2008 Shaffer=>Heartland=>Company "X" CHRONICLES
 

Period Ending 2005 2006 2007 2008
Jan 6 2896
Jan 9 -0-
Jan 13 3678
Jan 20 3308
Jan 27 2162
Feb 2/3 3268 3275
Feb 10 2443
Feb 16/17 2117 2134
March 2 3339
March 9 3266
March 17 945
March 24 2774
March 31 2914
April 14 2498
April 21 2891
July 8 3097
September 16 1689
December 16 3523
WEEK 1, JAN. 2008

JAN.4TH- JAN. 10TH

HOME
NASHVILLE, AR
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA

DH-278
LM-1884

TOTAL MILES FOR WEEK-- 1921


Left out of house on a crappy LXP load- Tyson McChicken Nuggets to
Golden State Foods- City of Industry, Ca.

Reason I say this load is crappy- it can't deliver early, Company "x" 9 times out of ten won't let you drop it early in Fontana-- without some one who lives near by to "baby set" this frozen load. Last place available/allowed to drop is Wilmer, Tx.

One the positive side: It's January so some miles are better than no miles, at least you can count on a good long haul at the tail end.
+ My IFTA stickers were waiting in Wilmer for me. Needed to be on truck by today- Jan.31st. And truck needed some service+ TLC-- and maybe I could get this done with all that "extra" time on load.

I leave house mid-day Friday-- with the inside cab of truck in it's usual disordered fashion. I know the load is pre-loaded on a spot trailer-- so yes, I do take my sweet time getting it picked up. Spend Friday night in
Prescott, Ar "Finding my Bed" (putting away all the junk)- Saturday morning I pick it up-- Saturday Night I'm in Wilmer, Tx(Casually) after stopping and Shopping- Resupply Truck.
I get my permits, and what ever else I can find...shop supplies, etc.
I check in with shop foreman, give him a write up--- he says give me your
Cell Phone Number-- and check back in with us LATE SUNDAY NITE-- it might even be MONDAY MORNING.
(DECISION TIME) Do I hang around here until maybe Monday before they
can get to truck??? OR BLOW THIS JOINT?

I decide to continue on down the road--with my rat killing.
Saturday Night-- Weatherford, Tx
Sunday Night- Van Horn, Tx
Monday Night-Willcox, AZ

DRAGGING ASS---- but remember, load can't deliver until Thursday Night
23:00. Phoenix yard is on route- but, I've hauled this load twice before--with mixed luck getting it dropped-- they don't want to drop more than 2 days anywhere early-- afraid fuel tank will run empty.

Tuesday Evening-- I roll into the New 1ST CLASS Company X Terminal in PHOENIX, AZ(inside joke)-- just in time for NIGHT shift to come on( I get along better with them than DAY dispatch- but they are all gone now)--
But,-- Dan didn't have any freight out of PHOENIX then or anytime next day---so, I couldn't UNLOAD that MONKEY off my back---so I continue to
Quartzsite, Az- and begin 34hour reset. New California NO-Idle law fresh in mind-- wasn't planning on setting in Ca any longer than needed.
__________________________________________________ __________

Week 1= 1921 miles

Week#2

Jan.10th-Jan.16th

City of Industry
Fontana, Ca 37 DH
Beaverton, Or 1003 LD
Tigard, Or 4 LD = 1044

Prosser, Wa 205 DH
Cheyenne, Wy 1046 LD = 1251 Total for Week=2295(actually ran)
Monroe, Ga 2528LD Lost(Gave up)= 1277 miles
__________________________________________________ ______
Week#2 Total Miles= 2295

Log:

Started 14 hrs Late Thursday Night from Quartzsite- Made delivery to Golden State Foods.
WEEK 2 begins:
Deadhead over to Fontana and pick up dropped trailer bound for Oregon With a 2 stop load of Ramen Noodles for Sunday Delivery-
4am DOT INSPECTION- Casaic, Ca PASS get CVSA sticker
Make delivery---
Monday Bounce(DH) to Prosser, Wa to pickup load of Onions bound for Wal-Mart--Monroe, Ga (late Saturday Evening delivery)
Not happy with this--(1) the appointment can't be moved up or delivered early. (2) The miles were good- but, since it's a Saturday delivery- it's gonna mean no paycheck for this period( All I would have is Ca- Oregon)
But, that's the breaks.

Well, I get to Idaho-- and get a Message--- Can I do a relay-- to get a lady driver home to Alabama(Urgent Personal Business) Can I relay to Cheyenne.
Sure, works for me-- At least I can pay some bills without waiting an extra week for a paycheck.

THEN AFTER I WAVE GOOD BYE TO MY LOAD OF ONIONS-- I'M TOLD THERES NO FREIGHT IN THE CHEYENNE AREA.

Lose 36hours waiting on next load.
__________________________________________________ __________
Total Miles Week#2--- 2295

Week#3

Jan 17th- Jan 23rd

Cheyenne, Wy
Denver, Co
Harrisburg, Pa

New Kingstown, Pa
Manchester, Pa
Marysville, Pa
Deleware, Oh

North Baltimore, Oh
Greensboro, NC

Total Miles = 2784
__________________________________________________ _
Log:
Well after setting for 24hrs waiting for the magic Freight Ferry to appear and bestow a load on Shaffer in the Cheyenne area.
They finally broke down and called---"the parent holding company FU"
Because company FU has lots of freight.
So mid day Friday, I head down to Denver-- Drop my Reefer and grab a Company FU Dry Van so I can go grab a load of Dog Food bound for Harrisburg-
Pickup time- 23:59pm
I wanted to be sure to get down to the yard early enough to FIND an empty-(important) but that started my 14hr clock- So I took an 8hr break there at yard- then ran over to pick up my dog food-- arrived early--- they
were buried under trailers-- and since I was the first of 4 company FU drivers to show up--- they ignored the p/u number I gave them-- and wanted me to run the very first( almost already loaded-minus 3 plts)--- So I was in and out in a flash.
Then on Monday-- lost most of a day--- Dropping off this empty dry van--and bouncing around Pa looking for a WORKING reefer to go pickup my next (over- nighter) which turned in to a ALL DAY rescheduled load--because of loosing too much time trying to find a working reefer.
__________________________________________________ __________
Total Miles Week#3= 2784

Week#4

Jan. 24th-29th

Greensboro, NC
North Cove, NC
Indianapolis, In
Romeoville, IL
Portland, Or
Clackamas, Or

Log:
Lost 1/2 day at TA getting altenator replaced
Lost 1 day setting in Indianapolis( on a friday- because Dispatcher wouldn't allow me to drop load on Friday
had to wait until Saturday for another Nicer/smarter dispatcher to OK the T-Call
__________________________________________________ ____

Total Miles=2982

* 2 more days left over in Jan +

Currently Under Dispatch:

Clackamas, Or
Yakama, Wa
Quincy, Wa
Monitor, Wa
Washington Court House, Oh= 2617

__________________________________________________ _______

Total Dispatched Miles in Jan = 12599
Total Actual practical Ran Miles in Jan=10500
Total Trip Miles completed in Jan= 9956

10500 miles / 28 days = 375 miles average per day

8 loads for month of Jan= 1244.5 miles per Trip average
8 loads over 28days= 3.5days per trip ~~ 375 miles per day

And paid how much for your time/labor?

282 miles for that day @ .465= $131.13

$131.13/14hrs= $9.37 hr

I actually only logged used 6.5hrs that day, so figured that way:

$131.13/6.5=$20.17 hr

or if you consider I was away from home 24hrs=$5.46 a hour
How do you figure it?

oh, yeah and I got $25.00 for a Trailer re-position
so my total gross that day was $156.13

Games companies play:

1/11/08- I pass a California DOT Inspection- send in the Inspection Report
this lowers my safety points with Company FU into the Black so now I'm eligible for
performance bonus.

I've been dispatched on 12599 this Month<---should qualify me for Bonus

1/31/08

I get the following qual-comm message:

Msg from XXXXX, Can you pls look back at trip XXXXXX( Equity Meats going to Greensboro, NC) for lxp.... it shows that you were late for the delivery...
I was just wondering why? thanks



the delivery appointment was at 23:00
I arrived at 22:34( time stamp on Arrival at Consignee)

Fleet manager's Assistant ---had no trouble at all pulling up this message in the computer.

But person XXXXXX couldn't find this??? No, sorry I don't buy this- I've never gotten a message like this- don't think it's a quencidence that this message was sent out on the last day of the month---they are looking for something to disqualify me with.

How much of a bonus are you looking to receive?

Headborg...

I see where 'people' are disqualifying you the extra bonus bucks...

Where I work they do the same thing .... it seems to be part of the

trucking world... :sad:

Kinda sad... but true

PS:I just called them .... they will let me take the critter!!!

(German Shepherd) He is non-agressive.... he has no nuts :roll:

.....39 to 40 cpm

6 out = 1 off

They go West ...

Cool ...

Maybe this will work out

Ok
 

Howdy Headborg. Y'all still get a performance bonus over at Shaffer. They stopped it awhile back at Crete when the raises happened a couple of years ago. When they did have it they did the usual also and found something to disqualify you for it so I just never tried for it after the first year or two.

Howdy
 

Also Headborg I was wondering if you could tell us how the running with Crete loads are helping the drivers at Shaffer. I saw two more out west and noticed quite a few Shaffers trucks with Crete trailers now usually out of the Wilmer yard. It definately has hurt the Crete drivers a bit and some grumbling has started already.

On my last trip to Henderson Nevada I had two Blue Shaffer trucks with Red Crete trailers go by me South on the I 15.

And this week I received yet another letter from the Shaffer recruiter wanting me to go there.....

Re: Ok
 

NO, I just questioned my Fleet Manager about this Bonus Issue-- and seems I missed the Memo stating that it was discontinued with that .03 cent raise.
I was so far in the Red on Safety Points(logs) it took until last December to get into the Black.

So I'll have to take back that paranoid interpertation---

FYI-

THERE'S NO BONUS AT Company X/ Company FU
THERES'S ALSO NO LAYOVER
THERE'S NO SPLITING YOUR SLEEPER BERTH BREAK

ALL THE ABOVE IS FALSE INTERPERTATION/ PARANOID ASSUMPTION-AS THERE IS NO BONUS ANYMORE...

I WAS HOPING- it would be the full $500.00- but now I learn there is no Bonus anymore.

Welcome aboard--- p.s. it's 1.5 days for 6 out-- don't let them cheat you out of your 1/2 days.

I never did understand how they could give blue truck drivers a half day off more than red truck drivers.........racist bastards.....dont like red trucks!!!!!

If they only had a west coast dedicated.....sigh.

Re: Howdy
 

Well- it was only 1 for me this month. And no, it's only a bandaid to a much larger more painful problem.

The Company X Division doesn't run to Company FU -- right off the bat when they don't have any freight in a area. In my case, the let me set for 24hrs( 8 of which was their normal business hours) before they Begged Company FU for a load.

And from what I've heard, Company Fu only gives out what they don't have Trucks to cover themselves. Sometimes, Company FU gets over booked in certain areas-- and needs Company X to cover some of their freight.

In the near future, there won't be any Company X left---it will all be Company Fu-
we're all one big team. But I understand-- it's a dog eat dog world.
Would Red truck drivers be so upset--- if it was just another Red truck they were "competing" with? Or is it just the Color of the truck?

I've notice many times when I need to relay a Refridgerated Load- to get home-- and there's been plenty of Company FU Drivers in the area-
But you can't get a Company FU driver to pull a reefer-- even to get a fellow driver "home".

And if you noticed,--- I lost 1/2 a day-- at the end of that Company FU load-- switching Equipment back.

With whom do you currently work?( I think I read somewhere before but have slept since then)?

Henderson, Nv???

You wouldn't by any chance work for Poly-Trucking?

Im working for Cardinal Logistics here in SoCal. We have a Walmart Account out of Inland Cold Storage in Riverside.

I go out to the Wonder Bakery in Henderson and pick up Croutons.

After their latest contract with Wally World we went through a radical pay change in our loads and I am looking for work elsewhere.

Cool....

Hometime is not a big deal for me....I have no family...

but I feel certain my dog will like the great West... :D

:arrow:

January 2008 Summery:

Beginning Hub: 177608
Ending Hub: 188527

Hub Miles Ran=10919
Practical Miles Paid= 10500

Variance= 4% out of route

8 loads + 1extra stop

Live loads= 3 out of 8
Live Unloads= 7 out of 9

Load#1- 1921
#2- 1044
#3- 1251
#4- 1739
#5- 444
#6- 590
#7- 666
#8- 2301

= 1244.5 average length of haul

La Machine..does what it does....such is Life :lol:

____________________________

I came into this world crying....I will die laughing (Nisargadatta) :wink:

Week#5
Feb.1st- Feb. 8th

IN PROGRESS

Trip#9 for year
DH- 205 LM-2505 Total= 2710
2 extra pickups @ $30.00 each
Began trip Jan 30th-

Jan.1st-5th Practical paid miles ran for this period= 2222

* PC*Miler Practical miles report total miles as --2617 practical 2527-shortest

Maybe they won't catch it.

Log: Beginning odometer at Mission, Or Feb. 1st- 188527

Began day with a good breakfast because I didn't know if I was gonna 'throw chains' that day or not.
Checked TripCheck ODOT for restrictions-- found chain law lifted.
Began day's driving.
Bad ice/snow covered roads all the way to Idaho
Ended day in Perry, Ut 1.25 hrs remaining to drive. But since I was very tired and snow blind + 1.25 more hours would not get me to Little America, Wy where I had planned to end day- I pulled er up short.

Did 34hr restart here.

Will deliver to wal-mart, Washington Court House 7AM Wednesday Morning
with plenty of hours remaining for remaining 3 days this week.
So, 2222 miles + 1500? Could make for a nice week.

OK, yeah I'm dreaming! Ohio is a short haul market for us-- I'll count my self lucky to get another 1000 for the week. But even then- that will make a 3222 week.

But- February is historically the slowest-lowest Month of the year That's why I'm going home the 14th-19th. Else I'll be pulling my hair out--setting around making NO money.

Re: Howdy
 

I just noticed a lot of Shaffer trucks around the Wilmer yard with Crete trailers and a few of them were just waiting for a load and Crete was not overbooked. When we go looking for a empty and all of a sudden they are hooked to reefer pullers causes some grumbling as I am sure you understand.

Crete drivers came to Crete because they wanted to run Dry Van and not Reefer. Now we are being told that we will all be one company coming up and what o I am sure you can see why there is grumbling there also.

On the plus side though for Crete and I am feeling is their thinking is that now they will get a lot of reefer drivers wanting to come over to the company as they will love pulling dry van also but not vice versa for drivers wanting to pull dry vans only.

We will just have to wait and see I guess.

Re: Howdy
 

Yes, I understand and don't really blame them/you--- you came to Crete to pull dry vans-- that's perfectly understandable.
But as for the Shaffers hooked to dry vans-- thus depriving Crete drivers of empty ones. This is more of an Organizational/Operational issue-- Crete loses track and or doesn't keep track of their equipment well enough.
As I'm sure you know-- other companies play the game much 'different' and assign out all equipment-- not loosely tell the driver to " go find an empty" and then don't know where to send you to find said trailer( or are they just not wanting to commit to Paying you to bounce around "looking" for equipment?)

Ran into a snag today:

Started morning at 8:45 AM from Woodhull, IL with 8hrs driving remaining to Consignee. This afternoon while rounding the Indy Loop- I get a alarm shutdown on Reefer. There's no place 'safe' to pull over in traffic/ dense fog & rain- by the time I reach the rest area I-70 EB mm 105(Greenfield) all lights are black on panel. In fact there's no power to control panel at all. So
my first guess is dead battery. I hook up jumper cables up but still no power to control panel. I call it in- and turn around heading back to Indy- Carrier Dealer. Arrive at 4:54 CST. Well, they finish and I MOVE the truck to hook back up and pull it out of the shop at : 23:54pm CST.

Now, my dilemma-

I'm past my 14th hour. Been here exactly 7 hours. But, I've moved the truck( which is being monitored via Sat)
My appointment is 0600(my time) and I'm 3hrs driving away.

This isn't good.
(1) Do I lie and log a 8hr sleeper berth break- and extend my 14hrs and set here just 1 hr more.
(2) Do I lie and log a 10hr break here and leave at 3am and just maybe by the skin of my teeth PUSH this load into wal-mart on the wire.
(3) Send new ETA- 3pm and get a real 10hr break- here.
__________________________________________________ __________

I choose #3- Crete would never back me up-- if something Tragic happended- they'd feed me to the wolves. And, this load of apples isn't worth making my Wife a widow.

Still waiting on any replies from night dispatch reguarding my new ETA.

Maybe they'll "suggest" which HOS rule they'd like for me to "bend"??

So now- another day down the drain.

Ohh, the problem---- first they replaced the micro-processor & the on/off toggle switch. Got it to come on/off.--- But the unit was still shutting off by itself & switching from start/stop to continous on it's own--
they finally find a bad wire in the wiring harness--- or so they claim.
(never can be sure with mechanics)

Re: Howdy
 

I hear you Headborg. Crete is pretty bad about tailers but any company is I imagine. I think it will all shake out and be fine one way or another. Was just wondering how you liked it as you are at Shaffer. Thanks for the feedback.

You did the right thing. It may cost you though as they will rescedule you and then you lose a day of driving but what can we do.

Before the changes I would not have but now I run extra legal and log everything and never run when the hours are up. It has cost me sometimes and I do get hit with all of a sudden with horrid runs.

So overall how are you liking Shaffer? Im now recruiting for them amoung others. From reading your chronicles, it looks like you are having a few problems all companies can have...but other than that it seems you are doing pretty well.
Im just starting out recruiting for them, but from what I read about their program it looks great. And from what I have heard from other recruiters doing what I do, it seems to be very easy to get the drivers excited about this job...but a little hard to get them on because Shaffer is pretty picky and only wants the best drivers.

when did shaffer open up thier hiring again?

Truthfully:

If I could find another carrier that:

(1) Would start me out at .43 per mile or better
(2) Hire out of north central Arkansas
(3) not require haz-mat
(4) could confirm with several driver testimonials they are getting 3000 miles a week average and no problem- no gripe getting Home every 18 days.

I'd be gone-- yesterday.

The problem with Shaffer is not this Division-- it's the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain( Crete Carrier Corp) and their RULES & B.S.

When I hired on here- I was led to believe by a Recruiter- that Shaffer was independant of Crete and ran their Own operation--- this was never the case.
You're really just trying to recruit a Crete driver willing to pull a reefer trailer.

I dont know...ive only been hiring for them for 2 days. From what I understand is right now they are being very picky and its still pretty tough to get on unless you have a very good work history and driving record. I did send them a couple of drivers today, they had good work history and driving records...so lets see if they stick.

What are the metrics used to determine the "Best Drivers"?

Every company states they want the best drivers. I just don't see it on the highways.

Not trying to be a wiseguy. Just wondering what objective data Shaffer/Crete (or any other company) uses to evaluate a driver. Seems to me hiring drivers is kind of like buying something on eBay. You never really know what your getting until it arrives at your doorstep :lol:

Two things would keep me from Schaffer now, Cretes Regional Dispatch and Opti-Idle.

Lol....if i knew the answer to that question, I would be a millionaire. Ive been recruiting for a long time and Ive had drivers where I said "man, i cant believe they put that moron on that great job" and ive had drivers who I couldnt find a thing wrong with them, they seemed almost perfect to me, and I couldnt get them on. A lot of times we recruiters never find out why a driver was refused...something about previleged information.

I know during the last few years companies lowered their standards a bit and let a lot of people go through that probably shouldnt have. With the slowdown in the economy lately, especially in the transportation sector, companies are downsizing a bit and now are under the belief that they can be more picky. So its a little harder to get on jobs. Does this mean the "driver shortage" over? :wink:

Bumper-- (1) Opt-idle;

This was something I hadn't thought about asking the recruiter- almost 3 years ago.
At Westside Transport(former employer- 500 trucks) they toyed a little with the opt-idle and had nothing but trouble with it and honestly;
it looses drivers-- experienced drivers who are "picky" about their "quality of
life/ sleep. They disconnected the darn thing after losing the first 20 drivers.
And it really doesn't save very much fuel either- vs- ware and tear on the equipment and driver.


But, I've made my peace with it-- and now find the auto start up- when battery low a very nice safe guard. And there are "ways" to get the darn thing to idle practically continously- so it's less a problem that originally.
The key is to consider it a challange to overcome, adapt, improvise.

(2) regional dispatch;

We've just began the "zone dispatch" system-- it's still the same freight base( hopefully we won't loose to much more in this transition period)
Only now-- I've gotten rid of the prick of a dispatcher I had to deal with daily- Now, I have multiple personalities---surely, I can't piss off all of them. We'll see how it goes--- I've done the "zone dispatch" before-- I know many of the pit-falls of that type of system-- maybe i can avoid the pit-falls and come out ahead.

You're absolutely right about the "harder to get on" issue-- but, companies aren't just rejecting "average" or "marginal" drivers--- they are also rejecting " good, experienced drivers- with exceptional work history" based on issues as- Geography- Fuel cost is so outragiously high-- even hiring a "exceptional" driver is impossible if it's gonna cost too much to get
them home(even once every 3 weeks).

Little fellow in a dark office with a crystal ball. Figures, not much makes sense in this industry.

I was just wondering. I have seen Crete/Shaffer drivers that would not be out of place with Swift on their door.

Same goes with gross obesity and gross hygiene. Ditto for bad behavior. I guess the bar in trucking isn't set too high.

Good luck with your new position at Shaffer.