SAIA | Can Dispatchers really couch you? WTH!

fief

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I just started a month ago in Dallas. I ran out my hours and was limpin along on hours coming on and off past few days. I needed a reset. One of the dispatchers told me on my way back into the barn to "come on back and lets get you a reset". I had no hours yesterday but gained more at midnight tonight but reset is not until 10am. Boom phone rings after midnight. The dispatcher yelled at me, and insisted I take a load right away since I have enough hours for it. I explain I am doing my reset and will be available at 10am so could take a load going out anytime after that. He says I'm useless to him and they "will just call me monday then". couching me. I like this company so far. I'm good at what I do with 10+ years of perfect records with my past company but I have got to say the dispatchers here border abusive. They seem to be a bunch of Aholes. a earlier in the week, I am out of Dallas and ran down to El paso on short hours. I had just enough to come back next day which I was told would happen. Then instead, I get a load put on me for 200 miles to AZ. If I take it I will be stuck with no hours next day stuck in a room for a reset there. I call central and ask if I have the hours. I didn't know yet how to check on the computer system and didn't know if central knew. I didn't refuse the load. I just sincerely asked the question. The guy hangs up on me, removed the load and writes up that I refused a load because the miles were short. Not sure what to think. If this is the culture here I don't think I want it.
 
I did not refuse. I was NOT told this on how it worked in training. I did not know where in the system to find the hours initially and simply asked them if it was something they kept track of or just me and where to find out. It's a completely different system then I've worked on before. AND Being told one thing by dispatcher, then being treated like crap and written down as refusing runs from just asking for clarity is a different ball game. There is no need to be rude. I'm not stupid. I'm trying to figure out the system. It's new to me. And my question wasn't answered, you just gave an opinion. Can dispatch couch you for 2 days out of anger because another said you could reset and I just needed a few more hours for it so I wouldn't keep running out of hours or not having enough. They already had to take me off 2 loads after I was assigned because I found out I didn't have enough hours. I was told it was Not my fault but dispatches screw up.Thankful for hours? Hell ya I am. For the past previous 3 weeks since getting out of the week of training, I had been lucky to get in 3-4 days of work and some were short runs. This last week I jumped on the weekend runs too to make up for the loss of income and ran out of hours and only had hours coming back on here and there. I would like to have taken as many loads as offered. I'm a workaholic and will take overnight runs 6 days a week, if it gives me the miles. Just trying to figure it out man and your reply doesn't help with the impression I am getting of the culture there.
 
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really Member "White""? post a real ahole response just long enough for me to read it via email then delete it so no one else on here sees it or allow a response?
Merely explained how to know where to find your hours and the daily addition of hours. Also said if you are available, dispatch is counting on you to run. Don't know if they can "couch you", I've never refused work. You've been here a month. I answered what I could. I did pull the post so as not to be rude.
 
I did not refuse. No, I take that back, I had to refuse 2 times when I did not have the hours to run. The first time I only asked a question about having the hours and the guy hung up on me and said I refused a load. They put 2 different runs on me after that in the past week I didn't have the hours for. I showed up assuming they knew the hours it took to do it and the hours I had on hand. I got there hooked up then found the hours didn't match. I didn't have the hours. but since I had arrived and hooked up I didn't get to reset. I was considered as have worked that day and was sent home to wait. They said It was not my fault, it was the dispatchers. So I had the strong impression they know your hours. I don't have time to check the hours it takes for the runs then my hours while they are on the phone with me do you? They want the answer yes, right then ad there. It happened a 2nd time 2 days later when again, I only had hours for a really short run after gaining those hours back from the week before, they assigned me a longer run I couldn't do. This time I caught it before I got in the truck. Once again, told it wasn't my fault. So The system doesn't tell them what hours I have? And then what did the dispatcher who told me I can come in and just reset due to these fragmented hours and problems with dispatching mean if I can't actually reset / do a 34 which I only needed a few more hours for when the dispatcher called today? I couldn't get an answer on that either. If a reset is not allowed and the other dispatcher was wrong in telling me that, then I would have come in no problem... If it was explained. Instead I get another angry hang up after he said I couldn't come in til Monday then since I "was no good to him" and put into the system I am on a "improper absence". I have never in all my trucking years been written up, sent home, hung up on and lied about. I am always professional, friendly and curtious Million+ mile accident free driver who rarely even took sick or vacations days and had always been consistently on the top leader boards working a harder job and am damn good at what I do. But not being able to learn the system or ask questions to learn the ropes at this company beyond the first week of training? not cool.
 
On the Vnomics log tap the Duty Hours tab ( Top Right ) and then tap table tab at the (bottom left).
This will give you your 7 day recap. The column at the far left add the On Duty & Driving Time together and this is what you will pickup at Midnight the following day. Hope this helps won't let me post picture?
 
On the Vnomics log tap the Duty Hours tab ( Top Right ) and then tap table tab at the (bottom left).
This will give you your 7 day recap. The column at the far left add the On Duty & Driving Time together and this is what you will pickup at Midnight the following day. Hope this helps won't let me post picture?
Thanks man. I did figure it out. I appreciate the reply and help
 
So today, I talk to the dispatcher who said I could take a reset. He said that dispatcher last night should not have called me, should not have talked to me like that and should not have put into the system I refused a run and was dinged points for improper absence. He said he had noted the day before I was approved for a 34 reset and marked what time I would be available and the guy ignored it. He can't take the improper absence off though. He also said every driver has the right to reset without harassment. He already had to go to bat last week for me for the idiot who claimed I refused a load, when all I did was ask a question about my having enough hours for the run. Nice work environment. Is this common?
 
So today, I talk to the dispatcher who said I could take a reset. He said that dispatcher last night should not have called me, should not have talked to me like that and should not have put into the system I refused a run and was dinged points for improper absence. He said he had noted the day before I was approved for a 34 reset and marked what time I would be available and the guy ignored it. He can't take the improper absence off though. He also said every driver has the right to reset without harassment. He already had to go to bat last week for me for the idiot who claimed I refused a load, when all I did was ask a question about my having enough hours for the run. Nice work environment. Is this common?

It can be, goes on a case by case basis. Got to your TM and ask them to get rid of that absence. Get HR involved as well. Don't take this lying down. A few years back, they began recording all inbound calls at central dispatch because drivers were abusive on the phone. That street can run both ways.
 
Working out of a big barn could mean that your work schedule is impacted by a local Central dispatcher. The hours information must be available, if they care to look, but some of these big barn local dispatchers are cranky and set in their ways. In my opinion, it is in your best interest to make their lives easier by doing whatever you can to help them use the least amount of effort, in determining how to use you for their greatest benefit. It's all about them. One way is to keep track of your available hours and what hours are coming back after midnight. When they call, you can supply them with accurate information, remember the cranky and set in their way opinion, and avoid any last minute pile reshuffling, which makes their job a little easier. Ask them what information, that they would want you to communicate to them early? Another way is that anything out of the ordinary, which makes you unavailable for them to use, such as an authorized stand down to reset your logbook , you call as soon as their shift starts and touch base with them. Anything that you can do to make their life a little easier is always a good thing. Remember, it's all about them. If you are in the system for a scheduled day, such as a vacation day, personal day, jury duty or whatever, you do not need to call because those days were authorized by another department and they can't touch those.

I agree with Jack Knife, I wouldn't let that improper absence stand. I would call Mark A and discuss the situation. Get his thoughts and then follow his advice. He will understand that you are new and still learning the system. The last piece of advice is to make sure that they can't see you flipping them off or hear you verbally abusing them, c'mon we've all done it, after they have made your life harder, while you were trying to make theirs easier.

I've always wondered, as Linehaul drivers, how much authority does a local TM have over us vs Central. If push comes to shove, who wins that fight?
 
I was always told that once your under dispatch from you domiciled terminal. Your working for central dispatch?
Central Dispatch has a bigger stick than your terminal manager if your linehaul personnel, just my observation.
 
For future reference, record your phone conversations with central. Gonna need proof when and if the time comes for action
GOOD ADVISE,RECORD YOUR CONVERSATION,when dispatch says they didnt say it,you can say saia records are conversations and i recorded yours,,with a smile,
 
I agree, call Mark and explain it to him. He's a decent guy and has always been fair with me. I'd also file a complaint with him about that dispatcher. If nothing gets done about it, call HR.
 
GOOD ADVISE,RECORD YOUR CONVERSATION,when dispatch says they didnt say it,you can say saia records are conversations and i recorded yours,,with a smile,
Most states have laws against recording a conversation without the other persons permission. Check your local laws and cover your butt....
 
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