Contacting PII council members

[davekc]

the easiest way to fix the problem would be to have to dispatcher call the driver
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Might be the easiest, but that is much different than whether it is the most effective. The more efficient they are, the more loads they can book.
With regard to dispatchers, we have not had the experience of any arguments with dispatch. Much the same as Cheri's.
Anything is possible, but I would think based on our experiences, that your situation was an isolated one.






Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[LDB]

Phoning the driver isn't automatically the easiest way. Having observed dispatch I can say there are times when it may be 10 or 15 minutes between the load becoming available and the dispatcher getting a chance to call the driver. They are dealing with dozens of drivers for over 100 loads. The computer can immediately send an SMS of "load offer on QC". At times the driver will be in a marginal coverage area where the message may get through when a phone call won't. The extra time to check locations, routing etc. prior to having to give a y/n decision can be welcome as well.

As to telephone rudeness, none of the dispatchers can hold a candle to some of the drivers. I believe one that called in teaches the advanced vocabulary course to sailors. I've never been chewed out for calling, especially not for 5 minutes. I have had dispatchers who were abrupt and probably because they just had a call from the sailor instructor.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[hedgehog]

Every one of my jobs is sent by test messaging first, then via voice for confirmation.

It figures out to $5.00 per month, or, about 16.5 cents per day.

It is incredibly cheap insurance/backup. It is perhaps the cheapest expense I have running my business.

Be safe.

 

[pelicn]

When we were with FedEx, it was nice to get a page that said we had a load offer. We didn't worry about whether or not dispatch remembered that we were "out of truck on cell". It was an automatic page whenever the load offer was sent to the truck. Personally, I'd love it if I never had to talk to dispatch. In another thread about "pet peeves", that was one of mine, not getting all the information we need for the run at the beginning of the run. I know dispatch has a job to do, and so do we, the less time spent going back and forth on the phone or QC is more time to get the job done.
Also, whenever we do talk to dispatch, they are always friendly! We've never been chewed out.

 

[davekc]

You get what you give. Same with dealing with a broker or customer. The response back will vary but be predictable. If you call screaming and cursing, the response would likely be different than if you handle the call like a professional.








Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[are12]

The only reason I am saying about paying for text messaging, when we do not need it is because we have never missed out on a load because we did not receive a call from dispatch. I, for one, just prefer not to have text messaging. It is something I would not use so to me it is a waste of money.
As for being "chewed out" by a dispatcher for calling in, that has never happened but I try and be professional - even if I am upset with something. It gets you nowhere to call in with an attitude!

 

[Turtle]

I have no problem with the text messages, other than the cost. We can be nickel and dimed to death if we're not careful. Yeah, 20 cents a pop isn't much, and I'd hate to lose a load over 20 cents, but I'd also hate to have to pay 20 cents for each and every load when it's not necessary.

Yes, there are times when you are in an area where an SMS can get through and a phone call won't. But it's going to be an extremely rare thing where you can't get a phone call but you can get an SMS message and you happen to be out of the truck when a load offer comes in.

If I'm 'out of truck on pager' and Dispatch calls me and it goes right to voicemail, that's when SMS should be used, and that's when the 20 cents truly wouldn't bother me at all. But if Dispatch wants to use SMS as the primary initial contact on all loads, particularly to save time, then that's an expense that Dispatch should bear.

If these companies weren't making the kind of profit on the Qualcomm chargebacks that they are, my position might be different.

 

[pelicn]

With FedEx we had the choice to activate the "page" when a load offer came in. Also, just to clarify, the page is simply that, a page that lets you know a load offer was sent to the truck. It isn't a long text message with load info or anything.

I'd like to see Panther implement a similar system