company meeting, Friday, 10 July 2009

DocRushing · Jul 9, 2009

This afternoon Marda and I caught (on the VRU) a recorded message --
saying that tomorrow -- between 17:00 and 20:00, Friday, 10 July 2009 --
dispatchers on duty -- available and at their stations --
will be extremely limited --
due to a "company meeting" between 17:00 and 20:00 --
because "almost everyone" will attend the meeting.
Does any of you have any insight into that?
What's happening?
Is that good news for us contractors, bad news, neither, or all of the above?
Yes, of course, we'll eventually find out -- or maybe some of it.
Still, though, does any of you have any scoop in advance?
Thanks.
Doc.

layoutshooter · Jul 9, 2009

DocRushing said:
This afternoon Marda and I caught (on the VRU) a recorded message --
saying that tomorrow -- between 17:00 and 20:00, Friday, 10 July 2009 --
dispatchers on duty -- available and at their stations --
will be extremely limited --
due to a "company meeting" between 17:00 and 20:00 --
because "almost everyone" will attend the meeting.
Does any of you have any insight into that?
What's happening?
Is that good news for us contractors, bad news, neither, or all of the above?
Yes, of course, we'll eventually find out -- or maybe some of it.
Still, though, does any of you have any scoop in advance?
Thanks.
Doc.

We have not heard a thing on this meeting. Good to see you again, it has been awhile. How are you two doing?

DocRushing · Jul 10, 2009

Joe:
Thanks for the note.
We've done fairly well -- despite the recent (and current) bumps in the road.
However, we have an uneasy feeling about the meeting this afternoon.
That pattern -- a mass meeting late on Friday --
is how the top brass -- throughout the business world --
sometimes drop bombs -- announce cataclysmic news --
late on Friday -- after the normal end of the business week.
Maybe our suspicion will prove to be unfounded.
We'll see ....
How goes it with y'all?
Cheers!
Doc.

ATeam · Jul 10, 2009

DocRushing said:
However, we have an uneasy feeling about the meeting this afternoon.
That pattern -- a mass meeting late on Friday --
is how the top brass -- throughout the business world --
sometimes drop bombs -- announce cataclysmic news --
late on Friday -- after the normal end of the business week.
Maybe our suspicion will prove to be unfounded.
We'll see ....

We will know in a few hours. The meeting is three hours long. It could just as easily be a training session or something having to do with operating company moves or plans that will not affect contractors. It does not take three hours to announce cataclysmic news.

LDB · Jul 10, 2009

Could it be the initial training for the new system that replaces our Alexander Graham Bell Special Deluxe Clink units?

TeamCaffee · Jul 10, 2009

Every year is a kickoff meeting or a Rah Rah meeting. This is nothing new except for the date of when the meeting is held. I believe it is usually on a Saturday.

D Team Brothers · Jul 10, 2009

There is a day-long meeting on sales people from across the 50 and Canada. Usually there is a barbecue. I expect that's what the three hour "meeting" is all ablout.

aileron · Jul 10, 2009

Hopefully it is not a meeting about how to go about changing the straight trucks and tractors on a flat rate, what they did with the vans.

Doggie Daddy · Jul 10, 2009

It is their annual meeting to tell "stupid" truck driver stories,which always start with the phrase "you ain't gonna believe this sh**.

piper1 · Jul 10, 2009

Load planning was unavailable due to a meeting last week one day for a few hours.

If it's all barbeque related I see a visit to Green in my future!

aileron · Jul 10, 2009

piper1 said:
If it's all barbeque related I see a visit to Green in my future!

Haha, I thought about that too, but it costs more in fuel to go there than to get my own here....

aileron · Jul 10, 2009

So, meeting is over. Anybody got anything over the c-link?

TeamCaffee · Jul 11, 2009

You guys really it was something that happens every year. Not sure why they made the announcement was made this year to the fleet.

It is an internal meeting to talk about the way the last year has gone and the companies outlook for the next year. I am sure the way Virginia handles meetings it was very official class act.

This is actually a two day meeting with the sales vendors from Canada and the United States being in attendance. The sales people were updated on what the company is providing for services. The meeting is to get everyone on the same page and the goals for the next year. The employees in the office are included in this yearly meeting to keep everyone on the same page and working as a team.

dabluzman1 · Jul 11, 2009

I was in Green for TVAL calibrating Wends and Thurs.
Same ol thing except:
The old dispatch area is a ghost town as they have all been moved "upstairs".
Breakfast was as good as ever.
Oh, the new "clinks", which had been approved, are on hold because of the downturn in the economy.
On another note, it was told to us that the higher-ups in Uniontown believe this economy will right itself by 3rd quarter 2010.

MYGIA · Jul 11, 2009

"Oh, the new "clinks", which had been approved, are on hold because of the downturn in the economy."

What new "clinks"??????

ATeam · Jul 12, 2009

dabluzman1 said:
On another note, it was told to us that the higher-ups in Uniontown believe this economy will right itself by 3rd quarter 2010.

As we have seen from many forecasters, the date of the recovery keeps getting pushed out further and further. A year ago, many forecasters were saying the recovery would have started by now.

Thank you for sharing, dabluzman. Another recovery forcast is no big thing but one that comes from the people who make decisions about our carrier is.

I am glad to see them accepting the fact that things are slow and expected to stay that way for a while. Decisions about fleet size and other such things can be better made with this forecast, instead of decisions made on the hope that everything will be just peachy real soon.

layoutshooter · Jul 12, 2009

ATeam said:
As we have seen from many forecasters, the date of the recovery keeps getting pushed out further and further. A year ago, many forecasters were saying the recovery would have started by now.

Thank you for sharing, dabluzman. Another recovery forcast is no big thing but one that comes from the people who make decisions about our carrier is.

I am glad to see them accepting the fact that things are slow and expected to stay that way for a while. Decisions about fleet size and other such things can be better made with this forecast, instead of decisions made on the hope that everything will be just peachy real soon.

It does not look like things will recovery quickly. The M1 supply has jumped 20% in the last 9 months. That signals high inflation numbers soon. During Carter that benchmark was over 40%. It continues to climb now.

interstategar · Jul 30, 2009

I had a dropoff last week and the person receiving aplogized for being 30 minutes late to his desk because of a company meeting. All companies have meetings. If Fedex is going to cut
D's and E's rates you'll find out like we did. You'll get a phone call then a letter. Anything is possible in this economy. Best of luck.