Putting 2 weeks in at an OTR company..
Posted by NomadTruckerOTR@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 42 comments
I heard that it doesn't work like a normal job would, that they might just sent you straight home instead of working out your 2 weeks. Is that true?
Should I just tell them I quit on my next hometime so they don't have the opportunity to do that?
jcarney231@reddit
How well they handle being broken up with can vary by company and by dispatcher.
Most places ran me for 2 weeks, had me drop the truck at the terminal, then I got myself home.
Schuster and Hogan were my best experiences. They both had a driver drop me 5 minutes from my house the same day I dropped the truck off.
Marten Transport was my worst experience. They kept me on for 4 weeks insisting they couldn't find a load to get me back. After 4 weeks they ran me by my house and told me to take home time and they'd find a run to get me and the truck back to their yard. Then, they sent someone to take the truck back to the yard without telling me. That person stole what little I still had in the truck, and they tried to accuse me of abandoning the truck. Thankfully I'd been photographing all of my Qualcomm messages with dispatch and was able to get their HR people to remove the abandonment accusation after 6 months of fighting with them.
I'd say 95% of people are reasonable. If you say you've got to leave because you need to be home for family stuff they're usually amenable. After all, they gain nothing by screwing you, but if you had a good experience there, you might come back or speak well of them to other drivers.
Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit
Did you get a lawyer involved?
jcarney231@reddit
It turned into a whole thing because they tried to send a collections agent after me for unauthorized truck use from my last drop to where I parked the truck for home time. Thankfully it all played out in my favor.
I was in my early 20s and had only been driving for a year back then. I didn't know any better. They told me I had to return their equipment to their HQ in Mondovi, WI or they'd call the cops then had me run load after load from Laredo, TX to DeSoto, TX and back.
Sir_Uncle_Bill@reddit
What company was that so we can know who to avoid working for
Arnhildr-Fang@reddit
It depends on the company. If it's a smaller company I'd safeguard...but if it's a bigger name (Swift, Schneider, Knight, etc), they'd make sure to treat you more like a person when shit comes up...
AustinLostIn@reddit
Really? I'd expect the small companies to treat you better. Especially if they only have one location. It benefits them to have you bring the truck (with a load) back home.
kvennema33@reddit
If you have good standing with this company is it possible to say you have family issues and need an uncertain amount of time off and hope to return sooner than later? I don’t know if this is a right way or a good way.
deltronethirty@reddit
That's how I did it. It's a good way to make sure you get home and paid.
NomadTruckerOTR@reddit (OP)
I think i might go this way. "I'm having a family emergency. I love working here but need to suspend my employment for the time being, can I leave in good graces with the company?"
smaje@reddit
This is how I did it. I hope it can work for you too. Just told them I had pressing issues at home that would require me to not be OTR for a bit. I liked working there, but I wanted to leave on good terms so I could come back. I communicated with dispatch a lot after too reinforcing that.
kvennema33@reddit
Don’t take my word for it. lol. But that’s how I would wanna do it. Even if you weren’t going back. But I am a sucker. Have to much faith in everyone’s Compassion for others I am told
Wmpowe@reddit
I like this idea too.
deezkeys098@reddit
Every time I have put a 2 weeks in I have immediately been left stranded or sent directly to the yard. Just request home time when want to quit leave the truck in the company yard clean it out and leave when your in your Uber to the airport you can call or text dispatch that you quit and the keys are with the shop or after hours in the terminal
stephenforbes@reddit
Just one of the many fucked things in this industry. Other professions would not get away with treating their employees this way.
JankyMark@reddit
That is definitely the way to do it
GroundbreakingSir386@reddit
Find a good LTL company to work for. I started working for XPO Logistics and we get pretty good benefits with overtime over 8 hours. You will always have a 10-hour day 5 days week and be home everyday.
NomadTruckerOTR@reddit (OP)
The closest one to me is an hour and a half away unfortunately
GroundbreakingSir386@reddit
Gotcha If you live in a small area that would explain it. Honestly I would try and find a job that pays hourly. We have a president that is taking away taxes on overtime so try and find a job that pays over time. Even if it's doing cement work with Class B oftentimes you'll find they'll pay better than class A jobs. Or maybe Hazmat or food industry.
DemigodOfCartReturn@reddit
Yes 100% or you could end up stranded somewhere far from home like I was
HotNewspaper5800@reddit
Need more details. So you were far away from home and put in two week notice? Like in writing or verbal? Then what happened
49RedCapitalOs@reddit
Reading is hard, huh?
disturbedrailroader@reddit
Reading is easy. Understanding it, that's the tricky part.
NomadTruckerOTR@reddit (OP)
That's what i was thinking. If they were salty about it they could just leave me 1000 miles away from home with all my stuff.
The thing is is that I want to leave the option open to come back in future, I love this job. But my family needs me right now and I have to go local
DemigodOfCartReturn@reddit
If your family needs you then you really can't risk being stranded 1000s of miles from home. Quit on your hometime. It'll also give you a chance to get all your belongings from your truck instead of having to pay thr company to have them shipped to you or worse, they could just throw it all away
Librado65@reddit
Lemme just say this...Ive recovered company trucks from drivers who have "abandoned their truck" and sometimes the driver couldn't take all their stuff with them and Ive had to just throw it all away in a dumpster...
i put abandoned their truck in quotation marks because there's always 2 sides to every story...
So take that as you will...
Personally, Ive always been one to leave myself a way out of any situation. I learned that when I was young dumb and full of cum running from the police without actually thinking where, how, and what lol
Efficient_Ostrich_54@reddit
It helps if you're not an asshole.
BoringJuiceBox@reddit
Also helps if the boss isn’t an asshole.
Molten_Baco@reddit
The last 2 LTL jobs I had “let me know i wasn’t needed for the next two weeks” the moment I gave notice. Drive home and then put notice in
ShoeStunning@reddit
whatd you leave them for? about 6 months in p&d. just curious
Molten_Baco@reddit
I left a local LTL for Estes, then I left them to haul fuel
Ambitious_Air_6103@reddit
You never heard of the saying ? You are not a real trucker unless you are ready to quit lol … who cares if they leave you stranded it the way of the road once you are home then you know for sure you got screwed . Only lesson in trucking is save your money and you may have even more money than your “boss” trucking is a dirty game who gives a dam……
Wmpowe@reddit
Me personally…I’d put in the notice and do it the right way. Why burn that bridge if you ever wanted to go back for any reason? Plus you’ll get a much better recommendation from them to another company. Recruiters talk believe it or not.
I work in dispatch for a smaller company and driver turnover is a thing that we all understand. If the fit isn’t right for you, we get it and would rather see a driver do it the right way instead of sneaking off in the night. Sure, not every company will feel that way and honestly, if you’re working for one that you think would do that, why are you there in the first place?
If you don’t care about losing the respect your back office team and think they don’t care enough about you to leave you stranded, then make arrangements to get an alternate way home.
One-War4920@reddit
What shithole do you live in where this happens?
Jesus
Level_305@reddit
Wisconsin
Bergamoted@reddit
Take the truck to terminal and quit there.
bloodsoed@reddit
Unless you are planning on returning to the company if the new job doesn’t work out then give two weeks notice.
Otherwise the company could have you return the equipment to a different facility and leave it up to you as to how to get back home.
HotNewspaper5800@reddit
Slightly unrelated to two week notice but just curious how long you were with them?
NomadTruckerOTR@reddit (OP)
18 months
HotNewspaper5800@reddit
Nice. Going local or done with trucking for a while?
NomadTruckerOTR@reddit (OP)
Going to tread water until I find something local I guess lol
HotNewspaper5800@reddit
I feel the same way
NorthP503@reddit
In my opinion, if you already have another job lined up and will never go back to the company you currently work at, there is no reason for 2 week notice. It’s a courtesy created by companies that doesn’t matter.
Don’t get stranded by them by choosing to do what’s best for you.