ABF | Where did the freight go!!!!!

[vongrimmenstein]

Or it could be, at least in IND's case, that several drivers decided to take advantage of that little known local rule that allows an employee to have one unexcused absence every 30 days without receiving any disciplinary action from the company.

And I have used that rule in the past. After the 5 BA"s visited around the first of the month @ 050 & conversed with the new TM, I bet he really hates that 30 day rule. But hey, since he tried to take his stance on not accepting doctor's excuses, (a direct violation of 392.3) it reminds me of the quote “never allow you alligator mouth to overload your tadpole ass”. I used to tell dispatch in advance I was going to be off so they could plan for more labor that day. Big time wrong move on my part by trying to be polite. We need ya. You can't take off. The final straw finally arrived one day. I went camping over a 3 day holiday while on the 3:30 pm out bound shift. I marked off on Friday @ 0200 & recorded the call (by then recording was automatic with this crew). Monday 1330 I punch in. Keep in mind Dave knew I went camping early. Dave our dispatcher wanted to know in a sarcastic tone of voice how I knew I would be sick 12 hours in advance of my shift. I said I wasn't sure. But he kept pressing me for an answer. I said do you really want to know why I knew 12 hours in advance how I was going to be sick. And he took the bait. I said “Because I am psychic". Then he told me to get out of his office. 1 good & 1 bad thing resulted from that conversation. 1. He never asked me that kind of question again. 2. Now they had no heads up in advance when I would mark off. Most of my fellow rank & file kept telling me not to say anything so you wouldn't have to listen to their complaints. The boss has a pretty good idea a 3rd or half is work force was going to mark off early for Labor Day or any other major holiday. We just made sure we would work the day before or after the holiday to be paid for the holiday. Eventually I learned that lesson. von.

 

[vongrimmenstein]

PS: I have to give Dave credit. He was one of the better dispatchers we had. He knew the city well & would listen to your ideas on changing your route or stops to save time. And to his credit he would use your suggestion if it fit with is plan of dispatch. I also believe when they left dispatching by the big sheet & went to computer dispatch our service to our customers suffered. With one big dispatch board it was much easier to see the 'big picture' than going from screen to screen to search for delivery & pick up. Now days they track everything & everybody by computer. But the time to deliver or pick up that skid stays the same.

 

[canaryinthemine]

PS: I have to give Dave credit. He was one of the better dispatchers we had. He knew the city well & would listen to your ideas on changing your route or stops to save time. And to his credit he would use your suggestion if it fit with is plan of dispatch. I also believe when they left dispatching by the big sheet & went to computer dispatch our service to our customers suffered. With one big dispatch board it was much easier to see the 'big picture' than going from screen to screen to search for delivery & pick up. Now days they track everything & everybody by computer. But the time to deliver or pick up that skid stays the same.

Oh-Oh,.....that sounds like apostasy.......... suggesting that the dispatch system that worked very well for 40 or 50 years.......is not as good as the recently implemented computerized dispatch,.........even though the actual work producing the revenue hasn't changed at all.....

Now, you can say : " Computer error", or "System failure", .....or "Data not current"....Gives you a whole range of excuses to give to the customer...instead of just saying : "Stupid dispatcher".....

More computers equals more ready-made excuses that really don't blame anyone , to give to the customer.......

 

[Boilerpeddle]

Or it could be, at least in IND's case, that several drivers decided to take advantage of that little known local rule that allows an employee to have one unexcused absence every 30 days without receiving any disciplinary action from the company. When that happens, you're gonna miss pick ups, delay outbound loads, etc. just sayin...

Its not a rule anymore, never was an official rule. Just down to what they consider a problem.
Open to interpretation and you take your chances when you mark off without a valid reason or doctors excuse.

 

[vongrimmenstein]

Oh-Oh,.....that sounds like apostasy.......... suggesting that the dispatch system that worked very well for 40 or 50 years.......is not as good as the recently implemented computerized dispatch,.........even though the actual work producing the revenue hasn't changed at all.....

Now, you can say : " Computer error", or "System failure", .....or "Data not current"....Gives you a whole range of excuses to give to the customer...instead of just saying : "Stupid dispatcher".....

More computers equals more ready-made excuses that really don't blame anyone , to give to the customer.......

The flip side is Dave was fired because @ the same time he told the Diver to show the timekeeper delivered, (driver was running 90 min late) the customer was on the horn to customer service @ the fort wanting to know where his freight was. And the ' Computer ' was telling the fort the freight had been delivered. WOOPS. This was around 10:30 AM. By 3 PM he was perp walked out the door for being a liar. Which was nothing new. He new the city well & could move the pieces on the board well, but you could not trust him. von.