[Twilight Flyer]

As far as APU’s, mine uses 1 gal per 8 hours, the truck uses 1 gal per hour @ idle, the cost savings will pay for the APU in just over a year.

Possibly. But a larger company is still faced with the daunting and extremely expensive task of outfitting a fleet numbering in the 1000's of trucks. Most companies are not going to be able to absorb a cost like that and with the APU debate far from settled, it doesn't make a whole lot of financial sense to purchase 5 or 10 thousand APU's if they're going to end up banned anyway.

As for the bans, that issue is still in deliberations. Tell a driver they can’t idle is one thing, telling them they can’t have heat/cooling and you’re going to get sued.

And that is a sticky situation. There are several states with complete bans on idling and APU's already and more threatening to join that.

I will always maintain there are no bad pets just bad owners, and I’ve seen more petless drivers trash their trucks because they’re slobs than I’ve ever seen damaged from pets.

I don't disagree with that statement at all. :? It still doesn't change the fact that companies are looking to cut costs due to skyrocketing operating costs and pet programs are going to be among the first to go.

[Whammo]

Originally Posted by jw6831

Today, no pet policy, tomorrow no smoking policy, dayafter, no eating in truck policy.

They should ban smoking in company rigs. The smell is horrible and it is a fire hazard and it is killing you.

[jw6831]

That's what's nice, about our great country, you have choice's, as long as a person is aware of their actions, and it's not illegal, they have that right, as long as it does'nt infringe upon another person, so I drive solo, get the picture. And I served my country for those rights, and I am not going to let some reformer, take that right.

[Karnajj]

Originally Posted by Whammo

They should ban smoking in company rigs. The smell is horrible and it is a fire hazard and it is killing you.

That's a quote straight out of Hitler's playbook.

[headborg]

Originally Posted by RottsATruckin

This to me is wrong on so many levels, Idling is the first, what about having apu’s? I can understand if your truck doesn’t have one, if not then why not? The driver will idle if it’s too hot/cold so if it’s about idle time get an apu.
Next, the deposit, fair enough, but what kind of BS is it that they will charge $175 to clean your truck (ya, right) then slowly repay you your $$$ 25 bucks at a time, I’m guessing they want that 600 bucks up front in one lump sum?
Excuses for not allowing pets in company trucks are total BS as well, I questioned a recruiter once why his company didn’t allow pets, his response was that once they had a driver who’s dog tore up the interior so now they no longer allow pets…I asked him if they’d ever had a female driver abandon her truck, “why yes” he said, I then asked if they still hire women, “well ya” ever have a white male get a DWI and wreck a truck? “yaaa” “do you still hire white males?” for me It’s about respect for your drivers mental health, go ahead have a $500 deposit but don’t question our intelligence with lame excuses, go ahead tell me I’m meat in the seat, I’ll figure it out eventually.
BTW a reasonable “pets allowed” policy is a requirement for me, did I mention I’ve never taken my dog(s) in the truck with me. :wink:
Too bad, Crete was my second choice and I just left my first.

actually, reducing Idling is only part of the reason for this kind of "hatchet job" policy-- yes, they are looking at reducing idling( and they probably collected the data- and made some conclusions( right- like they have a brain) I remember a week ago April 3rd I got a message asking If I had a pet in the truck?-- so I think then was were they were grouping that segment of the fleet together and comparing a idling average- to compare to a "non-pet" truck lding average<<< I love to see this data published to back up their "policy" btw.

No, the other side of the answer is this: the economy is getting worse, fuel higher, and they are TRYING to PISS OFF and get DRIVERS to quit---- downsizing without having to FIRE( if they FIRE-- theirs a good chance that many drivers will go to the employment office-- then their Employment Insurance Contribution rate will INCREASE. If they can hire more drivers IN at .39- .41 and get ride of as many .46 and higher drivers-- their doing real good.

This is just like the "get your Haz-Mat or get lost policy--- two years ago- many of their drivers elected to drop it( because policy said we could) now, they are willing to "let go" anyone who doesn't jump and go spend up to $200.00 to add it back on ( some of us would have to completely renew our CDL) See, there's no logic to firing a driver that makes you over $10,000 in revenue each month-- just because he's not willing to run maybe 5 hazmat loads in a year's time. It's because they are looking at ways to downsize.
They could easily say- ok, take a .01 cpm paycut UNTIL you elect to get your hazmat. But that option isn't offered....is it?

Notice, they want $600.00 up front to cover 1 more year of employment( with your Dog/Pet----- so many drivers will say screw you.
then for those who haven't found another carrier in a hurry-- and end up paying that price( to by time) --- they are gonna hold it ransom and only pay it back $25.00 a week--- after you get ride of your pet a year later....

what did they say the policy is with that money...if you quit? full refund on last check?

[bluebeetle]

Karnajj wrote "We have the most restrictive rider policy in the business"

Really. Can you please name another carrier that will allow for a driver to have a child in the truck 0-4 years with the spouse? The policy won't allow for girl friends or boy friends or life partners, but that is more of a liability issue.

Headborg, you make the statement that the $600 deposit is only going to be paid back at $25 a week. The portion of your deposit will be paid back to you after the truck has been inspected and all cleaning and damages have been taken care. The driver has the option of paying the deposit in at $25 a week.

Unclehotte, three dogs and one wife in a truck??? Wow, I have inspected trucks and can't imagine how crowded that would be or how uncomfortable that might be.

There are other ways for the company to save money. Have a pay cut. Why do we need to have one of the highest driver pay out there? That's right, because we wanted to have quality drivers and give them the opportunity to make a decent living. Please don't give me the argument that it is a lifestyle difference. That is an old tired worn out discussion. The driver has decided that was the lifestyle they wanted. For the last four years we haven't had an increase in the premiums paid for benefits. The company has absorbed that cost. They could implement that increase and get things caught up that way. Fuel costs are going wild. But instead of working to reduce the cost for idling our trucks let's knock them back to 55 mph. How fast do you think people would leave then?

The policy was implemented to save money for the company. Fuel costs, motel costs (remember when you are broke down, a motel room is gotten for you and many are requiring a pet deposit), replacement/cleaning costs for trucks that have a pet in them.

[headborg]

Originally Posted by bluebeetle

Karnajj wrote "We have the most restrictive rider policy in the business"

Really. Can you please name another carrier that will allow for a driver to have a child in the truck 0-4 years with the spouse? The policy won't allow for girl friends or boy friends or life partners, but that is more of a liability issue.

Headborg, you make the statement that the $600 deposit is only going to be paid back at $25 a week. The portion of your deposit will be paid back to you after the truck has been inspected and all cleaning and damages have been taken care. The driver has the option of paying the deposit in at $25 a week.

Unclehotte, three dogs and one wife in a truck??? Wow, I have inspected trucks and can't imagine how crowded that would be or how uncomfortable that might be.

There are other ways for the company to save money. Have a pay cut. Why do we need to have one of the highest driver pay out there? That's right, because we wanted to have quality drivers and give them the opportunity to make a decent living. Please don't give me the argument that it is a lifestyle difference. That is an old tired worn out discussion. The driver has decided that was the lifestyle they wanted. For the last four years we haven't had an increase in the premiums paid for benefits. The company has absorbed that cost. They could implement that increase and get things caught up that way. Fuel costs are going wild. But instead of working to reduce the cost for idling our trucks let's knock them back to 55 mph. How fast do you think people would leave then?

The policy was implemented to save money for the company. Fuel costs, motel costs (remember when you are broke down, a motel room is gotten for you and many are requiring a pet deposit), replacement/cleaning costs for trucks that have a pet in them.

actually, I was quoting KJ Karnajj who first reported that as "the new policy"-- I haven't seen or read it-- as I don't have "a dog in this fight"--

[Clay51]

So I wonder how Crete will handle owner-operators leased to them who have pets.

Eight months after leaving Crete and I still do not miss otr. And the dogs my wife and I have can run in a big yard and we do not have to worry about them getting hit by a truck.

[stormothecentury]

Originally Posted by Karnajj

That's a quote straight out of Hitler's playbook.

I'll point you to Godwin's Law. I fail to see how banning smoking in company trucks (which, to be sure, many slipseat daycab carriers have done) has any relation whatsoever to genocide.

[bluebeetle]

Owner operators can have pets on their truck without a deposit.

Several drivers who really enjoy working here and are getting decent miles are looking at purchasing their own trucks.