8.2 MPG

Oh I know. This driver is raising more hell than a drunk Chinese laundry boy on pay day but the extra mileage has captured my attention.

I would have already gotten rid of him, he is an accident waiting to happen. My insurance company would have given me the choice let him go or face a 5% increase, have not found a driver one that was willing to pay for that increase out of their wages.

I dont have a crystal ball to get driver status updates. When i became aware I wasn't gonna fire the man and fly another driver to Montana, and won't the next time something like this happens.. He did a fine job finishing his assignment at reduced speed.

Mr Pfluger, I am not sure you took the time to see but I have a name. A fairly uncommon name so when you google it you will see just who I am. No I am not a TQL company or some other faceless person responding to a message like so many of you want to say about people when they arent the core of posters on here or someone who has just a differing opinion. Just because I am not one of the few that normally post on here does not mean that I am inexperienced or have no clue of what I am saying or doing. Whether you respect me or not is not something that is going to wreck my day. I do not recall calling anyone names or disrespecting anyone but merely asked a question. However, you found it to be your business to throw in your two cents, which is your right. However when you made the judgemental remarks of me being a bottom feeder and being ball-less is where now your ass is showing. You have already said you do not know who we are, so how do you make the judgement that i am taking the cheapest freight being offered? Because we may ask about a load being posted? Because we ask does that mean that we took it? Again you dont know my business just as i dont know yours to make sweeping generalized comments in its regard. I believe you were riding the same horse you accused me of.

Because these comments are black and white and allow little insight at times, people like to read more into responses than the response actually intended or try to add tone and inflection where there may not be. I am sure there was a whole lot more to Mr Becks story than he posted. But if his tickets were as he stated (34 and 36 miles over the limit), there is a problem. At that point, the driver is just stupid. You all know what is said about "fixing stupid." You can turn trucks down all you want, which we do and yes it reaps greatly in the fuel savings. Even if you turn them down to 65, that doesn't stop them from doing 65 in a 35. You pointed out, Mr Pfluger, that you didnt need an insurance company telling you when to get rid of someone. I do believe that was the point I was trying to make. Again we are on the same horse.

You are preaching to the choir about rehab'ing drivers. I too share the joy and pains of keeping the seats full. Yes the past 5 years I have had to kiss more asses and make more concessions to keep the seats full than I have in all of the 15 years prior to that. You can't make people want to work. I would much rather have an empty seat than a person in it that is a risk. Yes, that is my opinion and may not be that of others.

Yes we too have a family atmosphere. You are not the only one with that blessing. Many of us are and its what keeps people wanting to stay with your company. There is not a one of our drivers (165 company not counting O/O) that does not have my cell number (618-615-1097) and knows they can call it at whatever hour of the day or night. That is all well and good but I will cut family in a heartbeat if that person is jeapordizing everything that years of risk, work, toil and good business has created. This is a business first and foremost. I leave my emotion at the door. The passion is defnitely there but the emotion is gone. Family or not when you place an undue risk on our business, its time to go. Its a sad, stark reality but when you hand that driver the keys to the truck, you just handed them the power over everything you have worked your life to build, Keys to your home, savings, retirement and your entire business and the means to support your family after you pass. You can rehab all you want but that doesn't make that driver appreciate what you are entrusting him with. Again, at 30+ over the limit the driver doesn't give a rats ass about you or your company.

Mr Beck, I apologize for using your drivers actions in this response. It was the easiest example to use in this regard. Mr Jordan touched on this as well, that driver wouldnt be around any longer. My whole point is that I too wouldnt wait for the insurance company to make that decision. No, I didnt mean fire him on the spot and fly a driver out in his stead but when he got back he would be gone. In the time it takes the insurance company to catch up to the tickets that same driver could have thought 65 in a 40 was fine and took out the soccer mom van and 4 kids that didnt think the truck was going that fast when they puled out.

This can all be interpreted in the way that suits your mood and differently by each person. My phones always on. I wont be responding to any other posts on this topic as this represents the ilk that is social media. Its easier to use black and white words to battle with at times. In the words of Mr Pfluger, "grow a set" and call if you have issue with me or my comments. My number is posted.

Not all companies have a safety department as many small companies the owner just could be out on the road as well as the flagrant driver.. A story that happened in Reno Nevada about 25years ago.. This is why you need to bring the driver back to your terminal.. Even if you fly in another to drive the truck.. A big trucking company don't remember who.. Fired the driver at the Alamo truck stop here in town. The company doesnt have a terminal here.. They know he cleaned out the truck.. Walked along one of the main streets here checking to steal a car to get home.. Walked past Cashman equipment.. The CAT dealer.. (they had just preped a brand new 777dump truck with a tank at fuel.. Ready to be delivered to a customer) this fine ex driver stole this big dump truck and started to head towards Sacramento, California.. He made it about half way and gave up as he could only go 35..of course got arrested... Just something to think about when you have a problem driver on the road.. And I bet dimes to dollars that trucking company that fired the guy had to pay a hefty transport bill and any repairs to that dump truck..

Thats close Alfred. The truck had to go into the shop in Wyoming for an oil cooler. While it was in the shop I had it castrated. A few of our drivers go north and stay 6-8 weeks at a time working the oil patch. This was one of those drivers. When he made it home I had to get him off the road so I cut him loose.

He's a dang good mechanic so I'll probly put him in the shop when he gets over his mad spell. He's a good man he just likes to hot rod.

I have to be a little tough on these guys Alfred. We do direct business with 3 of the largest petrochemical producers in the world. The 3 most important things we have to concentrate on are safety, safety, and safety.

You've made a good point Shedrick but I'd rather piss him off so he quits than have to pay him unemployment from firing him. I'll turn the truck back up to 75 or 80 once the smoke clears.

We have a new guy processing in right now just waiting for his background check.