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SAIA | No help !!!!

suicidejockey

suicidejockey

TB Regular
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When is this company going to take their head out of the sand and realize what they need to do to attract more drivers!!! 3 days out of the last week I have had to break apart sets that we’re all going to the same place just because one trailer in each set is extra hot because it has sat still too long due to not having enough help to move it on time especially when another run going to the same terminal leaves only 3 hours later. Good grief are we so behind that 3 hrs makes a difference on freight that is moved in the middle of the day !!! I don’t mind breaking down sets and doing what it takes to get the freight up the road on time but when it comes to a 3 hr window in the middle of the day meaning it’s going to miss service that’s ridiculous. FYI management people watching this the horror stories about the cb and Bluetooth ban has spread far and wide you can’t even go up the interstate without hearing other drivers talk about it. This is why you can’t attract drivers. This company is growing by leaps and bounds please don’t stunt its growth over such a ridiculous rule.
 
suicidejockey said:
When is this company going to take their head out of the sand and realize what they need to do to attract more drivers!!! 3 days out of the last week I have had to break apart sets that we’re all going to the same place just because one trailer in each set is extra hot because it has sat still too long due to not having enough help to move it on time especially when another run going to the same terminal leaves only 3 hours later. Good grief are we so behind that 3 hrs makes a difference on freight that is moved in the middle of the day !!! I don’t mind breaking down sets and doing what it takes to get the freight up the road on time but when it comes to a 3 hr window in the middle of the day meaning it’s going to miss service that’s ridiculous. FYI management people watching this the horror stories about the cb and Bluetooth ban has spread far and wide you can’t even go up the interstate without hearing other drivers talk about it. This is why you can’t attract drivers. This company is growing by leaps and bounds please don’t stunt its growth over such a ridiculous rule.
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Sadly the damage has been done. Truckers talk and it will be hard to undo the damage. The cameras within themselves were hard to sell but add the ridiculous Bluetooth policy and that’s a recipe for disaster. It’s been the worst single mistake this company has made since I’ve been here. It absolutely has destroyed driver morale and this hardline approach continues to be a thorn in their side as far as driver retention. Make no mistake. It’s a mistake because XPO never created such a ridiculous policy even with their heavy handed approach. And look at OD, FedEx, Estes, they don’t even have the driver facing cameras much less this ridiculous policy. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. Apathy is destroying SAIA’s full potential and it will continue to do so until they get rid of the Bluetooth policy. Enthusiasm and passion has been lost. And drivers will continue to exit in masses this summer to the competition.
 
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I agree with everything you guys have mentioned here. Saia likes wearing the blinders. But I seriously doubt they will relent and change the Bluetooth policy. I think the damage has been done and will only get worse. Management should probably start training themselves on how to break sets, hook sets, etc...so that they can help when needed (isn’t that really the role of a manager anyway?). As summer progresses, these issues will only become worse until something changes. The natural answer is to “hire more people.” But the market is so competitive, and information is so easily accessible, that Saia is going to only attract the lower end of the spectrum.
 
UPSF linehaul driver here. UPS has always had the reputation of being hard to work for with all our rules but what you guys are dealing with is far worse than anything I've dealt with in my 12 years here. Saia was a company I applied with years ago but if I lost my job today Saia wouldn't be a consideration unless they change their rules and stop the harrassment of drivers.
 
There is a certain person in my opinion that spearheaded the sleep apnea testing and the cameras. And we all know how the sleep apnea testing worked out. Any one care to venture a guess who spearheaded these campaigns?
 
Pooty tang said:
There is a certain person in my opinion that spearheaded the sleep apnea testing and the cameras. And we all know how the sleep apnea testing worked out. Any one care to venture a guess who spearheaded these campaigns?[/QUOTE
I don’t even think they are watching the sleep apnea stuff as close as they used to. I’ve went below my compliance level 3-4 times in the last two months and never heard anything from safety!! About a year ago I went below 70% and Karla called me herself and told me if I didn’t have above 70 in one week I was suspended. They have even changed the name of the company that handles it now it’s called SleepCharge not fusion but all of my supplies still come from 11465 Johns Creek pkwy Johns creek ga that’s right the same building aco is in and from what I hear from some southeastern drivers they don’t even have to do it anymore
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Smoke and mirrors. Honestly, Saia LH drivers really are short haul people. Is sleep apnea really an issue? You have set routes/runs and are allowed sufficient time to complete them (unless an outside force happens - accident, weather). And if you get tired, just pull over and take a nap. What is the issue here?
 
bigbuck said:
Smoke and mirrors. Honestly, Saia LH drivers really are short haul people. Is sleep apnea really an issue? You have set routes/runs and are allowed sufficient time to complete them (unless an outside force happens - accident, weather). And if you get tired, just pull over and take a nap. What is the issue here?
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One of the issues is the company wasted probably millions of dollars to test every single driver when they should have let it be caught in a DOT physical.
 
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suicidejockey said:
When is this company going to take their head out of the sand and realize what they need to do to attract more drivers!!! 3 days out of the last week I have had to break apart sets that we’re all going to the same place just because one trailer in each set is extra hot because it has sat still too long due to not having enough help to move it on time especially when another run going to the same terminal leaves only 3 hours later. Good grief are we so behind that 3 hrs makes a difference on freight that is moved in the middle of the day !!! I don’t mind breaking down sets and doing what it takes to get the freight up the road on time but when it comes to a 3 hr window in the middle of the day meaning it’s going to miss service that’s ridiculous. FYI management people watching this the horror stories about the cb and Bluetooth ban has spread far and wide you can’t even go up the interstate without hearing other drivers talk about it. This is why you can’t attract drivers. This company is growing by leaps and bounds please don’t stunt its growth over such a ridiculous rule.
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You know I have to say more of this is the lack of planning in ATL these guys and gals in central just don’t think ahead and it’s most likely due to how they are trained and less about it making sense I have this issue weekly and am always told we need to move the most bills or the hot freight regardless if another driver is leaving 15 minuets behind me or the fact that none of the freight will be worked or moved again until middle of the night in most cases since I’m running during the day but I’ve just come to the conclusion it’s one of those old adages that it’s above my pay grade
 
Steveo2486 said:
You know I have to say more of this is the lack of planning in ATL these guys and gals in central just don’t think ahead and it’s most likely due to how they are trained and less about it making sense I have this issue weekly and am always told we need to move the most bills or the hot freight regardless if another driver is leaving 15 minuets behind me or the fact that none of the freight will be worked or moved again until middle of the night in most cases since I’m running during the day but I’ve just come to the conclusion it’s one of those old adages that it’s above my pay grade
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Corporate will never admit anything they implement was a bad idea. They will just chalk it up to bad execution on the operation level. Seems like sometimes this company will walk over a dollar to pick up a dime.
 
Pooty tang said:
Corporate will never admit anything they implement was a bad idea. They will just chalk it up to bad execution on the operation level. Seems like sometimes this company will walk over a dollar to pick up a dime.
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Well I feel as of late the chiefs are controlling too much of what the Indians know and hear I’ve never been apart of a company that has a quote open door policy yet will go above and beyond to hide their interests and intentions at all costs that has been really shown in the HBG terminal move especially
 
suicidejockey said:
When is this company going to take their head out of the sand and realize what they need to do to attract more drivers!!! 3 days out of the last week I have had to break apart sets that we’re all going to the same place just because one trailer in each set is extra hot because it has sat still too long due to not having enough help to move it on time especially when another run going to the same terminal leaves only 3 hours later. Good grief are we so behind that 3 hrs makes a difference on freight that is moved in the middle of the day !!! I don’t mind breaking down sets and doing what it takes to get the freight up the road on time but when it comes to a 3 hr window in the middle of the day meaning it’s going to miss service that’s ridiculous. FYI management people watching this the horror stories about the cb and Bluetooth ban has spread far and wide you can’t even go up the interstate without hearing other drivers talk about it. This is why you can’t attract drivers. This company is growing by leaps and bounds please don’t stunt its growth over such a ridiculous rule.
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I came to work at Saia thinking it couldn't really be that bad. Well it was. Thankfully my previous employer welcomed me back with all my seniority back. Its a shame because Saia would be a great job without the heavy handed rules.
 
runawaytrain said:
One of the issues is the company wasted probably millions of dollars to test every single driver when they should have let it be caught in a DOT physical.
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Mine was caught on a DOT physical. My neck size was a 1/2 inch too big, whoop tee doo I thought, and the Doctor gave me a 3 month card to take the test and, if necessary, to not only start the treatment, and for documentation purposes, to be a month into it. Saia paid for the test, the equipment, and the ongoing follow up care.
I have to admit that the treatment works for me because I do sleep better. Sometimes the treatment is a pain in the ass but, If I had the chance to cancel the treatment, I wouldn't. I think that you would be surprised at the difference but you wouldn't know it until you tried it.
 
Dracula said:
Mine was caught on a DOT physical. My neck size was a 1/2 inch too big, whoop tee doo I thought, and the Doctor gave me a 3 month card to take the test and, if necessary, to not only start the treatment, and for documentation purposes, to be a month into it. Saia paid for the test, the equipment, and the ongoing follow up care.
I have to admit that the treatment works for me because I do sleep better. Sometimes the treatment is a pain in the ass but, If I had the chance to cancel the treatment, I wouldn't. I think that you would be surprised at the difference but you wouldn't know it until you tried it.
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I’m on the cpap and the company caught it with those mandatory test for every single employee including management. I do sleep better but at times I’d like to be cpap free for various reason. Many guys wore mouth pieces and because of that they were able to not get flagged in the mandatory testing. I only wish I would have gotten a mouth piece so I could had the option of not wearing it on certain days. I just sort of thought it was an invasion of my personal space. The DOT does a good enough job so IMO SAIA is once again being too pro-active and not being driver friendly just like with the ban on Bluetooths and CB’s. Don’t get me wrong on the cpap issue. They paid for everything but in that process I feel they invaded my privacy to some degree. Why not let the DOT do their job and not be so invasive? They spent money on something that they really didn’t have to and put guys on cpap machines that were borderline like me. I don’t think I have sleep apnea but it really helps with my sinus problems. I do know we lost some drivers over the cpap testing and that’s never a good thing. Many just quit because they refused to take the test because they felt it wasn’t SAIA’s place. It’s the DOT’s job.
 
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