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Nitetrain

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After reading the thread on the Conway Forum, wanted to know your thoughts and ideas on driving in adverse conditions, Not that long ago we were in their shoes, being intimidated into running, now it much more about safety, but still, you will get caught in it, like I did Monday nite. Here are my tips and believe me, I have never had an accident (cross Fingers) #1. Dont watch the local news. They panic about a trace of snow and show wrecks and frighten everyone, just catch the weather guy, his probability to being wrong is much greater.#2. Drive a truck with good tires, wipers, defroster,TCS if yours has to go to the shop for service hold off till the weather clears, driving a wreck that your unfamiliar with will get you into trouble. #3. Smith system, learn it, live it, love it.# 4. Just take your time, watch others, drive defensely. I was more nervous driving home on the ice in my pickup, then I was on my run. Also I know it's kinda "up to us" if we run or not, and I have heard others say it's up to central, I havent been canceled so far this winter, and I have had to run in s**t a couple of times, mainly though it was because I got "caught" in it. your thought.:popcorn:
 
i would like to hear others opinions on this as well.....

I run p&d, every now and then there will be a snow/ice storm make its way through during the day and just cripple us in the windy city, there have been guys that call dispatch and say they are coming in, and there are guys who stay out and continue what they are doing. I see it as a judgment call on your part.

If you, the driver, do not feel safe, do not do it. Your life, your family, everything you hold dear, is not worth the risk.

If dispatch gives you a hard time (which they probably will) stand strong!

Stand up for yourself and fight for yourself and say, "it is not safe!" "i will not go out."

Sometimes we get back in from our peddle, and we are asked to go back out for a volume or a switch, we tell dispatch, it's unsafe out there, they will hee and haw but ultimately they have to understand.

i personally have felt it's unsafe on a couple occasions to go back out and refused.

indeed we are all professional drivers, we can handle any condition, but who's gonna take care of my family if god forbid i flip over and im 6 feet under?
 
i ran into a conway driver the other day and this was our conversation:

CW: you guys been busy lately?

ME: up and down ya know, the usual. matter of fact a few road guys didnt go out last night b/c of the weather

CW: really? oh man, you refuse to go out, they'll fire you on the spot! no arguments, nothing. Really? Your guys didnt go out? Wow, i bet some our guys wish they can refuse. Wait, they actually refused????? how can they do that? nope, can't do that here. Wow, that's crazy. wow

lol

i thought i was gonna have to draw a picture of a road driver getting in his personal vehicle to go home to make him understand that yes they refused to go out because of adverse conditions!!
 
CityRigger said:
i ran into a conway driver the other day and this was our conversation:

CW: you guys been busy lately?

ME: up and down ya know, the usual. matter of fact a few road guys didnt go out last night b/c of the weather

CW: really? oh man, you refuse to go out, they'll fire you on the spot! no arguments, nothing. Really? Your guys didnt go out? Wow, i bet some our guys wish they can refuse. Wait, they actually refused????? how can they do that? nope, can't do that here. Wow, that's crazy. wow

lol

i thought i was gonna have to draw a picture of a road driver getting in his personal vehicle to go home to make him understand that yes they refused to go out because of adverse conditions!!
Click to expand...

CR, thats the mentality Con-way has instilled into their employees minds.
(Fear of job loss, write-ups, etc.) Not many want to make waves or get on managements bad side.
I've heard management preach, "That's what makes us better than the rest. The ability to drive through anything, we surprise our customers."
Unless someone takes a stand it will always be that way.
They feel if it's worked that long it will keep on working until someone makes a case and sets a safety precedence by refusing the work because the severe weather conditions.
 
Dockworker said:
CR, thats the mentality Con-way has instilled into their employees minds.
(Fear of job loss, write-ups, etc.) Not many want to make waves or get on managements bad side.
I've heard management preach, "That's what makes us better than the rest. The ability to drive through anything, we surprise our customers."
Unless someone takes a stand it will always be that way.
They feel if it's worked that long it will keep on working until someone makes a case and sets a safety precedence by refusing the work because the severe weather conditions.
Click to expand...

The person who makes the case, ( and this is Conways mgt. view, not mine) is the customer. I have heard my city drivers tell me they are glad I'm going out in bad weather, cause they want to work, here in the midwest, it's bad at nite and gets better through the day, so the city drivers very seldom ever call off because of weather, when a Road driver calls off, there wont be anything to deliver, and when Conway is delivering and we are not, who do you think the customer is going to want their shipments on ? My Dispatcher said they have been on the phone constantly tracking weather delayed shipments this week. And now we have a 90 min. delay for it, But in my humble opinion, My family and my life is more important than this job. but for some, it's a case to dispute.
 
I wish we had more control of the routes we can take.

We could run around a storm sometimes but they want you to stick to a certain route when you could avoid a storm all together by going a differant way.

Am glad this place knows enough when not to run you though.

In the long run that is the best for all concerned.
 
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