Knight Transportation
#1
02-16-2009, 01:38 PM
Knight Transportation
I'm ready to go to orientation, still apprehensive about detention time at docks. Seam's to be a good company. I've never done reefer, any help would be great, also about the company
TKS. Last edited by VerNess; 02-16-2009 at 01:41 PM. Reason: want's a quick reply. don't know what to do
#2
02-16-2009, 01:46 PM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: pod# 110 -Shared with a high risk in a red jumper.
Posts: 2,240
Well I hope you like the heat ,because at Knight they don't have apu to provide a/c without idiling ,And idle time is something Knight does not allow much of , and high idle will get you fired.
#3
02-17-2009, 02:32 AM
They are the first ones to ***** when someone gets on them about idle. I idle only when necessary...sometimes nonstop....A little over a month ago I had a trip from PA to MT. Never shut truck off the whole week. Only thing for sure.....DON'T GO ON PER-DIEM!!!!! It doesn't benefit you. Think about it this way....why would a company push so hard for something that will benefit you. Good luck to you!
#5
02-17-2009, 06:05 AM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: pod# 110 -Shared with a high risk in a red jumper.
Posts: 2,240
High idle will NOT get you fired! All in will do is get your truck truned back to 62 mph. If you do your job and do it right you will never have a problem with idle time. I was in the Charlotte yard 2 weeks ago and it was 65 outside. I then counted 19 trucks setting there idiling And most of those drivers weren't even in their trucks.
They are the first ones to ***** when someone gets on them about idle. I idle only when necessary...sometimes nonstop....A little over a month ago I had a trip from PA to MT. Never shut truck off the whole week. Only thing for sure.....DON'T GO ON PER-DIEM!!!!! It doesn't benefit you. Think about it this way....why would a company push so hard for something that will benefit you. Good luck to you! If a company has a policy ,and you are in violation of that policy you will be fired, Maybe not the first time ,But eventually ...And when summer hits and daytime temps are in the 80's and the truck is sitting in the sun the cab will need A/C to be comfortable for most drivers ,And for me and most people the A/C will be wanted almost 24/7 from June-August especially in the South , And Knight will fire a driver for this after taking prior disciplinary procedures like turning truck down to 62mph . Knights idle policy only gives about 3 hrs idle time for every 10-11 hours driven ...which sure don't even cover a 10hr break let alone the sit time waiting for freight, So how would a driver be fine if doing his/her job right since just simply idiling for the 8hr sleeper portion of a 10hr break puts a driver at almost 3x the allowable idle perentage putting them deeply in violation of company policy ,which is grounds for termnation ...And if the company did not fire for violating the policy they would'nt both to have the policy.
#6
02-17-2009, 08:12 AM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: East Central IL between the corn and the beans
Posts: 4,977
Doing your job right at Knight means taking care of the truck and trailer and using good communication skills with your fleet manager. They are sticklers when it comes to getting the trucks serviced on time and are anal about drivers keeping the tires aired up on the truck and trailer. This is something you really must CYA on. If you pick up a trailer and it looks like it has a tire that has been run low be sure to note it in your DVIR and send a message in or call the shop and let them know so you won't get the blame for it. If you have problems getting into a terminal because your dispatcher keeps routing you away from one to get your truck serviced call your terminal's shop manager and let them know.
As far as communication goes let your dispatcher know immediately anything and everything that will effect the load. Even if you are dispatched on a load that is already late tell them, don't assume anything. As for their idle policy, shut the truck off when you don't need to run it. It is simple as that. Yes they will whine and send you messages telling you to cut your idle time down, but as long as you are running your loads to the best of your ability and taking care of the equipment that is about as far as it will go. If are doing your best to min your idle time then simply ignore the messages.
__________________
Finding the right trucking company is like finding the right person to marry. I really comes down to finding one whose BS you can put up with and who can put up wih yours.
#7
02-17-2009, 11:52 AM
Oops!!!
Sorry guys and gals, I mixed up the messages for Marten and Knight (if you read Martens it should be Knights. Sorry
But, having read your posts (and tks) all the current adds for Knight say all their units have APU's Help. verNess
#8
02-17-2009, 12:54 PM
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: pod# 110 -Shared with a high risk in a red jumper.
Posts: 2,240
Knight did have bunk heaters ,which are considered an Auillary Power Unit , they did not have anything like a tripak that heats/cools/provides electricity without running the truck...Maybe they have upgraded ?
#9
02-17-2009, 03:25 PM
Doing your job right at Knight means taking care of the truck and trailer and using good communication skills with your fleet manager. They are sticklers when it comes to getting the trucks serviced on time and are anal about drivers keeping the tires aired up on the truck and trailer. This is something you really must CYA on. If you pick up a trailer and it looks like it has a tire that has been run low be sure to note it in your DVIR and send a message in or call the shop and let them know so you won't get the blame for it. If you have problems getting into a terminal because your dispatcher keeps routing you away from one to get your truck serviced call your terminal's shop manager and let them know.
As far as communication goes let your dispatcher know immediately anything and everything that will effect the load. Even if you are dispatched on a load that is already late tell them, don't assume anything. As for their idle policy, shut the truck off when you don't need to run it. It is simple as that. Yes they will whine and send you messages telling you to cut your idle time down, but as long as you are running your loads to the best of your ability and taking care of the equipment that is about as far as it will go. If are doing your best to min your idle time then simply ignore the messages. I am a newbie and some of these stories about the state of the industry sicken me, this makes me want to go back to construction instead of going for my CDL. I did talk to a recruiter at Sanders in Troy, AL and mentioned this idling situation I read about on the trucking forums, he mentioned that it is not just the trucking companies, but that state laws are dictating that they cut down on trucks idling, he mentioned that truck stops are installing heat and AC systems, but that the industry has a long way to go to solve this major problem.
#10
02-17-2009, 04:33 PM
i thought this was a class a drivers board not the beardstown ladies glee club. what you guys want the company to wipe your ***** for you too? toughin out the heat and cold why thats part of the job of bein a truckdriver. you gotta go out there and hang iron in steamboat springs in the wintertime and you gotta lump freigt in the summer time so you gotta be tough and take the heat and cold. back in the old days they didnt have no apus or air conditioning and those drivers made do in them doghouse COE and coffinbox sleepers and they got the loads delivered on-time. they was the real truckdrivers not like todays spoiled brats who need to grow a frickin palm tree in their sleepers. i tell you this new breed of driver does nothing but cry all the livelong day whered all the real drivers go?
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