What would you do? Need urgent help

[LARM]

I drive for JB Hunt. Been with them for almost 2 years now. Never been late and I rarely complain to them even though I sometimes feel like I should do it more.

Anyway, I've been out 28 days now. I bought a house last month and was originally due to sign closing papers on the house today. When I requested today off, I was told they had too many drivers taking off that day and I'd need to move it back to Tuesday. I said ok, called my mortgage company and had them move the closing back to Tuesday at noon (tomorrow). I sent in a message reminding them I need to be home tomorrow at noon 7 days ago, 5 days ago, 2 days ago, and this morning.

I'm currently in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, 400 miles from where I need to be to sign closing papers in Dayton, OH tomorrow. That's 7 hours. It's currently 1400. So I have 22 hours to get to Dayton by noon. I was unloaded at this receiver at 0700 this morning and have been waiting on a load back to Ohio since then. They just preplanned me to pick up in Iowa at 2300 tonight (3 hours in the wrong direction) and take it 2 hours east of Dayton. I told them this would be tight and I could only do it if I could pick the load up before 2300. They pulled that preplan.

So here I sit, still waiting.

At what point do I just tell them I'm going to deadhead back to Dayton? How will they react? This is the biggest decision (buying a home) I've ever had to make in my life and they can't get me home when given a month notice? I'm getting sick of this.

[LadyNorthStar]

Wait until you have just enough time to get home in time. WITH time to shower and get your stuff together, etc. If they cancelled that load they offered, it shows they are trying. Most would say, yea just go you can load before 2300... but really theyd have no idea and be lying through their teeth.

If you like your job give them some time, they may come around and eventually dead head you. You'll still have a job and it'll be on them

LN

[Jimbpard]

I'd personally throw the qualcom out the window and speak to somebody one on one over the phone. You needing to be home is not an option. It is required of you to be home.
For something like this, I'd be damned if I'd sit around staring at a qualcom with anxiety waiting for a good message to come through.

[Malaki86]

Same here. They've had more than enough notice to get you home. If they can't get you home, then I'd go home anyway, empty the truck and then take it to whatever yard they want (after your hometime). Then, find a company to drive for that DOES actually care if you have a life or not.

[dollarshort]

I would go find a job at another company that doesn't expect you to stay out for 28 days.

[MartenDrvrCA]

You need to set the precedent for yourself and not give them any slack.Dispatch are like vampires,once they know they can push you around and you wont put your foot down,there will always be that "one more load",that they need you to run before you go home.Been out a month,and still cant get home on time,I would Vamoose!

[GMAN]

If your dispatcher can't get you home, then I would start up the ladder. I would also do it by phone. Sometimes talking to an actual person can make a difference. A qualcomm is different than having a conversation one on one. You may offer to pay for the fuel if you can take the truck home.

[matcat]

Ha, I learned while I was with swift real quick that the phone is more powerful then the qualcomm . If my DM didn't give me a satisfactory answer, I just talked to someone else. Especially waiting for a load, I would QC and call every 30 minutes .

[Snowman7]

You may offer to pay for the fuel if you can take the truck home.

OMG GMAN are you kidding me! THEY HAVE HAD 28 DAYS TO GET HIM HOME! They obviously dont give a dam about their employees. This guy's been a loyal employee for 2 yrs and willing to stay out for weeks at a time! I would tell them they can take their truck and their job and shove it up their azz!

[zipy46]

Same here. They've had more than enough notice to get you home. If they can't get you home, then I'd go home anyway, empty the truck and then take it to whatever yard they want (after your hometime). Then, find a company to drive for that DOES actually care if you have a life or not.

Its risky to just bail out like that...

A driver could very easily end up with an abandonment on his or her record
if things got out of sorts.

Best to put in a notice and ease out gracefully and then

connect with some one better than JB

[zipy46]

Same here. They've had more than enough notice to get you home. If they can't get you home, then I'd go home anyway, empty the truck and then take it to whatever yard they want (after your hometime). Then, find a company to drive for that DOES actually care if you have a life or not.

uh oh....double post :x

[TomB985]

Not sure how JB works, but could this be an issue with a particular dispatcher?

I have a friend who's been with my company for about 10 years, and it's not uncommon for him to have a problem getting home on time...but I've NEVER had a problem...at all....I'm pretty sure it's his dispatcher....

Why not try getting another dispatcher?

Deadheading home without authorization could lead to possible abandonment reports on his DAC, and could be a very big obstacle to overcome when it comes time to get another job....not a good option!!!

[GMAN]

You may offer to pay for the fuel if you can take the truck home.

OMG GMAN are you kidding me! THEY HAVE HAD 28 DAYS TO GET HIM HOME! They obviously dont give a dam about their employees. This guy's been a loyal employee for 2 yrs and willing to stay out for weeks at a time! I would tell them they can take their truck and their job and shove it up their azz!

Any driver still needs to handle things in a professional manner. I would be upset if I were out 28 days and the company could not get me home, too. The thing is that he is close to having his 2 years in with the same carrier. Once he passes the 2 year mark he will have many more opportunities available to him. If he just takes the truck home without permission, then there will be repercussions which will affect his career. The company may be wrong, but you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot, either. There is an old saying that goes something like this, "You win the battle but lose the war." If it were me, I would go over the dispatchers head if he could not get me home.

[headborg]

He needs to get empty-- park the truck somewhere-- send a message that he's sick- throwing up-- shutting down the truck for 34hours(some reason they can't argue with)-- get a rental car or have(already have) his wife or friend coming to get him--- go get his house deal(closing done)--- come back to the truck--- tell JBHunt he's ready to roll--- work as long as it takes to contact/find HIS NEW Carrier/employer---

then exit stage left-- gracefully, without quiting under a load or leaving the truck anywhere(abandoned) and find that better employer.

Oh, and be sure to lock down/secure that equipment before you leave to do that personal business.( while sick of course)


solution#2:

walk into a local bank-- ask for the fax number-- have the paperwork you need to sign faxed there--- usually there's a Notary Public employed at every bank-- so that person can witness and stamp the document-- fax it back-- and you've finished--- as soon as they have their routing number for the closing $$$$-- welcome to home ownership

[headborg]

there's a Land of Lincoln Motel there in Mt. Sterling-- shows having truck parking---- there's a Super 8 Motel in Beardstown, IL definately with truck parking( 17miles away)

Tell JB you're feeling sick, strange, and are looking for a place to park the truck--- go to the motel--- tell them their truck is secure there at whatever motel--- you could even actually check in(make it more real) then call them back a few minutes later-- tell them you're going to the ER with chest pain---you've already IN the cab-- call them a little later-- tell them the EKG was ok--- but the doctor said to "take it easy" for the next 24 hours and you're going to do that 34hour reset.

It's unlawfull to have you driving that rig-- when sick, especially is possibly having a heart attack!

irregular angina---tricky thing can be cause by many different things

Land of Lincoln Motel
403 E Main St Stop 1
Mount Sterling, IL 62353
Phone: (217) 773-3311

Super 8
9918 Grand Avenue
Rt US 67 and 100
Beardstown, IL, 62618 US
Phone: 217-323-5858

[SilverWulf]

Despite popular belief, there are not unlimited loads going unlimited directions, all to some unspecified location on any given day and any given hour.

It doesn't matter if you give 28 days notice or 1 day notice for home time, there will be times that the loads just aren't there to get you home. Yep, it sucks but that's the way it is.

It is very possible that you were sent to where you are because there was supposed to be a load to get you home and it canceled. Happens all the time.

If JB can't find you a load going where you need to go in time to get there, I would park the truck in a secure location and rent a car. You are scheduled for home time anyway, so renting a car and taking a few days of shouldn't be a problem.

Yeah, it sucks to have to do this... but chit happens sometimes, you've been driving long enough to know that.

There's no need to lie to your DM about being sick or whatever else, in fact that's a really bad idea. First of all, liers should go play in a busy street, blindfolded... The other reason being that if you make up anything that sounds serious, they are going to want to see a Doctors clearance before you can return to work.

Good luck.

[BanditsCousin]

I'd tell dispatch thwe situation and rent a car and cruise home. I bet they will be happier that you let the truck sit for 2 days and handle your business on your own dime. When you get back to the truck you'll have a 34hr restart.

[headborg]

I'd tell dispatch thwe situation and rent a car and cruise home. I bet they will be happier that you let the truck sit for 2 days and handle your business on your own dime. When you get back to the truck you'll have a 34hr restart.

I bet they won't-- it will be considered abandoned-- if you park it and leave it anywhere (except locked behind a big fence/Freightliner dealer) then leave the area -- like 3 states away. And they won't let him deadhead it out of Mt. Sterling very far( like to the nearest APPROVED/Secure location..like a Freightliner dealer) anyway because of cost of fuel.

He can't lie about not having hours and needing a 34hour reset--

The only "fudge" area is being too sick to drive-- 392.3

of course, it's not likely they'll believe him-- since he's already asked/begged/kicked and screamed--- then again this type of "anxity" could cause medical problems.......

And if they really want a "doctor's note"-- they would have to pay out the bucks$$ themselves -- through Worker's comp.
everyone could use a good MRI-- might find some "real" blockage --could save your life.
But as long as they think you went into the hospital on your own dime-- they're not going to press the issue for fear of having to pay the bill themselves--- of course, next time you're home-- they might politely ask you to go see your own doctor about that problem you had 3 weeks ago-- or else revoke your "safety clearance" --- which is a tricky situation anyway---- but hey, after having to do all the above-- You were planning on bailing anyway.

Yes, they will be happy he's spending his own money-- having someone pick him up--- they just won't allow him to leave the truck "somewhere".


and as far as liers playing in the street -- blindfolded--- what would we do without all those dispatchers & recruiters?

[Orangetxguy]

there's a Land of Lincoln Motel there in Mt. Sterling-- shows having truck parking---- there's a Super 8 Motel in Beardstown, IL definately with truck parking( 17miles away)

Tell JB you're feeling sick, strange, and are looking for a place to park the truck--- go to the motel--- tell them their truck is secure there at whatever motel--- you could even actually check in(make it more real) then call them back a few minutes later-- tell them you're going to the ER with chest pain---you've already IN the cab-- call them a little later-- tell them the EKG was ok--- but the doctor said to "take it easy" for the next 24 hours and you're going to do that 34hour reset.

It's unlawfull to have you driving that rig-- when sick, especially is possibly having a heart attack!

irregular angina---tricky thing can be cause by many different things

Land of Lincoln Motel
403 E Main St Stop 1
Mount Sterling, IL 62353
Phone: (217) 773-3311

Super 8
9918 Grand Avenue
Rt US 67 and 100
Beardstown, IL, 62618 US
Phone: 217-323-5858

Everything Borgie suggested...except for telling them you have chest pain works!! If you tell them you have chest pain..they are going to make you go to a doctor for real, and spend the money for the full series to prove you don't have a heart proble,

Park the truck in a secure location..rent the car...close on the house...Just tell them you are ill and call it good!

[Twilight Flyer]

It's a shame when things like this happens, particularly to a good, long-term driver. There's got to be a workable solution that isn't going to harm the driver's career.

But...the whole doctor's thing will absolutely come back and bite you in the butt. In the first place, they are not going to believe you since you've been trying hard to get home anyway. They'll immediately be suspicious of the coincidence.

And then...

And if they really want a "doctor's note"-- they would have to pay out the bucks$$ themselves -- through Worker's comp.

They would have to pay nothing out on Workman's comp, because it would not be a work comp issue. Going out sick is one thing. Going out sick and claiming you were at the doctor's is quite another and would be covered by your standard insurance plan and not work comp. The company would also require a doctor's note/release indicating you were fit to drive and then when you went to the doctor AFTERWARDS to get that release, they would nail you to the wall on attempting to defraud the system.

everyone could use a good MRI-- might find some "real" blockage --could save your life.

I can see the benefit in that, but he would need to go the doctors FIRST, before claiming it. This is what I am trying to say. If he's going to use the excuse that he was at the doctor's, then he needs to be at the doctor's before he tells them. But I'm under the impression that he doesn't/didn't have that kind of time here.

But as long as they think you went into the hospital on your own dime-- they're not going to press the issue for fear of having to pay the bill themselves---

Actually, they will request/require it. It is the carrier's responsibility to make sure the driver is released to drive. We're not talking about running to the doctor for a standard visit on your hometime. We're talking about having to tank a load or park the truck in order to see a doctor or go to the ER. That will require a release. And that doctor's visit better be BEFORE he tells the company that he went to the doctor.

I'm not at all unsympathetic to the driver. If things are as he has indicated, then he got royally, painfully, and utterly screwed. There is no excuse for it. But by the same token, it will do him no favors to compound the issue by adding to it. If he's in the clear, he needs to stay in the clear. The best advice I saw in this thread was seeing about getting the stuff faxed to him. If he tells his bank what the issue is, they will work with him, whether by fax or by resetting the appointment. Then the driver needs to take his leave of the company and go somewhere else and it becomes totally JB's loss.