R&L | Mechanics

grease money

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I'm new to this forum stuff. Was wondering how the mechanics are treated at their shops?? Been getting pretty picky lately at our shop and starting to get old!
 
My guess is that it is probably the same eveywhere.Speaking from a drivers point of view,you will never be able to do enough fast enough to please this bunch running the show right now.May just be the times we are in right now.Keep your head up and sooner or later things will change for the better,hopefully,or we are going to go down an ugly road noone wants to travel.
 
Hopefully things start to turn around. With this DOT blitz around the corner this week is going to be hell in our shop. Everytime this comes around we have alot of equipment out of service. If these issues were addressed properly during the PM inspections we wouldn't have this problem. I take pride in what I do and try to keep the equipment safe for the drivers. Hearing the words " good work " goes a long way with me, but that rarely happens. Look that equipment over well and be safe!
 
I understand what you are saying but i can't tell you how many times i have written stuff up that they just refuse to take the time or spend the money to fix.The only way to get them to fix something sometimes is to get the problem caught on an inspection and be put out of service.Funniest part is when they try and blame the driver for not catching it on a pre-trip,and when you show them the inspection book where you have written it up for a month then all of the sudden its "Oh we must have missed that one".
 
I know how that whole situation goes. It's hard to get to every single thing that's written up. It's one thing to down a truck for repairs, but when your TM is calling and asking why there aren't enough trucks on the line, you basically give them out if the repair is minor. I've been down this road alot and the point you made is very true. There is alot more that goes on in a shop then you might realize. The point i'm trying to make is that it's hard to keep up with everything that's going on. There are times when it's not bad at all, and other times when you can't seem to get something fixed without something else breaking. I guess it's just part of it.
 
It comes down to whether a driver wants to risk loosing his tractor for a repair or risk it and maybe end up with it written up in a roadside check and loosing points.The reality of the CSA2010 rules is that it shouldn't leave the yard till its fixed but the TM cries and some wrench turners are less than motivated and if you happen to have a decent truck and don't want to end up it junk for a week.The ifs go on and on.
 
Bottom line.... A mechanic never removes and out of service tag until repairs are complete.
However, and I've seen this countless times, the TM will make the call of whether it is a safety or DOT defect.... And just how many TM's have a CDL????
Pretrip by drivers are more important now than ever before. Besides, no terminal is ever without trucks,,,rentals,,, just no TM wants the charge taken from their bottom line.
And who is it again who makes a final call as to whether a unit is fit for the road....think about it guys. It is the driver,,, not the TM....
 
Over all, the shop at my home terminal takes good care of my equipment, i think with the new CSA 2010 rules they are
getting alot more DVIR's turned in because drivers are looking their equipment over more closely . The mechanic at my terminal
is getting the high priority or safety related items first and then catching the smaller items through out the week.
Over all i think the equipment at my terminal is maintained well , the shop is doing the best they can, sometimes it can not all
be done over night, but they do catch it in the next day or so.
 
grease money, all i can say is watch your back and never put away your resume, at least not for this company......if u wanna know the truth about how it is working for this company, punch in rl carriers on your browser and scroll down to Working at R & L Carriers - Reviews of Jobs at R & L Carriers

lot of mechanics left this joint over the years cuz it wasnt worth it. just ask the former nj shop foreman and ne regional manager. come to think of it, what happened to those guys and whos the new regional guy.......not that i give a :shit:t......just curious.

good luck.
 
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grease money, all i can say is watch your back and never put away your resume, at least not for this company......if u wanna know the truth about how it is working for this company, punch in rl carriers on your browser and scroll down to Working at R & L Carriers - Reviews of Jobs at R & L Carriers

lot of mechanics left this joint over the years cuz it wasnt worth it. just ask the former nj shop foreman and ne regional manager. come to think of it, what happened to those guys and whos the new regional guy.......not that i give a :shit:t......just curious.

good luck.

Gearhead- Phi shop foreman took the regional job and JC resigned and told management to go "f themselves.
 
I've been thinking about leaving for a while now. The guys who actually work (like myself) are the ones who get no praise. The guys who don't do crap and kiss ass get all the glory. I get sick of it and one day I suppose it's gonna blow up and come out. I've talked to a few of the guys in different shops and have had mixed reactions throughout. I've heard the STL shop guys are getting tired of some things that have been going on around there, which sucks because (most) of those guys are good workers.
 
The STL guys are good guys. I make sure and tell them that
Everytime they fix my truck or do anything for me
I think the mechanics take alot of heat for guys
Not writing stuff up our drivers are bad for not writing
Anything up because they don't want there truck down
I would rather find a truck than sit beside the road
Or cet caught by DOT just keep your head up
It's what you make of it
 
dagg, f Eddie B, i always had a feelin he would want that position, hes a good man, but then again ive seen this pattern before......mechanic to shopforman to regional manager to the streets, all within a few years........so i guess sometime next year ill probably see a add on careerbuilder for a new regional manager.....ha ha. so whos the new forman at nj shop? one of the mechanics that been there a while? cuz u might as well tell that new forman hes gonna be a regional manager next summer......lol

oh and grease money, rl aint the only company thats paying well. believe me, there are several others that paying same or close to rl's pay scale and are paying ot.....which means time and half; rl has erased that phrase from their vocabulary......lol
i been working ot since early june and continuing till late oct......goes on like this every summer at my company and been racking up 10 hrs+ on top of my regular 40 hrs. and just to give u an idea, its 35 and change an hr after my 40.

beat that rl..........


oh and btw, we got sick days,personal days and 401 .............................

good luck again and also to the new regional and shop forman and to the next and next and the next........etc,etc,etc........
 
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If the inspection book is signed off by a mechanic make sure the problem was fixed. I've heard of some mechanics signing off and the work not being done! Not sure if this is their ticket out (getting fired) or they are being told by upper management to save money and only fix what's required by DOT.
 
you are somewhat right fubar, about the dot stuff and save the rest for later. sometimes i heard "maybe the driver will forget about it"

and about the tickets not getting signed or get fired, fired is a harsh word, lets just say penalized........for doing the right thing.
 
Right now there is no foreman at PHL. Mickey D. is handling both jobs. I had applied for the position, but was turned down because I had "turned down the position of shift lead man". I guess they dont want some one with 20+ years of management experience in that position.
And no one else in the PHL shop wants it either.
 
Right now there is no foreman at PHL. Mickey D. is handling both jobs. I had applied for the position, but was turned down because I had "turned down the position of shift lead man". I guess they dont want some one with 20+ years of management experience in that position.
And no one else in the PHL shop wants it either.

How ya been Frank, Remeber only yes men apply, things went sour when I blew the bullshit whistle. The company needs to realize the North East is very different from the rest of the company. You are way to busy. We could always use good Tractor and trailer Mechanics were I am at they pay good salary and time and a half, 5 personal days after 90 days and vacation is 1 year 1 weekm 2 years 2 weeks, 3 years 3 weeks, also the shop is just a nice if not cleaner than the PHI shop and we have all the wheel lifts and special tools needed, unlike R@L who refuses to get you the tools you need:clappy:. I am bringing more home now than when I had the big salary and have lots of free time.
 
hey, f eeddie b, are you the Regional that was "steeling the scrap steel" or the other Regional that "cussed everyone out & caused so many issues in the NE". You & Gearhead forgot to add that to the resumes of the Regionals that are gone. The mechanics are accountable for their repairs. No one MAKES them sign anything off. Sometimes they try to beat the system & get caught. Shame on them.....they will get caught. If you do poor work, it will catch up with you. If you do great work....the drivers,staff & everyone will notice & realize you are very valuable to the company. If you start trouble, get lazy, sorry you will be counciled. Can't come to work & lay down.
 
dagg, f Eddie B, i always had a feelin he would want that position, hes a good man, but then again ive seen this pattern before......mechanic to shopforman to regional manager to the streets, all within a few years........so i guess sometime next year ill probably see a add on careerbuilder for a new regional manager.....ha ha. so whos the new forman at nj shop? one of the mechanics that been there a while? cuz u might as well tell that new forman hes gonna be a regional manager next summer......lol

oh and grease money, rl aint the only company thats paying well. believe me, there are several others that paying same or close to rl's pay scale and are paying ot.....which means time and half; rl has erased that phrase from their vocabulary......lol
i been working ot since early june and continuing till late oct......goes on like this every summer at my company and been racking up 10 hrs+ on top of my regular 40 hrs. and just to give u an idea, its 35 and change an hr after my 40.

beat that rl..........


oh and btw, we got sick days,personal days and 401 .............................

good luck again and also to the new regional and shop forman and to the next and next and the next........etc,etc,etc........

Sounds like you have it so good "gear head". Your making so much $$$. I'm surprised you have time to sit on hear & bragg.You should be counting your $$$, yeh...right. You are so cool....hiding behind your lap top, you borrowed. man, we are so glad your doing awesome. Please go to your companies site & bragg. No one cares about your BS.
 
Sounds like you have it so good "gear head". Your making so much $$$. I'm surprised you have time to sit on hear & bragg.You should be counting your $$$, yeh...right. You are so cool....hiding behind your lap top, you borrowed. man, we are so glad your doing awesome. Please go to your companies site & bragg. No one cares about your BS.

guess big cheese ate a bad swiss cheese today.........lol
 
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