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New Penn | sinle axle volvo's in service

As for the above quote .... each tractor is set to an approx. speed. Tires, and other factors can make the speed differential up to 2 mph, so the speed factor is a non-issue.
As for getting to 09 and missing that trip extension to Portland or Augusta, that is purely a matter of chance. It all depends on what trips are available ( completed and ready to dispatch ) and your time available.
That truck that runs around you and gets to 09 first is just as likely to get to Portland and the next guy could get to Augusta. Remember too, Augusta gets half as much freight as Portland. Contract issue ... in my opinion I don't see one.
 
Speed factor a non-issue? Then how about you driving my slow and extremely loud truck (Int'l), and I'll gladly take either a new Binder or Volvo which actually are set at 65mph rather than the 62mph mine is set at. It's not a non issue to me when my time is literally being wasted to the tune of maybe a half hour per night. 2.5 hr per week times 49 weeks per year = 122.5 hours. That is like working a full two weeks per year more than someone driving a 65mph truck...... FOR THE SAME EARNINGS! Sorry I'm a little PO'd over this, but there you have have it. All it takes is a little arithmetic to see how you get screwed by going as little as three mph less for every single mile you turn. I'll agree to some degree on the crap shoot into 09, but again, I'd prefer it to be just by pure chance rather than to faster truck. Over time, it will make a difference.
 
Cando said:
Speed factor a non-issue? Then how about you driving my slow and extremely loud truck (Int'l), and I'll gladly take either a new Binder or Volvo which actually are set at 65mph rather than the 62mph mine is set at. It's not a non issue to me when my time is literally being wasted to the tune of maybe a half hour per night. 2.5 hr per week times 49 weeks per year = 122.5 hours. That is like working a full two weeks per year more than someone driving a 65mph truck...... FOR THE SAME EARNINGS! Sorry I'm a little PO'd over this, but there you have have it. All it takes is a little arithmetic to see how you get screwed by going as little as three mph less for every single mile you turn. I'll agree to some degree on the crap shoot into 09, but again, I'd prefer it to be just by pure chance rather than to faster truck. Over time, it will make a difference.
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OK .... let me say this in a different way. How can you expect all the trucks to run at the same exact speed ? Tires play the biggest difference in the speed, old and worn tires will slow the unit down 2 mph. This I know for a fact, since I pass the same PA. contruction radar sign on the way into 03. With the old worn tires I hit 62 mph, with new tires the sign says 64 mph.
By the way, I am always passed by the Internationals since I drive a Mack. Don't complain about slow until you have had the pleasure of being assigned an old bulldog, with 700K miles, worn out spring suspension and a tired sagging seat. At least at 03 you will sooner or later get a newer truck, with air ride and a seat that should be in all the equipment.
At least at 03 you will get the chance to move into a newer model truck, which may have air ride, and those nice comfortable seats.
Those of us at 14 are stuck with old tired worn out hand me down tractors while every other terminal in the system gets NEW equipment.
But that's another story !
 
with all these tractors being moved around here in the last couple months and oldest units being pulled out of service, here at #03 we still are short on power units night in and out. with a/c thing haveing to be done by end of contract, i think, correct me if i'm wrong. we should have to buy any where from 150-200 new tractors just to keep up with what we have, and thats now, when we're supposed to be slow. not that i've been here for ever, but i remember peddling freight with no power steering. it's taken awhile to get to the air-ride level , and with units used in city and road at most terminals, think these improvements in equipment will come along faster than in proior years.
 
With all due respect to you flstc2000, I've driven one of the newest Binders for two nights on a tractor switch to the Hill(I'm a RDG man). And I'm here to tell you, when you get them up to speed, you immediately notice the speed difference. And it's not just what the speedo says, it's a seat of your pants feeling and an rpm feeling. Like the Maine trucks in 09, you can fool with the cruise and get three or four mph out of them. That's what it's like with these new tractors. I acknowledge what you're saying in regards to tires, but this is something a whole lot more fundamental than that, they are set at 65 mph for real. I feel for you guys in Philly. The Macks you speak of are our old ones from RDG. It's not right what they're doing to you guys, just as it's not right or fair that they send some guys 65 while others are left to toil at a slow 62. It really does come down to figuring it out on a calculator. OK I'm going to drop this whole issue now as it really isn't going to be addressed by anyone at NPME anyway. Take it easy, fellas!
 
Cando said:
With all due respect to you flstc2000, I've driven one of the newest Binders for two nights on a tractor switch to the Hill(I'm a RDG man). And I'm here to tell you, when you get them up to speed, you immediately notice the speed difference. And it's not just what the speedo says, it's a seat of your pants feeling and an rpm feeling. Like the Maine trucks in 09, you can fool with the cruise and get three or four mph out of them. That's what it's like with these new tractors. I acknowledge what you're saying in regards to tires, but this is something a whole lot more fundamental than that, they are set at 65 mph for real. I feel for you guys in Philly. The Macks you speak of are our old ones from RDG. It's not right what they're doing to you guys, just as it's not right or fair that they send some guys 65 while others are left to toil at a slow 62. It really does come down to figuring it out on a calculator. OK I'm going to drop this whole issue now as it really isn't going to be addressed by anyone at NPME anyway. Take it easy, fellas!
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Thats the bottom line,they act like you grew a third eyeball, and tell you its your imagination and I agree that what they do to you guys in Philly is a disgrace !!
 
Wow,,,1 or 2 miles an hour,,,, How fast do you have to drive just to get to the "Pickle" park first. You want to go to Augusta then buy Russ a coffee
 
Thanks Keith, you've added a great deal to the discussion. If you have a reading comprehension problem, maybe I'll understand. Worn tires can make for a 1 or 2 mph difference. That is clearly not the case here. It's the fact that they are set for a full 65 mph. If you don't care that you spend the equivalent of two full weeks a year longer behind the wheel, at the same pay, because of a slower truck, more power to you. As for me, I don't care to have my time wasted in such a manner.
 
Cando said:
Thanks Keith, you've added a great deal to the discussion. If you have a reading comprehension problem, maybe I'll understand. Worn tires can make for a 1 or 2 mph difference. That is clearly not the case here. It's the fact that they are set for a full 65 mph. If you don't care that you spend the equivalent of two full weeks a year longer behind the wheel, at the same pay, because of a slower truck, more power to you. As for me, I don't care to have my time wasted in such a manner.
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DITTO !!!!
 
Well keith, I have to concur that you added a great deal of insight to this discussion. Speaking as an employee from a terminal that gets new equipment, and really doesn't have any freight coming out of it to justify the number of road men you have, what was your motive for those comments ?
 
flstc2000 said:
Well keith, I have to concur that you added a great deal of insight to this discussion. Speaking as an employee from a terminal that gets new equipment, and really doesn't have any freight coming out of it to justify the number of road men you have, what was your motive for those comments ?
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Cheaper the contract ie. givebacks time ect. = more men, freight volume means nothing once your in the system !
 
the only reason for my comment was that all the whineing in the world about a couple of mph won't do anthing but give the big boys a laugh and pit one term against another
 
there has always been certain tractors that have gone faster than others before volvo's even got to npme, or newest cornbinders. or certain drivers were able to get more out of there trucks than other drivers could, no matter how hard you put your foot to the floor. how many times you pulled 30 bushel on your single axle while twin screw going to same terminal flew by with 8 bushel on. unless your getting screwed at a certain terminal mileage wise cause one truck faster by 2-3 miles an hour than another, think your hours of not getting paid verses fast truck thing isn't worth getting up tight about. really no differant than new england guys getting paid for all time-road drivers- and #03 giveing an hour a night before getting paid. figure that differance out yearly, im sure it comes up to more money than the 2 mile an hour deal.
 
Collective bargaining suggestions......... all terminal time paid, and all equipment set at 65 mph (no special settings for certain people and/or terminals). Some folks care about one thing, others care about something else.
 
tell me ,you dont really believe there are special truck settings for certain people or terminals do you? that would mean npme actually knows you versus being just a number. i know it sucks when your truck can't even pull 13 bushel up the highway without loseing 10 miles a hour on every little upgrade. but it is like that for alot of our trucks. just be glade that things are changing abit, like i said before, npme will need about 150-200 new tractors to replace what is being taken out of service. whether volvol's or int's , think you'll see newer trucks comeing your way soon enough. at least before you'll be able to retire.
 
allnightrain44 said:
tell me ,you dont really believe there are special truck settings for certain people or terminals do you? that would mean npme actually knows you versus being just a number.
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I meant to say we're out here in Reddawayland.
Believe it or not, we have the boldest, screwiest management I have ever encountered. We here in POR have the fine luxury of being lodged right next to the corporate office. Quote from the shop, "all Portland trucks will be set at 60 mph." Numerous other non-union terminals in our system all run at 65 mph. Now if that's not trying to breed hate and discontent among the workers, I don't know what is.
 
i was talking on the east coast here at npme, but don't feel bad. every non-union carrier over here, blows by even the newest of our trucks, night in and out.
 
Maybe I shouldn't make it sound quite so conspiratorial. But hadn't you ever noticed the Providence trucks for years going by you ever so easily on I 95? And now I can't help but notice being left far behind by Camp Hill equipment. There is a certain older Binder in RDG that for years has gone 1-2 mph faster than the rest of our stuff. Not a conspiracy, just a fact I happened to notice over the years. And you know what, I'm tired of it. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the many Maine trucks out of Boston running like ***** apes. What's up with that? And why not do that for the rest of us. I am just sick and tired of not being able to at least do the frickin' speed limit.
 
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