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XPO | 2012 Truck Driving Championships What A Waste

beingpissed on said:
2012 Truck Driving Championships What A Waste, yes it is; nothing but a big waste! Just propaganda for the public and companies just patting themselves on the back. It is a ton of corporate waste!!! walken 1414, if you want to go to these fixed festivities I really think a guy should pay his own way! A true Championship Driver, is someone that can run through Chicago,Detriot, or Cleveland during rush-hour with a set at night during a blinding snow-storm with blowing winds at 35m.p.h and not scrap paint! Doing all of this night after night and NOT expecting anything more then the paycheck! No pats on the back, just money for time spent... Man those were the good old days before we got all these new crying truckers that want everything given to them...
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Snoman said:
You say that now,BUT how many times when you worked for Con-Way did you call central and tell them you were not running because of the snow????????Exactly..Theres nothing Cowboy about driving in the snow,ice or any other condition...Just part of doing this job..It comes with the territory and if drivers cannot handle it,then im sure McDonalds would be willing to hire them....
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slim66 said:
Its called living in the Midwest and Great Lakes area. If you lived up here you would spend a lot of time parked on the side of the road hoping for dry roads and sunny skies.
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35 mph winds in a blinding snow storm...that qualifies as a blizzard.

BLIZZARDS

Driving in a blizzard during rush in any one of the above named cities (or any other for that matter) is pure lunacy and downright dangerous. Any company putting their drivers and the motoring public in a such a potentially devastating position doesn't belong in any business that operates any type of commercial vehicle.

I stand by my assessment.

Times are changing...the government and the anti-truck driver crowd are out to regulate this industry and reign these 'killer' truck drivers. It is politically popular and makes for good news copy. When an accident occurs involving a commercial motor vehicle the driver is always scrutinized...by the law...the media...and the public. There are always pictures of the large truck and the small passenger vehicle...Jack and the Giant of the Beanstalk...and they believe the giant must be tamed.

Any company not getting a firm understanding of this mentality is just looking for difficulty. It will be just a matter of time before it gets out of hand. The peeps in LH cannot adequately judge the local weather conditions from hundreds of miles away...thus the recent changes allowing the local management to make the call.

And to answer the post regarding living 'here'...I do live 'here'...right smack in the middle of the Great Lakes area. I have had my share of any type of winter weather you can think of and don't care for any of it. Like the post said, it is part of the job. I simply prefer to put my family's future and the safety of others ahead of any company's directive given by people who can't perform the job...go home every night in their personal vehicles having no clue as to the dynamics of operating a commercial motor vehicle...but are more than willing to hand out ridiculous punitive measures when things go awry. Willing to ruin the career of any driver at any time for the sake of avoiding government intervention as per the directives of the CSA.

Times are changing.

Rat
 
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Aggressor said:
I agree,it is a big waste of $$$$$ & blacks out time when people want a vacation with their family.
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No it doesn't. it is less than 1% of the working days per year.

Everyone know these days are going to be blacked out. If they refuse to work around them that is their own fault.

Is Con-Way still blacking out the last week of every quarter?...if so, that is 20 days per year as opposed to two days for the TDC.

I assume the post isn't trying to schedule vacations during these times being aware of this.

The post's point is moot and ridiculous.

A waste of $$$$?...I hope the post is not under the assumption that if the company didn't spend the monies on the TDC they would be willing to give it to the employees.

Not gonna happen!

Rat
 
Merdock said:
who gives up 2 days of wages? Even the line-haul guys get an average of what they would normally make. They miss Thursday and Friday night runs and get those two days paid at an average of their daily pay. I know Indiana limits each company's participation but Michigan is kind of a "run what-cha brung" state. In Michigan you may get asked to move to another class just to help cover all of them. It was pretty cool seeing a uniformed Con-Way driver at the wheel of a UPS package car.
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Not this year, you do it for free, got to save the company more money.
 
Rat said:
No it doesn't. it is less than 1% of the working days per year.

Everyone know these days are going to be blacked out. If they refuse to work around them that is their own fault.


Rat
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Excuse me for wanting to do something other than hangout with a bunch of truck drivers, I guess it is my fault that I don't want to be at the TDC, I have a life outside of this job. I don't need any pat on the back or a trophy, my prize is making it home everyday to see my family not something I earn in a "parking lot". Your precious TDC will never be more important than my family so you can stick it.
 
Aggressor said:
Excuse me for wanting to do something other than hangout with a bunch of truck drivers, I guess it is my fault that I don't want to be at the TDC, I have a life outside of this job. I don't need any pat on the back or a trophy, my prize is making it home everyday to see my family not something I earn in a "parking lot". Your precious TDC will never be more important than my family so you can stick it.
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Where is the like I button when you need it?
 
walken1414 said:
Look I guess this is the bottom line. If you want to give up 2days pay, pay your own way to state then go for it. I know soime states limit the number of drivers, however this year conway has set the buget as low as 7000.00 for some states, less than half of what it has been in the past. If conway can make 100 million in profit I think they can afford to do the tdc right. Every year at the nationals the quality of events has gone down hill. Now it did'nt help a few years back when they wanted as many drivers as they could get, because all they got were drivers who wanted to have a vaction on the company and did'nt give a damn about the competion.
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I must assume 1 of two things, you are in the safety department and no of changes that haven't been announced (would explain why you know what the budgets are and have been) or you are full of BS and want to destroy the event. I may have an inside on the safety department and no for a fact that guys will be paid as always been done, and the numbers are not limited except for the stated that already limit guys. Budgets are similar to what was spent last year on the event. Special thanks to my safety guy for clarifying.
 
I would no sooner do this stupid truck rodeo than I would jump off a cliff! Call me crazy or whatever you want but I have several reasons I wouldn't do it.

#1. I see enough of that damn terminal during the week while they're actually paying me to be there let alone go to these stupid practice days that are supposedly mandatory that are not even at my terminal they are at the damn Norcross terminal an hour away and not get paid for it!
#2. There is a guy at my terminal that won the stupid pup class (come on who cant drive a freaking pup) for the state not even the nationals 4 damn years ago and because he won he has this attitude like he's a real truck driver when in reality he's the laughing stock of most of the drivers and has been fired from most all the other freight company's
#3. I don't see the point! I have only been driving for 5 years I've drove through snow, ice, blizzards, tornadoes, and hurricanes I have over 350,000 accident free miles driven in almost every major city in the USA including countless trips through new york city have never so much as scratched a trailer and in my 2 and 1\2 years at conway have only brought back 2 shipments because I couldn't get a 53 ft trailer into the place and it had to be delivered in a pup my dispatcher knows if he gives it to me it WILL get delivered. So somebody please please PLEASE tell me how in the hell driving around a bunch of cones means I'm a good driver...it don't mean jack!
#4. There is a guy that runs line haul from another terminal and he comes through our place every now and then to pick up a load and he can back his doubles to the fence between 2 other trailers and he wins a lot so he has to switch classes all the time and I don't want to be against him...I mean this guy is GOOD!
So yea I have my reasons to just enjoy my weekends and not worry about driving through cones just to make conway happy big freaking deal
 
Aggressor said:
Excuse me for wanting to do something other than hangout with a bunch of truck drivers, I guess it is my fault that I don't want to be at the TDC, I have a life outside of this job. I don't need any pat on the back or a trophy, my prize is making it home everyday to see my family not something I earn in a "parking lot". Your precious TDC will never be more important than my family so you can stick it.
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jrandolph1686 said:
I would no sooner do this stupid truck rodeo than I would jump off a cliff! Call me crazy or whatever you want but I have several reasons I wouldn't do it.

#1. I see enough of that damn terminal during the week while they're actually paying me to be there let alone go to these stupid practice days that are supposedly mandatory that are not even at my terminal they are at the damn Norcross terminal an hour away and not get paid for it!
#2. There is a guy at my terminal that won the stupid pup class (come on who cant drive a freaking pup) for the state not even the nationals 4 damn years ago and because he won he has this attitude like he's a real truck driver when in reality he's the laughing stock of most of the drivers and has been fired from most all the other freight company's
#3. I don't see the point! I have only been driving for 5 years I've drove through snow, ice, blizzards, tornadoes, and hurricanes I have over 350,000 accident free miles driven in almost every major city in the USA including countless trips through new york city have never so much as scratched a trailer and in my 2 and 1\2 years at conway have only brought back 2 shipments because I couldn't get a 53 ft trailer into the place and it had to be delivered in a pup my dispatcher knows if he gives it to me it WILL get delivered. So somebody please please PLEASE tell me how in the hell driving around a bunch of cones means I'm a good driver...it don't mean jack!
#4. There is a guy that runs line haul from another terminal and he comes through our place every now and then to pick up a load and he can back his doubles to the fence between 2 other trailers and he wins a lot so he has to switch classes all the time and I don't want to be against him...I mean this guy is GOOD!
So yea I have my reasons to just enjoy my weekends and not worry about driving through cones just to make conway happy big freaking deal
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Here is a typical example from two posts that clearly have absolutely no understanding of the intent and spirit of the TDC.

The competitions are not company oriented...never have been and never will be. These events are about the people...competing in a standard set of tests...written...pre-trip inspections...and a predetermined driving skills course. One person trying to best the others with the abilities and skills they have learned over the course of their their careers.

The company(s) foot the bill for the employees to attend the event...but that is where it ends.

I find it these posts disturbing. Some feel it is necessary to belittle and demean those who choose to participate. No one has ever been asked to abandon their families to participate...in fact many bring their families to the event at their own cost.

It humorous to note from these posts, those deriding the TDC and it participants, are full of self promotion and an obvious lack of self confidence in their professional skills. So much to the point the posts become abusive and intolerant of anyone choosing to participate. However talk is cheap...I wonder if the posts verbalize their feelings to the TM...RM...or the Regional Safety Manager...something tells they don't!

Obviously these posts are very unhappy with their chosen place of employment and lack the nads to change the situation. Perhaps it is time to move on...life is too short to be so dissatisfied.

'The King has No Clothes'...

At this juncture the point may be moot.

It might be a "casting pearls" thing.

Rat
 
jrandolph1686 said:
I would no sooner do this stupid truck rodeo than I would jump off a cliff! Call me crazy or whatever you want but I have several reasons I wouldn't do it.

#1. I see enough of that damn terminal during the week while they're actually paying me to be there let alone go to these stupid practice days that are supposedly mandatory that are not even at my terminal they are at the damn Norcross terminal an hour away and not get paid for it!
#2. There is a guy at my terminal that won the stupid pup class (come on who cant drive a freaking pup) for the state not even the nationals 4 damn years ago and because he won he has this attitude like he's a real truck driver when in reality he's the laughing stock of most of the drivers and has been fired from most all the other freight company's
#3. I don't see the point! I have only been driving for 5 years I've drove through snow, ice, blizzards, tornadoes, and hurricanes I have over 350,000 accident free miles driven in almost every major city in the USA including countless trips through new york city have never so much as scratched a trailer and in my 2 and 1\2 years at conway have only brought back 2 shipments because I couldn't get a 53 ft trailer into the place and it had to be delivered in a pup my dispatcher knows if he gives it to me it WILL get delivered. So somebody please please PLEASE tell me how in the hell driving around a bunch of cones means I'm a good driver...it don't mean jack!
#4. There is a guy that runs line haul from another terminal and he comes through our place every now and then to pick up a load and he can back his doubles to the fence between 2 other trailers and he wins a lot so he has to switch classes all the time and I don't want to be against him...I mean this guy is GOOD!
So yea I have my reasons to just enjoy my weekends and not worry about driving through cones just to make conway happy big freaking deal
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My guess is your affraid to find out your not as good as you think. By all means I do not mean that in a disrespectful way. But it's sounds like you have what it takes to be successful at these competitions. It's a weekend on con-way, you get to socialize with great people. It's a win win. In my opinion it's a reward for doing everything you mentioned above on a daily basis.
 
beingpissed on said:
2012 Truck Driving Championships What A Waste, yes it is; nothing but a big waste! Just propaganda for the public and companies just patting themselves on the back. It is a ton of corporate waste!!! walken 1414, if you want to go to these fixed festivities I really think a guy should pay his own way! A true Championship Driver, is someone that can run through Chicago,Detriot, or Cleveland during rush-hour with a set at night during a blinding snow-storm with blowing winds at 35m.p.h and not scrap paint! Doing all of this night after night and NOT expecting anything more then the paycheck! No pats on the back, just money for time spent... Man those were the good old days before we got all these new crying truckers that want everything given to them...
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The smartest thing I've read on here in alooong time.
 
All the guys that are talkin crap about the TDC are the same guys that say con-way doesn't do anything for them. But fail to take advantage of the stuff they do do.
 
Hey Walken!! what state are you from? I have not heard any of this in KS. Im trying to get a flatbed rented for practice, leaving it up to our TM(wait, he resigned) , our driver trainer... maybe I will get one again a week b4 competition.
 
It is every drivers choice to to compete in every states TDC if he/she is accident free for the last 12 months prior the TDC. I catch a little crap from drivers kidding around, but I do it for myself, not the company. They say I represent the company, I look at it as the company is representing me, sponsoring me etc,,,,, If you look at it as a waste then fine, keep on trucking safely and dont look down on your fellow brothers/sisters for want to better themselves and show some skills and knowledge. You support is greatly appreciated.
 
Amen,get alot of slack from driver's at OD.they say that is easy to do.Why should I compete.I tell them "Big Boy if you think it is that easy come on&show your stuff then"Easy"lol..I can say I do it for myself.yes,OD does take care of the one's that do it.But,it has made me a better driver.That's all that matter's to me.Good Luck..
toejam said:
It is every drivers choice to to compete in every states TDC if he/she is accident free for the last 12 months prior the TDC. I catch a little crap from drivers kidding around, but I do it for myself, not the company. They say I represent the company, I look at it as the company is representing me, sponsoring me etc,,,,, If you look at it as a waste then fine, keep on trucking safely and dont look down on your fellow brothers/sisters for want to better themselves and show some skills and knowledge. You support is greatly appreciated.
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jrandolph1686 said:
rat must be a terminal manager or has only ever drove for conway
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I see you are new to TB...

Do some reading of my previous posts and you see I am neither of the things you have suggested.

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It's an eastern thing....

Rat
 
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