Ask a Feeder Driver, Feeder Driver FAQ

[Indecisi0n]

One of the best pieces of advice I got when I was in training was ask the senior drivers about anything you're not sure of, 9 times out of 10 they'll give you a better answer than whoever is answering the phone in dispatch.

But if you make a mistake who gets balmmed ? I like to CYA .

 

[Johney]

I like to CYA .

I'm sure you do.

 

[Indecisi0n]

I'm sure you do.

You want to CMA?

 

[Johney]

You want to CMA?

Nope.

 

[Indecisi0n]

So I guess when your in a hub there is no way for them to know what and how long stuff is taking ? So if you pull in and go right to a door could guys just sit and say they had to wait ? Then get fuel and stretch it out ? Etc .imo it's stupid to do because wouldn't that be considered stealing time/dishonestly if someone was following you.

 

[Feeder665]

So I guess when your in a hub there is no way for them to know what and how long stuff is taking ? So if you pull in and go right to a door could guys just sit and say they had to wait ? Then get fuel and stretch it out ? Etc .imo it's stupid to do because wouldn't that be considered stealing time/dishonestly if someone was following you.

I have often wondered the same. Can dispatch in your home hub see what time another hub uploads your trailers too you? To be specific the actual time stamp, not just see that there is a trailer there.

There have been times I’ve pulled late because I didn’t have a trailer, and the hub I’m at says it’s delayed as I was taking a bypass trailer. My hub calls and complains I’m pulling late.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

I had an afternoon pull from the airport, and quite often, the plane would be a little late, for whatever reason. This particular day, the plane was late, so I was late getting out for the trip back to my hub. Feeders calls the airport to check on the load and the airport manager tells feeders that I was late because i was shooting the bull with the Evergreen employees (people who unload the cans). I get back to the hub and get questioned about me causing the load to be late. After that, I kept a journal accounting for every minute of that leg. TA, any wait time, traffic, etc. They tried that one more time. I pulled out my ledger and told management exactly how my time was spent. That was the last time they tried lyng on me.

 

[oldngray]

I had an afternoon pull from the airport, and quite often, the plane would be a little late, for whatever reason. This particular day, the plane was late, so I was late getting out for the trip back to my hub. Feeders calls the airport to check on the load and the airport manager tells feeders that I was late because i was shooting the bull with the Evergreen employees (people who unload the cans). I get back to the hub and get questioned about me causing the load to be late. After that, I kept a journal accounting for every minute of that leg. TA, any wait time, traffic, etc. They tried that one more time. I pulled out my ledger and told management exactly how my time was spent. That was the last time they tried lyng on me.

They had to try to explain to their bosses why stuff was late and were looking for a scapegoat.

 

[trickpony1]

That was the last time they tried lyng on me.

The hub couldn't get my load ready at pull time so one night I walked in, closed the door and put MY padlock on it.

No load retainer;
no paperwork and;
a load stand went for a 3 hour ride.

The hub called feeders and said I pulled the trailer with a loader in it. I intensely dislike liars.

I told them that would be kinda hard to do when the door was shut and MY padlock was on it. Dispatch seemed amazed that my padlock was on the trailer.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

They had to try to explain to their bosses why stuff was late and were looking for a scapegoat.

Bad thing is, the guy who lied on me is now a real big shot at UPS. I guess it shows how much they value integrity in management.

 

[Covemastah]

I had a peon sup call feeders to report me late ,, I set up the kite on the door , the trl was held by them , guy next to me hops out to help , I shake his hand and thank him , next I know they’re blaming me for talking to him and causing delay ,,, fffff them

 

[Mugarolla]

Can they pinpoint where you are live on GPS when on road? I know they estimate the time between hubs and such but can they pull you up live and see exactly where you are ?

Yes.

They have a program that shows exactly where every tractor is, at any time.

They can pull up the program and see exactly where you are, within 5 feet.

So I guess when your in a hub there is no way for them to know what and how long stuff is taking ?

Correct, in a way.

But, they have time standards for things like hooking, unhooking, fueling, washing, etc.

If you go well beyond those time allowances, they are going to start asking why. Or they will have someone at the hub watch you, without you knowing it to catch you stealing time.

So if you pull in and go right to a door could guys just sit and say they had to wait ?

Yes, but they also know when the trailer door was closed and ready to be pulled.

You sit there for another half hour, again, stealing time.

Etc .imo it's stupid to do because wouldn't that be considered stealing time/dishonestly if someone was following you.

Yes.

And you can get away with it....for awhile, until they start following you and watching you to take your job from you.

Is it worth a $100K job to get an extra couple thousand dollars a year by "milking" the clock?

Do you feel lucky?

 

[Indecisi0n]

Yes.

They have a program that shows exactly where every tractor is, at any time.

They can pull up the program and see exactly where you are, within 5 feet.



Correct, in a way.

But, they have time standards for things like hooking, unhooking, fueling, washing, etc.

If you go well beyond those time allowances, they are going to start asking why. Or they will have someone at the hub watch you, without you knowing it to catch you stealing time.



Yes, but they also know when the trailer door was closed and ready to be pulled.

You sit there for another half hour, again, stealing time.



Yes.

And you can get away with it....for awhile, until they start following you and watching you to take your job from you.

Is it worth a $100K job to get an extra couple thousand dollars a year by "milking" the clock?

Do you feel lucky?

I was just curious is all. Being from package I know that everything was calculated down to the minute so to have this much "freedom" just seems odd. There are hubs I go to that are known for just being crazy so waiting 45 min for a door is not uncommon. Then there are days I pull in and don't wait at all. This is why I was asking.

 

[Mugarolla]

I was just curious is all. Being from package I know that everything was calculated down to the minute so to have this much "freedom" just seems odd. There are hubs I go to that are known for just being crazy so waiting 45 min for a door is not uncommon. Then there are days I pull in and don't wait at all. This is why I was asking.

They have time allowances for everything you do in feeders, just like packages.

Years ago, they really didn't care. The only thing that mattered was that you pull on time and then arrive on time. They never cared what happened in between.

Now they do.

While I never consider them set in stone, some days may take longer than others, if you're consistently "over," they will start following you to find out why.

I was on a job that I waited over 2 hours on the door on a consistent basis. The nature of the beast.

But, if your trailer is ready....well...time to pull it.

 

[retiredTxfeeder]

If I got held on a door, I'd always call dispatch up. "Hey, my pull time is 18:30. They are holding me over. What do you want me to do?" I'd always put it back on them. Make them make the decision. If you don't call them, they would ask, "hey, why didn't you call me?"

 

[Indecisi0n]

If I got held on a door, I'd always call dispatch up. "Hey, my pull time is 18:30. They are holding me over. What do you want me to do?" I'd always put it back on them. Make them make the decision. If you don't call them, they would ask, "hey, why didn't you call me?"

I never call or really concern myself with the pull times. If I am being held up I just go under delay so they know why . Most of the time if the trailer is going to be pulled late the office dispatches the trailer while it is still on the door and I get an error on my ivis when I go to outbound that trailer isn't on property .

 

[Jones]

We've had 3 or 4 guys fired this year for stealing time, they're taking it pretty serious. One was a 30 year driver, we thought he would get his job back at the local hearing but the company elected to take him to panel at which point he resigned.

 

[Jones]

I never call or really concern myself with the pull times. If I am being held up I just go under delay so they know why . Most of the time if the trailer is going to be pulled late the office dispatches the trailer while it is still on the door and I get an error on my ivis when I go to outbound that trailer isn't on property .

If you don't know your pull time, how do you know when to go on delay?

 

[Indecisi0n]

If you don't know your pull time, how do you know when to go on delay?

I get to my trailer and see if it's ready . If it's not I will hook up, pretrip while on door then I go right into delay .

 

[Jones]

I get to my trailer and see if it's ready . If it's not I will hook up, pretrip while on door then I go right into delay .

Technically you're not supposed to go on delay unless you're being held past your pull time.