SAIA | Philosophical/management changes?

I'm just wanting to start a new discussion here, hoping to get a diverse range of responses.

I have been pretty adamant on this site recently that I think there could or should be some degree of change in the way that managers of this company relate to, or treat, the people under their supervision. It has always been my philosophy that the greatest leaders are the ones who make their position clear without being obnoxious about it. You have to build a team in order to be successful - there really is no debating that point. But, and this is just my experience with Saia, all too often the voice of the "front line people" is all too often overlooked. I have used the mechanisms that Saia has in place for issues and conflicts, yet have not seen any results whatsoever. I can use the analogy of a football team: The coach (manager) is constantly seeking input from the players in order to better "manage" the game to achieve success. So when my manager tells me to "shutup" or "deal with it" or "if you don't like it, quit" etc...These are responses from someone who doesn't understand the goals of the organization, much less the tools that it takes to reach those goals. As driver's, we are preached and pounded on the Smith System. Perhaps its time for the company officers to start pounding the Smith System key of "get the big picture" to those that are chosen to wear the badge of management.

What are your thoughts?

Will never happen under Odell...I have seen tms like you describe terminated under the current leadership...

too bad they don't terminate my tm...they have made my life hell the last couple of years...

bigbuck said:

I'm just wanting to start a new discussion here, hoping to get a diverse range of responses.

I have been pretty adamant on this site recently that I think there could or should be some degree of change in the way that managers of this company relate to, or treat, the people under their supervision. It has always been my philosophy that the greatest leaders are the ones who make their position clear without being obnoxious about it. You have to build a team in order to be successful - there really is no debating that point. But, and this is just my experience with Saia, all too often the voice of the "front line people" is all too often overlooked. I have used the mechanisms that Saia has in place for issues and conflicts, yet have not seen any results whatsoever. I can use the analogy of a football team: The coach (manager) is constantly seeking input from the players in order to better "manage" the game to achieve success. So when my manager tells me to "shutup" or "deal with it" or "if you don't like it, quit" etc...These are responses from someone who doesn't understand the goals of the organization, much less the tools that it takes to reach those goals. As driver's, we are preached and pounded on the Smith System. Perhaps its time for the company officers to start pounding the Smith System key of "get the big picture" to those that are chosen to wear the badge of management.

What are your thoughts?

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This is a topic that could back me into a corner and have everyone calling me a suck ass ... Which I have been called more than once on many forums and blogs ... As a manager you have a job to do. A TM's job is much different from a dispatchers job. A regional managers job is much different from a TM's or dock supervisor for that matter. A CEO's primary job is to improve stock holder value. He can't just concern himself with day to day operations .... That's why he employees people to do that for him. Will breakdowns and mistakes be made along the way ... Absolutely!!! I'M NOT HERE TO QUESTION THOSE GUYS JOB PERFORMANCE . My job is to drive a truck. To drive my truck safely and concern myself with the safety of the pubic while in company equipment. The rest is out of my control. If I do my job correctly and within the rules of company policies I have nothing to concern myself with. We are all here as a team and at times errors in judgment will be made. Your analogy of a football team is a good one .... We are a work in progress ... Working on the common goal of winning. Nothing is perfect. Rick O'dell has done a fine job. He has directed this company to a record profit in the last quarter. Is there room for improvement ... Absolutely!!! When you look around this industry at the competition and compare what you have you just might find that we have very much to be proud of. You must not think that corporate doesn't care about making things better. They do ... We are a work in progress. We have come along way from the days Yellow and have made great strides UNION FREE to become one of the best LTL carriers in the business today. Be proud that you are part of that success.

See, I do agree with some of your comments. But. I do disagree with your stance on "i'm not here to question their performance". On the contrary: in a publicly held company, it's everybodys job to question. If you see what's wrong, try to make it right. And Rick Odell is a Financial guy. Period. Look it up. He started in STL and I guess the board decided to have the company run by a bean counter. That doesn't make him anything but a number cruncher. His numbers look good from the booming economy. What did he do in the "Great Recession" a few years ago? Lay offs. Great solution there... "It's not my place to sail the ship, the horn I cannot blow. It's not my place to say how far the ship's allowed to go. It's not my place to turn the wheel nor even toll the bell. But let the damn thing start to sink and see who catches hell."

I will have to say Saia is the best paying trucking company I've ever worked for ( pay, benefits, vacation ).
On the other hand Saia is the only company I've worked for that doesn't a suggestion box?
Either at the Corporate level or Local level?

One suggestion is that you not make suggestions about having a suggestion box. Remember, we are only good for driving trucks. That's it. Leave management to management. Never have an independent thought. Shut up...they don't want to hear it and will use it against you. It's like being arrested

bigbuck said:

One suggestion is that you not make suggestions about having a suggestion box. Remember, we are only good for driving trucks. That's it. Leave management to management. Never have an independent thought. Shut up...they don't want to hear it and will use it against you. It's like being arrested

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It is not like being arrested ... You are free to leave anytime you want.

Not a bad idea. I should just go on about my business, get dispatched, drive like 200 miles from the terminal, then call in and quit. They can figure out how to get the truck back...

bigbuck said:

Not a bad idea. I should just go on about my business, get dispatched, drive like 200 miles from the terminal, then call in and quit. They can figure out how to get the truck back...

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I think your kidding but if your not that wouldn't be a smart move .... Job abandonment would blackball you in this industry. If you feel the need to move on give a two weeks notice and say thanks for the opportunity but I have chose to go a different direction ... They would probably cut you loose early but at least you did the right thing ... Never burn a bridge in the heat of passion .... I think you know this but just in case ... Be careful ... The LTL world is a small community. And things get around ... Things are not that bad here when you look around at the competition and compare. You have a pretty sweet deal ... Remember Familiarity breeds contempt ... Don't play with fire my brother ... You could get burned.

With a national truck driver shortage, I'm thinkin the risk wouldn't be that huge. I've said my pieces.

bigbuck said:

With a national truck driver shortage, I'm thinkin the risk wouldn't be that huge. I've said my pieces.

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I would hate to see you go .... I can tell you probably have good skills ... But if your not happy .... You gotta do what you gotta do.

It's 99% because of the way that I get treated by my terminal manager. Absolutely no respect. Sad really...

bigbuck said:

With a national truck driver shortage, I'm thinkin the risk wouldn't be that huge. I've said my pieces.

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I think if you abandon a truck somewhere,that driver shortage wont be too short at similar LTL companies.Weve all probably felt like doing that,at one time or another.However,that would be one of the dumbest moves,I think a driver could make.I worked at Saia for about a year and it was kinda neutral for me,not terrible or great.

You guys are all correct, and I appreciate your thoughts. I'm starting to come to the realization than it might be better to take my talents elsewhere...I will have to weigh the pros and cons

Let me say one thing before I go away for awhile ... Everyone knows I'm anti-union from my comments in the Conway forum ... I know what the union brings to the table and for me it is simply not enough .... Many know my association with Joe Brock .... So I won't go there .... I've done this along time and in just a few years I will retire. The things I have seen in my 40+ years in this business would blow your mind .... Things you would never believe. Of all the things I've learned in this business the one thing that will always stand out is this .... The union can't save you from yourself .... You really have to stop and think about that one. If you do your job you will never need an outside party. Harwood Cochrane taught me that along with so many other things .... I am biased and that is a fact .... But it's much deeper than that .... No one could ever understand what I went through at Overnite. That's why it would be pointless to tell my story. You would have had to walk in my shoes. As I end my career at Saia I can only say that one of the biggest reasons I'm so proud to work here is because they are union free .... I would never work for a union company. In today's free market restrictive work rules would make Saia less productive and would not allow us to be competitive in pricing. And that's the bottom line ... At least for me .... I know many don't agree with me and that's OK ... You don't have to ... Like I don't have to agree with you. It's all in your attitude I suppose ... I'm grateful. I begin each day with gratitude for my opportunities and blessings. I'm just glad for the privilege of life and work. I work with the right motives. I will never bite the hand that feeds me. I follow the path of least resistance ... That path is union free.

runawaytrain said:

This is a topic that could back me into a corner and have everyone calling me a suck ass ... Which I have been called more than once on many forums and blogs ... As a manager you have a job to do. A TM's job is much different from a dispatchers job. A regional managers job is much different from a TM's or dock supervisor for that matter. A CEO's primary job is to improve stock holder value. He can't just concern himself with day to day operations .... That's why he employees people to do that for him. Will breakdowns and mistakes be made along the way ... Absolutely!!! I'M NOT HERE TO QUESTION THOSE GUYS JOB PERFORMANCE . My job is to drive a truck. To drive my truck safely and concern myself with the safety of the pubic while in company equipment. The rest is out of my control. If I do my job correctly and within the rules of company policies I have nothing to concern myself with. We are all here as a team and at times errors in judgment will be made. Your analogy of a football team is a good one .... We are a work in progress ... Working on the common goal of winning. Nothing is perfect. Rick O'dell has done a fine job. He has directed this company to a record profit in the last quarter. Is there room for improvement ... Absolutely!!! When you look around this industry at the competition and compare what you have you just might find that we have very much to be proud of. You must not think that corporate doesn't care about making things better. They do ... We are a work in progress. We have come along way from the days Yellow and have made great strides UNION FREE to become one of the best LTL carriers in the business today. Be proud that you are part of that success.

Click to expand...

Yeah your right , your a suckass!! Hate to te)l you but you worked for the worst company in ltl business now you have taken a tiny step forward. Have to give you credit though, you really can stick it out at some crappy companies. Guess your brown noser tendencies have served you well. Then again maybe not, if you didnt take so much crap from management maybe you wouldnt have stayed at those companies for so long.

I think its a man to man thing...you gotta earn the respect, or like of, from one guy with strings to pull..gotta have some backup..gotta network up to crack the next guy, kinda thing..If i can find some commenality or reason to actually like somebody important, its easy for me..Either way, I gotta have at least one person up high, and usually do..It hasnt gotton me a ton...But I have gotton what was gettable, and have escalated repairs and some operations functions by using my connection..I dont know man, you gotta be good, bold but respectfull and find a shotcaller you can talk to.....Theres one good guy, everywhere

Once you get one, you can talk poop and raise hell about other managers

There's the rub...I've earned the respect of people above my TM. In fact, I've had some "very well placed" people in the company correspond with me directly. And this is what perplexes me. Makes me think that the managers all have each other's back at all times, regardless of circumstance. That's fine, and probably not a bad thing per se. Unless there's an issue with the structure and function of said policy. Tough spot to be in, take my word for it.

Here is what I have learned over the past 12 years at saia the tm's most of them run their terminal like it is its own small businesses example (what happens at this terminal stays at this terminal) the first time I went out of town and worked a week in the city at another terminal that actually was operated according to company policy it was like night and day it was so much less stressful and so easy most of them make up their own rules and don't pay no attention to company policy until you turn them into HR . That's why the crooked ones despise Linehaul drivers because we get all the info and news that they try to keep from the city drivers back at our yard at my terminal we never see any of the daily or weekly safety topic sheets we don't get the drivers seat CDs unless us line drivers bring them from the other terminals if all terminals were run in a uniform manner things would be so much easier but as long as the tm's have their special few brown nosing pets that they have to cater to things will stay the way they are . On the bright side I think upper management has noticed this I seen a memo the other day saying the #1 objective this year is to cut the fat in the city operation . If the other terminals have the same kinda spoiled divas and drama queens who get coddled by the TM like they do at mine I can see how much difference it will make on the bottom line when this is all stopped. We have 6 city guys two of them get upwards of 50 -60 hrs a week the rest barely get 40 we have one who will pick up 4 trailer loads a day the rest do good to pick up one the two suck ass city drivers come in early and pick and choose what they want to deliver and put the rest off on the other guys sometimes they leave out with only 3-4 stops and the others are packed to the door and the TM just turns his head and don't pay no attention to it. The guy I share a truck with drags his feet all day (he is one of the pets ) some days he gets in 10-15 before my cut time he has told me he does this on purpose because he's mad because he had to go out of his way to do something and he wants to punish the dispatcher buy making the freight late CAN YOU SAY DIVA !!!! DOES THIS STUFF HAPPEN ALL OVER THE SYSTEM GOSH I HOPE NOT IF IT DOES I DONT SEE HOW WE ARE STILL IN BUSINESS!!!