XPO | E Track Tailers... OMG!!!

[Lost Cause]

The new E-Track trailers or whatever they are calling them... I can't stand these things. Takes twice as long to build a trailer, twice as long to break a trailer and mark my word... they are going to have an increase in workers-comp claims due to these trailers as well. Not to mention the safety issues that I have found, such as, part-timers putting too much weight, too high, in the trailers. Bad enough they don't have proper loading training, but this is just adding to the problems. Another thing, the tracks down each side of the trailers catches the freight when you put it in the trailer which will lead and does lead to additional damage claims. Look, I understand the concept as to why they purchased them, but I don't see spending 50Mill for such things that are going to cost you as much or more in damages, injuries and accidents. What do you guys/gals think? I know I'm not the only one that feels like this!

 

[companyclown]

Ask your regional manager this question........Then laugh to yourself when he comes up with his arrogant answers. BTW.....thanks for killing bambi, I cant stand those creatures!

 

[Dodge Ram]

I wonder how long it's going to be before the walls of the trailers are going to give out and the sides are laying along side the road. I already know of 3 rollovers because of too muck weight loaded in the air.

 

[Dodge Ram]

I have had to break down the top layer of some skids to get them in one of those E-trailers and the skids had a label on them " Do Not Break Shrink Wrap". Make sure you mark that in the exceptions.

 

[bigfoot077]

Yes, they do take extra time to get things in the right position but.................how much times have you spent driving around the dock just looking for a load rack. Done a lot of hunt and seek for those things and I know that has taken up a lot of time. And Dodge, yes, those damn things stick out and catch the freight. I think if they came up with an design to include those racks but make them flush with the trailer walls, people would enjoy these things much better. Have stash of straps on ALL docks so they don't have to float around in the trailers and get run over by forklifts, make that mount for the tool to lower the racks a little closer to the door opening and it won't get f'ed up either. Some real simple fixes for a system that would work great if someone would have just thought it through a little more.

 

[Local_Driver]

Safe stack trailers minus your raise equals 50M, and don't forget the handhelds!! Since these safe stack trailers are a after thought, Factory installed E-trac trailers are smothe sided and more functional. Jevic had been doing it for years.

 

[ldgarrit]

I have kept on open mind so far about the E-track trailers, but I'm beginning to have my doubts. I notice now that the bars are getting harder to drop down when using the tool provided when it can be found. I'm a city driver, so I haven't had the misfortune of having to unload one of these new trailers, but judging by how long it takes to properly load one, I can only imagine. Anyway, from what I understand, the company wants to continue retrofitting the remaining pups in the fleet with the safestack system, I think that would be a mistake given that times are hard and freight volume will most likely drop going forward.

 

[Merdock]

well...
let's see...
much like a lot of other topics on this site you have identified everything wrong with safe stack. And, it's all the fault of idiots. And, nobody in management cares. And, they wasted your money. Right? If I told you there are changes coming and coming quickly, would you still look at this in a negative, cynical manner?

Probably

if you hit a pothole on the way into work on Monday, would you try to avoid it on Tuesday? The safe stack wall rails are mounted the same in every trailer, why not advance the freight forward in the center of the trailer and shuffle the freight sideways out to the wall when you sat it down? Who neglects to put the release bar back in the trailer, fellow workers or management? And the straps... where does the fault really fall here?

As I said, changes are coming. After all, you may think there are 25 safe stack beams in that trailer, but really there are six load decks hiding in there just waiting to be utilized.

 

[bigfoot077]

well...
let's see...
much like a lot of other topics on this site you have identified everything wrong with safe stack. And, it's all the fault of idiots. And, nobody in management cares. And, they wasted your money. Right? If I told you there are changes coming and coming quickly, would you still look at this in a negative, cynical manner?

Probably

if you hit a pothole on the way into work on Monday, would you try to avoid it on Tuesday? The safe stack wall rails are mounted the same in every trailer, why not advance the freight forward in the center of the trailer and shuffle the freight sideways out to the wall when you sat it down? Who neglects to put the release bar back in the trailer, fellow workers or management? And the straps... where does the fault really fall here?

As I said, changes are coming. After all, you may think there are 25 safe stack beams in that trailer, but really there are six load decks hiding in there just waiting to be utilized.

Who are you really pointing fingers at? I don't know who you are angry with but if you read my post, I said there are changes that can be made and they are a good thing compared to using the old load racks. Merdock, you ought to know by now that you are not going to please all the people all the time. One thing I want to say is that we are losing money, making less money than FeF and they are getting their 401 match back. We are going to take it in the tank on healthcare, no raise, no 401k match, making less than we were two years ago and the price of everything is going up. How can other companies make money and pay their employees more money if we are so great? Seems like a whole lot of bad decisions are being made and who is paying the price? That's right, people that have nothing to do with the decisions made.

 

[Merdock]

Who are you really pointing fingers at? I don't know who you are angry with but if you read my post, I said there are changes that can be made and they are a good thing compared to using the old load racks. Merdock, you ought to know by now that you are not going to please all the people all the time. One thing I want to say is that we are losing money, making less money than FeF and they are getting their 401 match back. We are going to take it in the tank on healthcare, no raise, no 401k match, making less than we were two years ago and the price of everything is going up. How can other companies make money and pay their employees more money if we are so great? Seems like a whole lot of bad decisions are being made and who is paying the price? That's right, people that have nothing to do with the decisions made.

Who am I pointing the finger at? Everyone including drivers, dock workers, and supervisors. Pleasing people? I'm no politician so trying to please everyone is not in my job description. Damages are at an all time high and job performance at an all time low. The poor decision making has everything to do with the people I just mentioned. Laziness looses release bars. Laziness leaves load straps on the ground to be run over.

Engagement vs. entitlement... I am entitled to more money and benefits and until such a time I get them I don't have to do a good job. Or, I make the effort to do my best and from performance this will be a better, more profitable company and for my efforts I will be better compensated. Which one is the cart and which one is the horse? Effort produces income, or income produces effort? The customer wants fast, on time, exception free and undamaged service. Given our current level of claims, if customer satisfaction alone signed our paychecks we would not be earning ten bucks an hour.

If the side of our trailers said BIGFOOT EXPRESS, and you had just invested 50 million in technology and systems to improve your on-time, fast, and damage free service for your customer, what would you do next after seeing the reports on how bad your employees are causing claims and profit loss? Would you continue to develop your load systems, knowing that the deck system you just installed in your trailers doesn't quite fit the company's environment? Would you develop an improved training system to better communicate the new system to all employees? Well all that makes sense... maybe that's why there will be an attachment point mounted at the back of the trailers to hang 8 straps. And also new commonsense training and constant support for not just loading safe stack, but loading all of our customer's freight damage free.

Or, would BIGFOOT EXPRESS just give all their drivers and dockworkers a 2 dollar raise and an additional 401k match and figure things will just work themselves out and everything will get better?

 

[radman]

I see e-tracks loaded all the time, floor loaded!!! Merdock hit the nail on the head, a sickness called laziness is ravaging Con-way. Lazy dockworkers and drivers don't do there jobs the way we were all TRAINED to do. For example, using dunnage walls, sweeping trailers out, picking up stuff thats laying on the floor rather than just running it over, securing things with straps and dunnage so that it does not fall over, and using the e-track trailers the way they are susposed to be used, to keep loads high and tight, not on the floor. I could go on and on.

The laziness has infected the FOS because they don't make sure that the rest of us are doing our jobs, they walk by a jacked up load and don't do anything about it, they don't enforce the standard so the standard means nothing. The FOM don't make sure the FOS are doing there jobs and on and on and on. All of us need to do our jobs right the first time and set the next guy up for success, not failure. We are not EVER going to get our raises back and 401k match until we get our acts together and work as a team.

 

[bigfoot077]

I don't know where you are at Merdock but out here in the west as far as I know, we are holding our own. Claims can always be lower and production can always be higher but we are doing our job out here. Now, with the rollout of the handhelds, the new safe stack system, you are going to have a drop in production. People have to learn how to use these things and it takes longer for some than others.

No matter what bigfoot express would do or wouldn't do, it is not the hourly employee that is causing this company it's problems right now. You can point fingers at laziness and yes, I will agree with you. When I pick up a strap to secure some freight and the end is all smashed, yeah, that pisses me off. Laziness is not why our stock is in the tank right now. Claims and production are not the sole problem here. They are a problem but claims and production doesn't run companies out of business. Management does. Greed does.

If your few paragraphs are the answer here, why aren't you in Ann Arbor?

Wow, I was kind of defending the company and their choices when you jump out and started yelling at me. All I was saying is that there are some improvements to the improvements that can be done and why are other companies making money paying their employees more when we are losing money getting paid less. No need to lash out Merdock, I think we are on the same side then again, I might be wrong.

 

[Rat]

I see e-tracks loaded all the time, floor loaded!!! Merdock hit the nail on the head, a sickness called laziness is ravaging Con-way. Lazy dockworkers and drivers don't do there jobs the way we were all TRAINED to do. For example, using dunnage walls, sweeping trailers out, picking up stuff thats laying on the floor rather than just running it over, securing things with straps and dunnage so that it does not fall over, and using the e-track trailers the way they are susposed to be used, to keep loads high and tight, not on the floor. I could go on and on.

The laziness has infected the FOS because they don't make sure that the rest of us are doing our jobs, they walk by a jacked up load and don't do anything about it, they don't enforce the standard so the standard means nothing. The FOM don't make sure the FOS are doing there jobs and on and on and on. All of us need to do our jobs right the first time and set the next guy up for success, not failure. We are not EVER going to get our raises back and 401k match until we get our acts together and work as a team.

Until the "team" gets off its @ss and improves morale nothing is going to happen.

Rat

 

[radman]

:GrowUp:Is morale going to have to improve before we drivers do our jobs??? Seriously, the point I was trying to make earlier was aimed at claims and load factor. Those are things that we control, its our job to load and unload trailers. Lately I have been working the dock alot, inbound before I hit the street and outbound afterward and I could not believe the bull **** loads I saw coming in and going out. I could not believe that nobody was saying anything, the drivers and dockworkers were not fixing the outbound loads and the FOS/FOM acting like they don't see anything. WTF!!! I was on the verge of blowing up and loosing my temper, getting ready to start yelling at people even though its not my job to be telling people what to do. Instead, I fixed the jacked up loads that I crossed paths with, I threw up dunnage walls, set the next guy up with the rack, all the stuff I was taught years ago and that alot of guys at my barn either were not taught or forgot.

We have all got a part to play and we all have a job to do, whether morale is high or low, we still need to do our jobs. We need to get off the pity pot and start making positive **** happen.My barn has gone sideways and the only way we are going to get back on track is if we all do whats right, the first time. Don't f#$k your buddy and don't set the next guy up for failure.

 

[carrot-nutz]

our problems will be fixed aftermonday...the palace is having drivers up there to discuss the e track, they will listen then forget what the drivers input was

 

[Gunner119]

:GrowUp:Is morale going to have to improve before we drivers do our jobs??? Seriously, the point I was trying to make earlier was aimed at claims and load factor. Those are things that we control, its our job to load and unload trailers. Lately I have been working the dock alot, inbound before I hit the street and outbound afterward and I could not believe the bull **** loads I saw coming in and going out. I could not believe that nobody was saying anything, the drivers and dockworkers were not fixing the outbound loads and the FOS/FOM acting like they don't see anything. WTF!!! I was on the verge of blowing up and loosing my temper, getting ready to start yelling at people even though its not my job to be telling people what to do. Instead, I fixed the jacked up loads that I crossed paths with, I threw up dunnage walls, set the next guy up with the rack, all the stuff I was taught years ago and that alot of guys at my barn either were not taught or forgot.

We have all got a part to play and we all have a job to do, whether morale is high or low, we still need to do our jobs. We need to get off the pity pot and start making positive **** happen.My barn has gone sideways and the only way we are going to get back on track is if we all do whats right, the first time. Don't f#$k your buddy and don't set the next guy up for failure.

Yes we all have a part to play!!! BUT so does The Chrystal Palace!!! The Palace and some people on here can yell that the bad numbers are the drivers fault and yell our attitudes needs to improve. WELL it's like this Attitude Reflects Leadership. At the present time we have no leadership. John Boy and his Frat Boy Pals wouldn't know leadership id it came up and slapped them in the face. All they want to do is blame all of the problems away from where they belong. Con-Way's problem is our upper management. They are in their own little world. They say that we don't see the whole picture. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT EITHER DON't SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE OR DON't CARE. I think they don't care because no one can be as stupid as they are and find their way home in the evening. Like I have said on here before. They are just like Washington D.C. In D.C. it's tax and spend the money on their personal projects and at XGO it's take away and spend the money on their little toys that doesn't help improve our relationships with our customers. The NASCAR Sponsorship is a waste of money. All they are doing is creating a write off on taxes. If that's what they want to do then spend the money somewhere that helps people like the Children's Miracle Network , Ronald McDonald House. Scholarships for the children who has lost a parent in the Military.
The XID driver did a great job at the TDC. BUT I wonder how much money Con-Way invested in it. I know for a fact that most customers couldn't care less about that crap. BUT it does give John Boy and his Frat Buddies somewhere to go and feel like they are big :****: and pat each other on the back.
Every time I watch a Video from XGO it really pisses me off. It insults me that they actually expect me to believe anything that comes out of their deceiving , dishonest , two faced mouths.
Friday Night I saw two Via's that actually took trailers to the wrong FAC's ( To the point they will miss service) and two Via's that was pointless. They blame us!!!!! We are only doing what we are told. When we question what we are told to do we are told to shut up and do it.
TO spend another $40 million on E-Tracks at this time is ridiculous . We have enough in the system the way it is. Not to mention the fact that the system they bought is made so cheap.
The Palace actually thinks they can SPEND their way to PROSPERITY. This kind of mindset is what puts companies out of business . They keep putting on a good Dog & Pony show for the B.O.D. and propping up the numbers so the B.O.D. gives them a good bonus. It's this kind of Management that sends Companies down the drain. BUT if that happens it's no big deal to the Palace. After all they have achieved their main GOAL. To make themselves rich at the expense of their employees.
What the Palace is doing right now is setting US ALL up for failure !!!

 

[Rat]

Yes we all have a part to play!!! BUT so does The Chrystal Palace!!! The Palace and some people on here can yell that the bad numbers are the drivers fault and yell our attitudes needs to improve. WELL it's like this Attitude Reflects Leadership. At the present time we have no leadership. John Boy and his Frat Boy Pals wouldn't know leadership id it came up and slapped them in the face. All they want to do is blame all of the problems away from where they belong. Con-Way's problem is our upper management. They are in their own little world. They say that we don't see the whole picture. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT EITHER DON't SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE OR DON't CARE. I think they don't care because no one can be as stupid as they are and find their way home in the evening. Like I have said on here before. They are just like Washington D.C. In D.C. it's tax and spend the money on their personal projects and at XGO it's take away and spend the money on their little toys that doesn't help improve our relationships with our customers. The NASCAR Sponsorship is a waste of money. All they are doing is creating a write off on taxes. If that's what they want to do then spend the money somewhere that helps people like the Children's Miracle Network , Ronald McDonald House. Scholarships for the children who has lost a parent in the Military.
The XID driver did a great job at the TDC. BUT I wonder how much money Con-Way invested in it. I know for a fact that most customers couldn't care less about that crap. BUT it does give John Boy and his Frat Buddies somewhere to go and feel like they are big :****: and pat each other on the back.
Every time I watch a Video from XGO it really pisses me off. It insults me that they actually expect me to believe anything that comes out of their deceiving , dishonest , two faced mouths.
Friday Night I saw two Via's that actually took trailers to the wrong FAC's ( To the point they will miss service) and two Via's that was pointless. They blame us!!!!! We are only doing what we are told. When we question what we are told to do we are told to shut up and do it.
TO spend another $40 million on E-Tracks at this time is ridiculous . We have enough in the system the way it is. Not to mention the fact that the system they bought is made so cheap.
The Palace actually thinks they can SPEND their way to PROSPERITY. This kind of mindset is what puts companies out of business . They keep putting on a good Dog & Pony show for the B.O.D. and propping up the numbers so the B.O.D. gives them a good bonus. It's this kind of Management that sends Companies down the drain. BUT if that happens it's no big deal to the Palace. After all they have achieved their main GOAL. To make themselves rich at the expense of their employees.
What the Palace is doing right now is setting US ALL up for failure !!!

Well said.

Participation in the TDC is for the most part a prerequiste for membership in the ATA.

Non participation is frowned upon...better have a damn good reason for not being there.

All the major hitters are expected to participate.

Rat

 

[Merdock]

Yes we all have a part to play!!! BUT so does The Chrystal Palace!!! The Palace and some people on here can yell that the bad numbers are the drivers fault and yell our attitudes needs to improve. WELL it's like this Attitude Reflects Leadership. At the present time we have no leadership. John Boy and his Frat Boy Pals wouldn't know leadership id it came up and slapped them in the face. All they want to do is blame all of the problems away from where they belong. Con-Way's problem is our upper management. They are in their own little world. They say that we don't see the whole picture. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT EITHER DON't SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE OR DON't CARE. I think they don't care because no one can be as stupid as they are and find their way home in the evening. Like I have said on here before. They are just like Washington D.C. In D.C. it's tax and spend the money on their personal projects and at XGO it's take away and spend the money on their little toys that doesn't help improve our relationships with our customers. The NASCAR Sponsorship is a waste of money. All they are doing is creating a write off on taxes. If that's what they want to do then spend the money somewhere that helps people like the Children's Miracle Network , Ronald McDonald House. Scholarships for the children who has lost a parent in the Military.
The XID driver did a great job at the TDC. BUT I wonder how much money Con-Way invested in it. I know for a fact that most customers couldn't care less about that crap. BUT it does give John Boy and his Frat Buddies somewhere to go and feel like they are big :****: and pat each other on the back.
Every time I watch a Video from XGO it really pisses me off. It insults me that they actually expect me to believe anything that comes out of their deceiving , dishonest , two faced mouths.
Friday Night I saw two Via's that actually took trailers to the wrong FAC's ( To the point they will miss service) and two Via's that was pointless. They blame us!!!!! We are only doing what we are told. When we question what we are told to do we are told to shut up and do it.
TO spend another $40 million on E-Tracks at this time is ridiculous . We have enough in the system the way it is. Not to mention the fact that the system they bought is made so cheap.
The Palace actually thinks they can SPEND their way to PROSPERITY. This kind of mindset is what puts companies out of business . They keep putting on a good Dog & Pony show for the B.O.D. and propping up the numbers so the B.O.D. gives them a good bonus. It's this kind of Management that sends Companies down the drain. BUT if that happens it's no big deal to the Palace. After all they have achieved their main GOAL. To make themselves rich at the expense of their employees.
What the Palace is doing right now is setting US ALL up for failure !!!

no, attitude reflects attitude. What customers care about is how bad we are screwing up their freight. SafeStack is a great investment. Leadership has nothing to do with utilizing the system, employees and their attitudes has everything to do with it. You can drag out your soapbox and crawl up on top and preach about the big, bad, greedy corporation all you want. But when that soapbox is made out to be the priority and it's positioned ahead of or on top of the customer's freight, well then I just stopped listening. SafeStack is one more tool to help in doing your job... delivering the customer's freight fast, on time and damage free. What the customer absolutely does not care about is slanted, opinionated crap that is history... happened before yesterday and has no honest influence as to why they can't get their freight delivered in the condition it was picked up in.

 

[Dodge Ram]

:GrowUp:Is morale going to have to improve before we drivers do our jobs??? Seriously, the point I was trying to make earlier was aimed at claims and load factor. Those are things that we control, its our job to load and unload trailers. Lately I have been working the dock alot, inbound before I hit the street and outbound afterward and I could not believe the bull **** loads I saw coming in and going out. I could not believe that nobody was saying anything, the drivers and dockworkers were not fixing the outbound loads and the FOS/FOM acting like they don't see anything. WTF!!! I was on the verge of blowing up and loosing my temper, getting ready to start yelling at people even though its not my job to be telling people what to do. Instead, I fixed the jacked up loads that I crossed paths with, I threw up dunnage walls, set the next guy up with the rack, all the stuff I was taught years ago and that alot of guys at my barn either were not taught or forgot.

We have all got a part to play and we all have a job to do, whether morale is high or low, we still need to do our jobs. We need to get off the pity pot and start making positive **** happen.My barn has gone sideways and the only way we are going to get back on track is if we all do whats right, the first time. Don't f#$k your buddy and don't set the next guy up for failure.

If we do not run a certain re-ship (almost everyday) a part-timer loads our frieght at that FAC. Sometimes our inbound gets up to 8 trailers from this FAC. Our inbound guys complain to the TM every day how the trailers are loaded and nothing changes. All kinds of damages.

 

[Gunner119]

. What the customer absolutely does not care about is slanted, opinionated crap that is history... happened before yesterday and has no honest influence as to why they can't get their freight delivered in the condition it was picked up in.

Dishonest , Slanted and opinionated crap is the only thing that ever comes out of XGO's mouth.