[cdltpx]

Saturday 03/17/07
First I want to say we were given latitude in our trip to Amarillo Tx. The company provided an incredible rental car (2007 Nissan Altima you never feel this car shift fuel economy is 30+mpg @ 70mph unbelievable for a car this size it is not like the old Altima it is roomy big trunk ) to make the trip up here we were told it was because they could not get airline tickets (due to unavailability) we were not wanting to fly and were surprised that when we arrived at Terrell Tx that we were reserved each a king sized room.
Sunday03/18/07
We get to Amarillo TX we have each our own room the same is true for all of those attending the orientation. We are put up at the Laquinta we have free on line access the motel has a waffle house on the property but we get the free breakfast. I like the waffles shaped like the state of Texas who cares what they are shaped like they are good. The rooms could have used a microwave and a fridge but rooms are nice, clean and quiet. ate at taco bell 1/4 mile from motel the service was perfect well staffed and polite we were pleased since in Baton rouge we dont get this anymore.
We went to circuit city it is near the large mall just across the freeway I bought a gps/mp3 player unit $200 it works great it is a Mio not that easy to figure out but is possible the book that came with it is lacking just play with the unit you will learn it. The unit is faster than I expected it slips into your pocket powers right up. If you get a mio need help e-mail me I will provide what I know. I went to block buster rented a movie no hassle.
Monday 03/19/07
We leave the hotel 07:30 are at the orientation unit 07:35
The class is just that a class; truckers stories are kept to a minimum in efforts to increase hands on training which I am told will happen on Thursday. All the bases are being covered the man that is developing this new training method has it timed just right it is not stressful it has that laid back feeling but kept on track. (We are not in there sitting around wasting time like other companies orientations I have been to.) as soon as the video is over lights come on and a test is taken wham bam efficient. Our Brakes are adequate exactly 10 min and we are back at it again proficient and well planned if you get restless in class you can stand walk around lots of space to pace. The orientation location has no coke machine but coffee is free and there is plenty of it there was free doughnuts too guess they want us to satisfy the cop in all of us.

We are each given $25 cash to cover lunch and there is plenty of places to choose from we are given 1.5 hours to get back from lunch. About 4:45 we are off to our place of choice I chose to eat at waffle house and return to the room to relax, and chat with my wife on the phone.

There were others that flew in, some drove company truck, etc, but this is my experience the rental car is by far the best way to get here as I saw on the television airlines were not getting things done folks were camping at the terminal screw that.
:arrow:

[rcso]

Donuts, donuts......who mentioned donuts!??!??!!!

[cdltpx]

Tuesday 3/20/07
Seems even the executive’s stay at this hotel too. I met the national salesman this morning he was very nice we had a nice chat about possibly enacting gps database. I happen to believe that having a database of all our customers, shops, truck repairs, terminals with gps coordinates would greatly assist us in our job then we would never run a a risk of getting lost or even driving up to the wrong tank because gps is going to get you within 3 yards of the tank they want you to go to. Just think of the fuel a company could save if they had gps coordinates along with directions. Think about it get a gps read on the gate then one for the location of the tank because we go to huge installments at times that have multiple tanks( I feel it is a no brainier) fuel savings and a safer driver not having to look for landmarks that change with each hurricane tornado or fog bank really it is the future and all we need is a person to collate the information add it to directions.
Early start 07:00 left orientation past 5 pm we had another very productive day we crunched a lot of information and were into a hands on training model where we all pumped off some nitrogen. They want it done a specific way and that’s cool but it will take a little time to do it off of a step-by-step chart. We will do things correctly to comply with law but most of all to be safe we get very few second chances because we are delivering alone many times with no one around at all.
We did have a very productive day we were in the trainer sooner than
I was told we would be so I guess we crammed well to get the class stuff under our belts we were given home work to do just like Logex did so that is common here at Kelley the guy teaching the class wrote the book literally he wrote it I have never had that before.
Thanks for the $25 for dinner Jack B. Kelley really comes in handy.

Went to Wally world after class hit the McyD there and got a killer dvd of all of metallica’s videos less than $17 it is killer if you like metallica it is a great deal I never got to watch any of the videos I was too busy earning stamps and trucking up.

The Mio gps unit just gets better it performs better than I ever expected it verbally tells you to go left when you need to go right but look at the screen and it is obvious what way to go so just turn the voice down or when it gives you a command to turn; look at the screen and follow your eyes not the voice the voice will notify you when have a turn at the right time just look rather than listen to the order.
I have to get to assignment now next post 3/21/07.

[cdltpx]

Day 3 orientation no field work today but we did go to corporate that place is the most luxurious transportation office I have ever seen. We met personnel that were responsible for logs safety dispatch all of it.
This company is serious about safety and they are strict on falsifying so if you think this is where you can do this forget about it.

We have a safetyman Mr Greene that has the nickname of the preacher not because of his vocation but because he knows the safety book on transportation like a bible quotes it like scripture
He said he has photographic memory and I believe him he did our test in random if we asked a question he did just that quoted the exact place and number to find every question we asked never missed one question.
Our safety man at corporate has been there over 30 years. I have never seen this much dedication to a company. At my terminal I feel like its family I really want to be there looking forward to getting on the road again.
I have to say I love Amarillo this town is nice everything in this area it is the best.
Went to the western store the company gives you a $100. Voucher to get boots for work I chose a good pair of Georgia boots the western store is nice one day I hope to come here and get outfitted.

[feederfred]

Say Hi to Ma Kelley(or Dan) (if that old twat is still alive)... Let's see Logex and JBK the two biggest union busting low wage cryogenic fleets in the industry. Hey, is Dianne still running Logex out of Santa Fe Springs ?? Let's see JBK busted all the union drivers from Air Liquide (Etiwanda) and JBK still cannot find drivers in California. The Lh2 plant in Fontana (the old Linde hydrogen plant) runs a 24/7 ad for drivers...hmmm, wonder why ?? Good luck at Kelley their benney's blow and they will mysteriously "lose" items on your payroll...Gosh, do I sound familiar with all this JBK/Logex stuff ?? I guess it's because BEFORE UPS I worked for Big 3/Air Liquide before JBK came in and put the wages in the toilet......

[kingajo]

I would never work for any company that forced a union driver out of a job. Drove 18 years over the road before I found a job with Teamster representation and benefits. And I would never go back to working non union. Just my 2 cents.





kingajo

[cdltpx]

I have not responded in quite some time because I have been busy. First to the union, I live in the Deep South where union jobs are few. Call it union of whatever you want I call it a job if you are so concerned about union then you would have never set foot inside a wal mart as a consumer.
All I can say is I have very few years left in transportation. I know this because one day my back will stop me I have to take each day as it comes before you bitch I am not union you should be glad I said ‘I want to work’’ when asked ‘what do you prefer’?

I had a choice I could have joined the millions that depend upon SSI and said give me a check each month along with the free health care.
What I want to say is union is a great theory but often is corrupt.

[Useless]

Originally Posted by cdltpx

Sunday03/18/07

We get to Amarillo TX we have each our own room the same is true for all of those attending the orientation. We are put up at the Laquinta we have free on line access the motel has a waffle house on the property but we get the free breakfast.

Oh, man!!

I'll scarf at the Waffle House" any day on my own nickle. It's my favorite greassy spoon joint!! You get to do it on somebody else's dime!!

I'm GREEN with Jealousey!! :alien:

Don't know why they don't have them in San Antonio, Austin, or the corridor!! Hell, I could keep the place profitable from munching out there myself!!

My doctor would just love me for that.....as if my weight and blood pressure haven't been enough of a problem as it is!!

[greg3564]

Originally Posted by Useless

Oh, man!!

I'll scarf at the Waffle House" any day on my own nickle. It's my favorite greassy spoon joint!! You get to do it on somebody else's dime!!

I'm GREEN with Jealousey!! :alien:

Don't know why they don't have them in San Antonio, Austin, or the corridor!! Hell, I could keep the place profitable from munching out there myself!!

My doctor would just love me for that.....as if my weight and blood pressure haven't been enough of a problem as it is!!

Useless, there's two in Austin now. Sounds like a road trip is in the future!

[cdltpx]

Words cannot explain what I feel at this point.
Take the terms “team player and safety first” out of your vernacular when you are referring to the company we call Jack B. Kelley I say this honestly because the company president has been told what happened he knows and has failed to respond after 15 days. I have sent e-mails to the affect that I was cast off for doing my job whole heartedly.
All the years I have been involved in the transportation industry I have never had a terminal manager tell me to not write up defects found on a vehicle. And there is a first time for everything. Not only have I been told not to write up the truck but also the Terminal manager actually expected me to violate the law. I have to admit that I did comply with her demand for a while but had to return to writing up the truck because there were things that were not being repaired and I needed these things to work There were more than one near misses because of the condition of the truck.
So to lessen the impact of write up’s I started writing up the truck but would attach a post it note to let the mechanic know that the things I was writing up were safety related and necessary to safe operation of a commercial motor vehicle.
I can write a book about this but it is time wasted.
My problem now is how to get your priorities straight when you really thought you had them well aligned. I am usually prepared for things I can see them coming but this one hit me blindly, it is the sucker punch from hell. What do I do now my faith in transportation is totally destroyed? Do I try to go back to Logex now named trimack and try to get my old job back and hope that I can take the 14 -16 hour days or just give up and go on disability like my doctor advised me to do after the back surgery in 2001. After working so hard to come back form a career ending injury I have to contend with these types of two-faced liars.
My spirit is broken I need a good sign. It is getting to where I no longer have the will to try to get work in transportation; they expect you to devote your every joule to the effort as I have done. Disowning family hobbies hell everything known to be an American way it is getting old and I’m beginning to think that no amount of money is worth this level of sacrifice. As we all know just the job is enough but having to contend with saboteurs in the company hurling missiles at you behind your back it is too much.