect you. Now, he writes that, A massive company that employees thousands. You can't please everyone. Managers ... Drivers ... Dock ... Office ... Sales ... We all get bad apples. You must have a system in place to cull the herd. Train went from the cameras protecting and helping the drivers to being part of a system to cull the herd. I think that even his glass half full attitude is starting to drain a little.

What's the truth? Everyone has an opinion and no opinion is wrong. From what I have heard on the gossip network, I think that Piston Ring's post, Drivers are quitting left and right because of the nanny-cams, insidious micromanagement and ridiculous rules that have taken over this company, is more right than wrong. A few years back, the company thought that it was a good idea to buy the International tractors. Since then, time has shown that it wasn't such a good deal. What I have heard is that, in the not too distant future, the Internationals will be gone. A questionable purchase plan and a easy solution, time to move on. In time, these inward facing cameras may be looked at as a mistake but I don't think that the solution is going to be as simple as turning them off. Qualified drivers, with multiple job opportunities, are harder to come by then tractors. In my opinion, the outward facing cameras are a good idea but the inward facing cameras are an International size mistake.
It's here to protect the good drivers and get rid of the careless and irresponsible drivers.
 
Next time a desk jockey tries to tell you what to do, try this: very politely and without attitude (don't be snarky about it), as him/her to demonstrate for you so that you have a 100% clear understanding of the expectation. Without that understanding, there is too much left to interpretation and ambiguity. When they can't or won't honor your request, just be silent and walk away. The message will (hopefully) be clear: I won't tell you how to do your job and you are unqualified to tell me how to do mine. B
 
With all due respect, that approach is not going to work. The video has already been entered into the system and the coaching session has to happen. Whether or not, probably overwhelmingly not, the person doing the coaching is qualified is not a debatable issue. The coach must send an e-mail confirming that the session took place. If you refuse to take the coaching session, he must report that because his job is also on the line. Refusing to take a session is probably as bad as refusing a dispatch. Good luck with that.
 
With all due respect, that approach is not going to work. The video has already been entered into the system and the coaching session has to happen. Whether or not, probably overwhelmingly not, the person doing the coaching is qualified is not a debatable issue. The coach must send an e-mail confirming that the session took place. If you refuse to take the coaching session, he must report that because his job is also on the line. Refusing to take a session is probably as bad as refusing a dispatch. Good luck with that.
I go into coaching sessions with a positive attitude. They have never been condescending to me. I look at the video and explain what happened then they address what could have been done differently. They rarely capture a video on me because I'm very aware of the camera and I'm very careful in my driving habits. Hello, the Smith System. If you have been using the 5 keys for years you will rarely capture a video. I'm not perfect and I have been captured for following distance and a few other minor things but it is rare. Coaching sessions are no big deal for guys unless they keep repeating the same thing over and over. And then your just retrained and even then being terminated is the last resort even if you don't show improvement. Even with minor improvement you could keep your job. Could get a few days off to get your attention. The exception is being caught on an handheld device. You get one. The next one and your done. IMO you should be terminated on the first offense because it's illegal. No seatbelt is also a big offense. Look, just slow down and take your time and put safety first and you will be fine.
 
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I talked to a driver 2wks ago, he said they got 16 line drivers and 6 fixing to quit. He said 1 already have.

I know which terminal you're talking about and that's one of the ones that I was taking about in my original post. 4 have quit and two have given their notice a couple days ago. They have two others that are planning on giving their notice soon as well. The terminal manager there has basically had a nervous breakdown.

Hopefully this is enough to scare management into pulling their heads out of their asses with the micromanagement and stupid rules. I don't want to quit, but when I'm forced into a camera truck, things will get rolling if the BS hasn't been toned down some.
 
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I know which terminal you're talking about and that's one of the ones that I was taking about in my original post. 4 have quit and two have given their notice a couple days ago. They have two others that are planning on giving their notice soon as well. The terminal manager there has basically had a nervous breakdown.

Hopefully this is enough to scare management into pulling their heads out of their asses with the micromanagement and stupid rules. I don't want to quit, but when I'm forced into a camera truck, things will get rolling if the BS hasn't been toned down some.
That's what that driver told me the camera he said ok but it's the nick picky stuff.
 
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