Star Transportation: new idle policy

[catalinaflyer]

Sorry Rev. as chris1 stated in another thread, I hadn't had my morning coffee yet. I went off on a tangent but all the same there are some people on here who by thier own words like to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

I have yet to see where carter and a few of the others have taken shots at these people but they seem to want to chime in at every opprtunity and fire off with thier "truckstop counter" opinions and cheap shots.

I'm headed over to the RC Airplane forums where everyone goes out of thier way to help rather than try to beat someone down for doing what they feel is the right thing.

Ciao

[dobry4u]

Sorry Rev. as chris1 stated in another thread, I hadn't had my morning coffee yet. I went off on a tangent but all the same there are some people on here who by thier own words like to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

I have yet to see where carter and a few of the others have taken shots at these people but they seem to want to chime in at every opprtunity and fire off with thier "truckstop counter" opinions and cheap shots.

I'm headed over to the RC Airplane forums where everyone goes out of thier way to help rather than try to beat someone down for doing what they feel is the right thing.

Ciao

I am not speaking for Rev., but your opinion does matter and I greatly appreciate and respect it. I hear you on your frustration about the comments made by some. Please understand that those making comments like that are certainly seen for what they are and what they lack and are not respected.

[Hawkjr]

Who Da Hell Does Star Think They Are??? with me being the young delinquent truck driver i am.. i would tell star up there's... hell they make swift sound like wal mart transportation ... Damn these (edited because you aren't even using the term correctly)

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

Sorry Rev. as chris1 stated in another thread, I hadn't had my morning coffee yet. I went off on a tangent but all the same there are some people on here who by thier own words like to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

I have yet to see where carter and a few of the others have taken shots at these people but they seem to want to chime in at every opprtunity and fire off with thier "truckstop counter" opinions and cheap shots.

I'm headed over to the RC Airplane forums where everyone goes out of thier way to help rather than try to beat someone down for doing what they feel is the right thing.

Ciao

Because not everone wants to live like a hobo or squatter to enable a company to save on idle fuel like they equiped their tractors with an apu ,but have not. When one company gets enough drivers to sacrafice basic comfort of heat in winter and cool air in hot summer and starts to save big money on fuel then other companies take notice ,and adopt similar policy this makes living like a hobo the normal for all drivers and not just those dumb enough to willingly sacrafice the basics . Bottom line is if those like carter insisted on heat in winter and ac in summer companies would need to make the investment in the equipment required for the idle reduction they desire,and could not repramand or terminate drivers for simply staying warm or cool ...And times may be tight ,but I've yet to see the AC/Heating units shut off at the management offices of any of these carriers with office workers sitting on heating pads in sub zero clothing to stay warm, and I've yet to see any office persons sitting in their wife beater/boxers sweating at their desk while a 12v plug in fan blows hot summer air at them ,but that's because those offices would be empty if those were daily living conditions experienced by the office staff ,but yet you got drivers who think they are saving the company by living like a squatter ...Tell mr CEO to sell the corporate jet and buy some tripaks .

[belpre122]

An idle mind is the devil's playground CF!

At least you CAN idle.

And please, please don't make the switch to Sanka!

[belpre122]

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy


All Work and No Play makes Jack a dull boy.

[belpre122]

I went off on a tangent but all the same there are some people on here who by thier own words like to try and make everyone as miserable as they are.

Name 'em cowboy. Or ride off into the..........Petro, or Pilot, or T/A, or Jubitz......


Such a pointed statement without qualification comes off as cowardly........

Just sayin.

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Bravo Catalinaflyer!

Thank you for saying it.

It may be because the first trucks I drove didn't have A/C and because I grew up working in environments (ranch, logging, lumber mills) where it was expected that you would work in any weather conditions, I just regard it as part of the job.

I don't have any peroblem with someone not taking a job because they can't handle it. Just don't disrespect me because I can handle it.

[Rev.Vassago]

Name 'em cowboy. Or ride off into the..........Petro, or Pilot, or T/A, or Jubitz......


Such a pointed statement without qualification comes off as cowardly........

Just sayin.

Or no.

[catalinaflyer]

Name 'em cowboy. Or ride off into the..........Petro, or Pilot, or T/A, or Jubitz......


Such a pointed statement without qualification comes off as cowardly........

Just sayin.

Coward?? I'm no coward, I'll gladly tell you where I'm sitting, what I drive and even post my cell phone number for the entire world to read. You need to go back and re-read everything I have ever posted before you call me a coward. I don't hide behind some computer screen name and take shots at people (well with one exception earlier in this thread but he/she takes shots at everyone on almost every thread). In fact I subscibe to dozens of forums covering everything from trucking to motorcycles to radio control aircraft to religon and use the exact same name on every one of them, even my email is the same. If you spend 5 minutes reading this particular thread from the beginning you will have a basis of whom I'm talking about. My point wasn't directed at any single person or persons but rather the fact there are some on here who no matter what they read have a negative - flaming comment towards it. Obama could announce $100,000 tax free paychecks to every single CDL driver and that same group would find something negative to say about it and more pointed at the person who announced it.

But go ahead and keep calling me a coward and making your snipits on the other thread towards me, the sun is still going to set tonight and rise tomorrow and nothing you or anyone else says to me or about me is going to change that fact.

Oh and one last thing, I don't go to any of those truckstops listed and in fact don't park at any truckstop unless directed to do so by my dispatch.

[Rev.Vassago]

Or we could simply get back on topic.

Thanks.

[belpre122]

LOL........Never did call you a coward. Just pointed out that your post had some issues that might appear cowardly. I's just helpin.....or at least try'in to.......

Help alleviate that unbelievable boredom up there.......

BTW.........go back with the bike company. That is obviously where you belong!

[catalinaflyer]

Back to the original post on this thread, Star's new policy does sound a bit severe and if I were a driver there I would have to seriously re-consider my employment with them. But then again I might make adjustments in my ways of doing things and go along with the changes. Change can be a tough pill to swallow and if enough drivers don't swallow it they will be forced to make changes again. However if enough drivers take the pill and go along with the changes they may find it's not that tough to swallow and the company will get it their way. I don't work there nor have I ever had the pleasure of working for any company with that strict of an idle policy. Chris1 was pretty strict but I just told him to stuff it and that was the end of it.

As for the tired old argument of the weather conditions inside the offices at these companies, go and do. If you think they have it better then hang up your keys and give up your freedom and punch the time clock. I have worked inside the office at a trucking company and chris1 can vouch for me because it was in his office at his company and I can say that it's not as green on that side of the door as it appears from this side.

The economy is hurting right now and all trucking companies feel it worse than almost any other industry in the world. As such, they are finding any place they can to tighten the purse strings and hunker down through this. Some of there cost cutting measures may be a bit severe but they’re drivers still have jobs. If the company goes under because of negligent handling of the money then the drivers may find themselves out in the cold in more ways than one after they can't pay the utility bills on their home and ultimately loose the home all together.

[palidian]

wishful thinking, I see your point but I can sleep relatively comfortably down to about 15 degrees with a 12v heated blanket. the only time I need to idle all night is when it is 15 or below.

don't get me wrong, I am not saying I enjoy it, my queen bed with flannel sheets and a Sealy mattress at home is a little nicer, but it doesn't affect my sleep to the point where I am dangerous on the road.

if I am running hard, below 30% is no problem. if I am sitting for the weekend empty and its 0 degrees out, yeah it sucks. I parked at home for the weekend, 6 degrees Mon morning and it started. if not I have jumper cables and a pickup truck with a big alternator and 2 batteries. running the truck all weekend to prevent a jump start is going to kill my idle %. they can't have it both ways.

legislation is not going to fix anything, if it got that bad I would just find a company that had APUs. though I sincerely hope if I am still with TMC, their new trucks have at least something.

How effective is that heated blanket at 110' in Phoenix Arizona?

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

How effective is that heated blanket at 110' in Phoenix Arizona?

That's when he sleeps in the truckers lounge , And on occasion sleeping in a tent at the 24hr Wal-mart super center's camping department ...Usually he reserves wally-world for re-starts . And for "cool" weather of 85-100 he just breaks out a SHA-WHEEEEET ! 12v plug in fan to blow around cool 95 degree air to keep cool.

[dollarshort]

From the January, 2009 company newsletter:

"In order to eliminate all unnecessary idle time Star Transportation has implemented an Idle Chargeback policy effective January 1, 2009.
All tractors without an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) will have a standard of 30% idles or less. Any idle time over 30% will be charged back to the driver at $3.00 per hour.
Tractors with an APU will have a standard of 5% idle time or less. Any idle time over 5% will be charged back to the driver at $3.00 per hour."

link: http://www.startransportation.com/images/newsletter.pdf

This cheesy policy might not be so bad if you didn't spend half your time sitting around waiting for a load, but I've only averaged 1850 miles per week over the past 2 years. This is the last straw; I mailed my application in to Crete today.

Only 1850 mile/week ave. for 2 years? It took you that long to wake up?

[X STAR DRIVER]

Can a star driver taking a mandated 10 hour sleeper break without heat and the temperature outside well below freezing be alert, rested, and safe enough for your family to share the road with the next day?

[Oakdancer]

Only 1850 mile/week ave. for 2 years? It took you that long to wake up?

Okay, that's a fair question..

Actually, no. I was disallusioned with Star after only a few months. But my trainer was a great guy and made me a much better and safer driver than many rookie greenhorns out there, so I felt I owed him at least 6 months so he'd get his training bonus. Then I decided to stick it out a while longer to 1) avoid the label of "job hopper," 2) do some serious research into other companies that actually involved interviewing their drivers for the REAL pros and cons, and 3) give Star the benefit of a doubt to see if things would get any better. When they didn't, and the company I decided on required a hazmat endorsement, it took a while to get that in the few odd hours I could squeak in to get by the DMV. Before I knew it, 2 years had passed.

"Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.."

[Oakdancer]

Can a star driver taking a mandated 10 hour sleeper break without heat and the temperature outside well below freezing be alert, rested, and safe enough for your family to share the road with the next day?

Let's just say I recommend that you advise your loved ones to give Star trucks a wide berth. "Safety First, No Excuses" is a nice company motto, but IMHO it's just an empty platitude.