Is It A Problem To Be Late on Impossible Dispatches?
Posted by EnolaNek@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 9 comments
I’m driving for a mega at the moment (OTR reefer), and I’ve been sending in a lot of calls that I’m running late relative to my total number of loads. However, except for the occasional time where I fuck up my time management because I’m new, it’s usually because it’s a load that could not have been legally delivered on time.
I’m using splits to try to adjust my arrival time to be exactly an hour early if I’m running egregiously early, I’m determining whether to stop at an 8/7 or finish the 10, whether to slow down and wait for the recap or just finish the 34 based on what will get me to the delivery the fastest, and I’m not stopping unless I absolutely have to for a fuel stop or a 30 (or once because I was too tired to drive). I run out my clock whenever it would be beneficial to the load to do so, and have had several very close calls with my 14, but I’m still somewhat frequently late. My last load, I was dispatched on a load that was due for pickup 17 hours ago and due for delivery 300 miles away from the pickup in 5 hours. I got it there 2 hours late.
I know that some of these are late due to errors with managing my clock, being slow at the shipper, etc, but a lot of these just don’t seem like they are possible to legally be on time for. At the same time, it seems like there’s only so many times that I can say “dispatch wanted me to deliver a load to yesterday (literally), and there’s only so much I can do.” Is that going to be a problem for me, or is it just going to have to be what it is?
jabber1990@reddit
I had an impossible dispatch once, openly told them "hey, so this is impossible, you're only giving me 48 hours to do it when i'm going to pick it up 24 hours later (and they already knew that part) so you expect me to do this in 24 hours?" they said "well no, just get it there when you get it there"
...that was a weird weekend
AgapeAnus@reddit
This is part of trip planning. My dispatch knows that as soon as I get a load I'm figuring out exactly how long it's going to take, adding three hours, and sending that in as an ETA. The closer I get to delivery the more extra time I take off that ETA until it's the day of and I'm only adding an hour or half hour at most just because it's impossible to know exactly when you'll arrive. If they send me an impossible window I let them know it's impossible and what is actually possible with a realistic estimate and then just stay in contact with them the entire way as needed. I regularly haul auto parts which are JiT deliveries and need to be there yesterday as a rule and I've never had a problem with letting my dispatch know when I'll be there and whether or not that's going to fit the stated delivery window and if they need to renegotiate that or I need to just not stop except to use the restroom or get fuel the entire way.
If they're giving you shit for not meeting impossible delivery windows you need to push back and frankly that would be a resume generating event for me.
CannibalAnus@reddit
Bro we almost have the same username. Kinda scary
Mechanik_J@reddit
Don't worry they know they're late. If you had actual service failures you would have been fired or getting $500 paychecks/low miles.
exaltedquilting543@reddit
Document everything in writing with dispatch - the pickup time, distance, and realistic delivery window - so when they inevitably complain you've got proof it was impossible, not negligence.
Jasonunlimited@reddit
Are they fussing about it? If not, keep on. Sounds like you’re trying really hard and even though you’re new you’re doing fine and will probably only get better at trip planning. It’s just trucking, some weeks you’re late for everything because they keep giving you crap you can’t make, then some weeks they’re not as busy and now you’re half a day early for everything. Lanes (hell just volume in general) fluctuate, maybe they just don’t have enough trucks wherever you happen to be to cover all the work so you’re the best/closest option even if it doesn’t time out right.
Radiant_Swan187@reddit
Ask for a different dispatcher. Or whoever puts the loads on you. Maybe they're the problem. If it doesn't get better, maybe youre the problem.
GoodGoodGoody@reddit
All trucks are GPS monitored. Ask them the pick any portion of your recent travel and describe what they think are delays.
kaloric@reddit
Do you have the ability to text your dispatch in writing about status?
If you'll get docked or punished in any way for failing impossible tasks, you should put them on notice right away that the appointments are outside the realm of possibility and have them respond, in writing, that they accept that inevitability and would like you to do your best.
I've never been forced dispatch, when I see something on a board that I could do except for the impossible expectations, I call about it and if there's ANY language about late pickup/delivery penalties in the ratecon, I make sure they have the dates in the contract revised to be realistic.
Even if your company doesn't ride you too hard on being late, document it for yourself; the time of dispatch, when your clock enables you to start driving, the distance you need to cover, typical time you'd spend at a gatehouse/office and that sort of thing, just so you have a solid explanation if anyone bitches about it.