I've been just reading posts for a couple of months now just trying to keep up with other barns and try to judge what"s next for ours. This is my first post, I just couldn"t hold it in anymore. I was taken off the payroll last week along with another driver and some office help. It was by seniority. I have seen several great guys let go over the last year while old, unproductive, argumentative, senior people don't even know that there is a recession going on. The bottom half of the guys have to change shifts, stay home, babysit the phone while others do what they want when they want. Is it the same everywhere or is it up to the t/m to even out hours so more people can work? The senior people sure won't volunteer to lose a couple of hours. I did like working for OD and may get called back. I'm not as bitter as I may sound, just had to get it off my chest. The top few drivers act like this is a union company and they will always be protected by seniority regardless of accidents, attitude, production or age. Is this company wide? Someone please respond.
ODFL | What's Left?
- Thread starter snoopy
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Welcome to the OD forum snoopy.OD has lost some very good people during all this and I hope they get back soon.You've asked some good questions,let's see what kind of answers you get.
Ruffian 72
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Yes, Snoopy, It can be frustrating. Spent last 3 winters covering runs in bad weather out west. Terminal dispatch (Bud,DEN)(T,SLC) knew if road was open I would go when many wouldn't. There were others doing the same thing. Alot of us were let go like yourself in Feb. Try to stay positive. Never was one to stay around break room listening to others gripe. It can make an overall bad attitude. My only complaint during last winter was no idle. Sit 8hrs snowed in on I-80 bumping footfeed to stay from freezing. Yet, next time went as asked. If you are a good hand, your manager will remember when it picks back up.
margaretsc
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What's Left
I agree. My husband was one of the dependable workers at his terminal and took care of his job too. He was laid off in Feb. Hopefully, things will pick up, and he can go back to work soon!
I agree. My husband was one of the dependable workers at his terminal and took care of his job too. He was laid off in Feb. Hopefully, things will pick up, and he can go back to work soon!
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I cant speak for other terminals,I'm the senior line driver at my barn(3yrs.over the next senior)and I've probaly been cancelled more than any other bid driver here,My bid is also the newest it was offered last july for the first time,the other bid runs preceeded it by a year or more,at our barn if your individual run cancelled you sit regardless of seniority.My run leaves at 0900 if my relay doesnt show up I can't bump the guy that runs at 1800 if his relay shows up, definitly wouldnt be fair.My only recourse(if this run keeps cancelling) is to wait till we bid again.You have my sympathy after being laid-off I hope buisiness improves enough for you to be called back,But this was the system in place when you hired on(standard in this industry)expecting others to surrender their bid runs to get you some work (especially long term)is unrealistic,I've used vacation & personnel days (and I'm not the only one)to let others get some work particularly around the holidays,but we still had too many drivers for the amount of work available(we lost 2 wild drivers here both were good men 1 of them I've known for 10yrs)I hope things go well for you in the future and I sincerly hope to see all of you back in green soon
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Snoopy,here's another way to look at your issues,the senior guys at your barn know the system.OD has ways to measure productivity such as bills per hour,stops per mile,etc.etc.you can best belive those senior drivers KNOW the numbers that are expected of them,they only need to reach those goals,not exceed them!They might not appear to be working as hard or as fast as You,but they also know they are'nt in a race(when you reach your
40's see how your body feels at the end of a busy day P/D ain't easy)but as long as OD is happy with their numbers they've done their jobs.Its much the same with a driver you think is being argumentative.An older driver is probably a better judge of what he can say(and can't)to customers,management,and co-workers,there's some things that have improved as I've gotten older is my antenne for trouble(and who can cause it for me)and my diplomatic skills.Many younger drivers mouths will get them into trouble because they will respond to a dispute by immediately going nuclear.OD doesn't seem all that sentimental when it comes to senior drivers at my barn the 3rd highest seniority city man was let go for violating policy,it seemed he just wouldn't use padlocks!! he had recived a verbal warning,an IRF,and written up again,he really gave our T/M no choice in the matter,We had another Sr.P/D let go a couple of years for letting one the "three R's" happen to him(three R's rollaway,roll over,and rear end accident)he was dropping pups at a customers and the dolly he'd just dropped started to roll and he jumped out of his tractor to stop it,when he jumped out he forgot to set the parking brake and the tractor rolled into a trailer resulting into a damaged grill and was promptly fired,this man was a popular driver with management,co workers,and customers but Safety cut him loose! he got a shipping managers job at one of his old customers,and actually increased our freight coming out of there(talk about not holding a grudge!)so much for senior drivers being bulletproof here,Anyway my earlier sentiment remains. I wish you the best of luck,and hope to see you all back its obvious you all care about this company and you can never have too much of that attitude!!!
I believe that you would have to be there see what I'm talking about. I've been peddling freight for 25 years and can play the numbers game as well as anybody. When I came to OD four years ago, I guess I was use to a different policy when freight was slow that kept everyone's time as fair as possible. Still can't see 1/2 the guys getting 55 hrs and the other 1/2 getting 25-30 hrs a week. If that's co policy then that's fine, but if things keep going like that I just hate to see what will be left to work the freight when things do pick up. I still really care how this all turns out for OD and would go back if things work out. Seniority is great, I've been on both ends of the list. but have never seen the bottom guys get treated like they do at this particular barn. Even the short time that I was there, a lot of people came and left because they just couldn't take the 2nd class treatment from the top drivers.
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Snoopy your'e absolutely correct I wasn't there.It does sound as if there's a real scheduling/dispatch problem at your old barn.A good dispatcher would'nt let that much of a work imbalance happen,And an involved T/M would'nt allow it happening long term.I don't think allowing this kind of imbalance is OD policy.I can only speak for my place but it's not a complaint I hear from our city guys,We have some long peddle runs 200+mile routes(good hours but late evening finishes)but our senior drivers avoid them like the runs carry a disease(seniors don't like evening finishes here)in fact the bottom of the board get stuck with them.Guess its all about the mindsets present at each location.