[merrick4]

A hell of a week. A few weeks ago I had a Ryder unit go on me and cause a frozen flower load and then they gave me a bad reefer and I flipped (I never claimed to be some businessman and so apparently you can't say certain things or they get offended) I am a man and I express myself as such when people push me. Well big war with Ryder and this came to the point I was going to hand all the trucks back. I don't care, I was smart and made enough (not enough to retire but enough to last a long time while I find something else. Now they are flying down some Senior Vice President to see me.

The drivers knew nothing of this and all I hear is complaints. The refrigerator isn't working etc. I am going on a firing spree and putting some order to this. I got rid of the safety manager who was, well long story but I'm shaking things up.

I got a call also from the DOT or actually the Florida Highway Patrol which I guess merged with the DOT and I am being audited. I think I'll be good but I heard the drug books need to be under lock and key. Not sure if that is true.

This is some sh...t I got myself into. If it wasn't for my little girl I'd be out. Things are going well to. New customers left and right. Picking up customers almost daily mostly out of Florida. While I am not in the day to day of booking the trucks, from what I hear people are deadheading out of here. Yesterday we did a dry load for $1.48 to the Carolinas and a reefer load with a few picks in Miami to Chicago for $2500. I wasn't happy about the $1.48 load but we had a bunch of trucks down here.

I don't know how Ryder stays in business. I went to Penske but seems like they are going to be a lot more money. But I guess what you pay for. I hear their service level is the same anyway. Wish I had a few billion I'd like to start my own leasing company and provide good service.

[freebirdrfd]

Maybe a weekend in Key West is what you need. Sit by the water with a drink in your hand and clear your head.

[firebird_1252]

Originally Posted by merrick4

A hell of a week. A few weeks ago I had a Ryder unit go on me and cause a frozen flower load and then they gave me a bad reefer and I flipped (I never claimed to be some businessman and so apparently you can't say certain things or they get offended) I am a man and I express myself as such when people push me. Well big war with Ryder and this came to the point I was going to hand all the trucks back. I don't care, I was smart and made enough (not enough to retire but enough to last a long time while I find something else. Now they are flying down some Senior Vice President to see me.

The drivers knew nothing of this and all I hear is complaints. The refrigerator isn't working etc. I am going on a firing spree and putting some order to this. I got rid of the safety manager who was, well long story but I'm shaking things up.

I got a call also from the DOT or actually the Florida Highway Patrol which I guess merged with the DOT and I am being audited. I think I'll be good but I heard the drug books need to be under lock and key. Not sure if that is true.

This is some sh...t I got myself into. If it wasn't for my little girl I'd be out. Things are going well to. New customers left and right. Picking up customers almost daily mostly out of Florida. While I am not in the day to day of booking the trucks, from what I hear people are deadheading out of here. Yesterday we did a dry load for $1.48 to the Carolinas and a reefer load with a few picks in Miami to Chicago for $2500. I wasn't happy about the $1.48 load but we had a bunch of trucks down here.

I don't know how Ryder stays in business. I went to Penske but seems like they are going to be a lot more money. But I guess what you pay for. I hear their service level is the same anyway. Wish I had a few billion I'd like to start my own leasing company and provide good service.

i know you said before you are based out of south fl. not sure where but... it sounds like they BS'ed you. ryders headquarters is in miami. unless something has changed in the past few years last i heard everyone was based out of miami. if you are around the palm beach area... the location in riv. beach is a joke. thats where we used to get our trucks out of when i was working in fl. they were great when they were gator leasing. but once they took over.. it went down.. fast. there was a few good mechanics there but not many. the head guy there (when i was there anyway) was a joke. he was a bigger guy real bad attitude. after my EGR valve went in my truck i brought it in.. never was the same after and they told my boss at the time that it was me.. they are a joke. good moving to penskee.

[merrick4]

Originally Posted by freebirdrfd

Maybe a weekend in Key West is what you need. Sit by the water with a drink in your hand and clear your head.

I went to the Keys once, in my head it's like going to the Cape. I'm only 15 minutes from the beach now (believe it or not I like the beaches up there better. Nothing like Nantasket Beach up there. I'll be good, I just need a couple more years and then I can liquidate with a lot more and a bit more orderly. (barring nothing major happening). The main thing is my daughter. Me and my wife are providing her with a life I never would have dreamed possible for me.

[merrick4]

Originally Posted by firebird_1252

i know you said before you are based out of south fl. not sure where but... it sounds like they BS'ed you. ryders headquarters is in miami. unless something has changed in the past few years last i heard everyone was based out of miami. if you are around the palm beach area... the location in riv. beach is a joke. thats where we used to get our trucks out of when i was working in fl. they were great when they were gator leasing. but once they took over.. it went down..

No I'm sure he's out of Atlanta but you are right HQ is in Miami. I've been there once. Beautiful building I'll say that. But I think they told me they put another place in Atlanta about 15 years ago. It's called Ryder Shared Center that's where the billing and a lot of other stuff is done.

I actually didn't like Gator, but that's when I was driving local and dealt with the shop out of Ft Lauderdale. The Ryder employees aren't rude to me (well I'm not rude either) but as I'm the one paying the bills they act all nice. I got wind of one treating one of my drivers once rudely and I told them that everyone in this company is your customer so I expect everyone to be treated the same. Again real situation I got myself into.

I'm thinking of buying a yard. A big one with a wall and an office etc. Plenty of room for parking for a lot of trucks. But I wouldn't rent out to locals I'd rather have one of the big companies use it as a drop yard, after all it is South Florida; hard to park, safety etc. I wouldn't even know what to charge.

I contacted my insurance agency this week. I want to buy excess liability insurance. I figure it's just a matter of time, well let's hope not but with this many trucks on the road something is bound to happen.

[Driver of the Year]

Merrick, let us know how your Audit by the DOT- FHP. went. That right there would have a lot of people nervous.

[merrick4]

It was a mistake. I had to open the intermodal company and it was a new entrant audit. I called the cop and he was overwhelmed and said he would get back to me.

Actually I wasn't that nervous. I called a compliance person and he started asking me questions (like the random driver drug test ratio for last year) and I knew the number off the top of my head. So I think I would have been alright.

Besides I'm at the point where I just don't care anymore. What I mean is shut me down I don't care. We run legit but with the drivers complaining and all the other BS that goes in this business I just don't care.

The meeting with the Senior Vice President went well. He was out of Atlanta but was from my home state of Mass and we hit it off instantly. He even said if he'd know I was from up there he would have understood the complaints Ryder employees had against me better. He also seemed upset and said I had viable complaints. Upset with the shops that is. They fix and fix and fix the same thing over and over.

[Driver of the Year]

Merrick, I noticed that you are about to pull the plug on this Company. Last time you said you almost pull it but cooled off. I remember one time when I was Company Driver here in Florida for Commercial Carrier Corporation, and I was complaining that I wanted more loads and having a bad attitude and behind the scenes, there was a major slow down in business and the Manager that I was complaining to was asking the dispatchers who are we going to let go, and that was happening behind doors and after the storm passed, I was still employed and the reason was because I transferred to another terminal to pull Lime and drivers with more seniority than me lost their jobs. So those guys that complain in you company should be careful. They might see a big pad lock on the fence and you will be in Key West drinking margaritas with less headaches.

[merrick4]

You have that right Driver of the Year, don't get me wrong I have a solid core group of good drivers, but these other ones do stupid things and then come back literally pleading for their job back. These are grown men and they can't face the consequences of their actions. I had another freaking surgery yesterday and I had some guy calling and texting me since I awoke saying he made a terrible mistake leaving and he would like to come back.

I don't even know this guy, he screwed up since when did I become Jesus Christ (I'm not religious or Christian but I think Jesus was know or believed to be a savior or redeemer or something. Anyway you get my point. ) Like I have said, I have been smart. I have not gone on spending sprees, live well below my means and have a wife with a 6 figure job. I could get out of this and find something else.

On top of that, again I'm appreciative I can provide my daughter with a life I never dreamed of, I am somewhat solitary. I have vendors calling me all day long. People think you own a business and you are a millionaire. It's all about attitude. Many people would love to be in my position, I know that. But I am not materialistic and don't like the title Owner, Boss, etc. I came to this state basically broke and well I'm not broke anymore I haven't changed one bit. The people around me (which I limit) well that's another story.

[chris1]

I read this and think back to the first business I started. 35 years later and it's the same problems. Won't say that you will ever get used to it, just get a more jaded view of things. I do think that the general attitude of employees is far worse now than back then.

Know I said it before, booze helps