Well angry, I'm a bit dismayed as to why you heap all of the blame on "elderly" senior drivers. Do you not think that they endured all of the same problems as a low seniority driver when they started out? I'm sure if you ask them, they'll be glad to tell you about some of the hardships that they've endured along the way...
Most of those "elderly" drivers that you speak of came from a different era than what you and I came from. They grew up with one ethic... WORK... or starve... That's what they're used to and that's all they know...
They've been around... I'm sure that they have a pretty good idea of what it's all about. Instead of concentrating your anger on them by chiding and ridiculing them, why don't you try talking to them?
They are a wealth of helpful information. Listen to them and learn from them...
Here in Atlanta, we have many "elderly" drivers on our board. Some of the best conversations that I've ever had around the barn was with them. I've learned a lot from them.
We have 6 handicapped parking spaces in our drivers parking lot. None of our "elderly" drivers park in them. Most of them park toward the back of the lot and walk further (and usually faster) than most of the other drivers here. They're dependable, reliable and do their jobs well. If they're healthy enough to pass their physical and keep their card, I say God bless them! Hammer down!...
angry, I'm not trying to whip it out and get into a pissin' contest with you over this but I get tired of hearing stuff like this every time business slows down and work tapers off. I've been here for only 9 years. I've been layed off twice. I knew it was coming so instead of laying around and crying about it, I made a plan, a contingency plan. I went out and lined up work in anticipation of a lay off. I was always ready for the inevitable. The last thing that I ever wanted to do was go file for unemployment. I've been thru the lay-offs, payroll checks bouncing, companies closing, etc. etc... But I always anticipated these things and planned ahead. I've never once blamed a senior man for taking work away from me because he had been here forever and/or was "elderly". It's the nature of the beast. It always has and always will be as long as we work under this system called seniority...
If you must place blame, blame the government, blame the economy, blame corporate America, blame the company... If you want to point fingers at your brethern, take a look at the ones that squeeze their logbooks, runs over everybody to punch the clock, runs on rest continously, doesn't take their contractual ETO, takes dispatches that they don't have hours to complete, etc. etc...
I'm sure you know what I'm talking about...
Those are the ones that need the chiding and the ridiculing, not the "elderly" ones that you refer to... They're doing their job and doing it well...
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