Driving for a Fleet Owner

[mypie]

My husband and I team for a large fleet owner. Don't get me wrong, they have been great about getting the truck fixed, for the most part. And, we have had no real problems with them.

But, the one thing that I've found that I really don't like about driving for this particular fleet owner is that they keep regular office hours. The fleet manager that is assigned to us works M-F 8:30-5. Well, what good is that? How often do we pick-up or drop-off before 8:30 a.m. or after 5 p.m.? Almost always. That's the times I most often feel I could use the advise of my fleet manager. Between 8:30-5 M-F one of us is usually driving while the other is sleeping making it difficult to find a moment to contact them. And, when we do have time to speak with our Manager - its usually a weekend - and, of course they're not there then to answer our calls. They do have an emergency number to use 24 hours, but they don't want you to call unless there has been an accident or breakdown emergency.

Has anyone else experienced this frustration with a fleet owner?

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Unfortunately, yes. The owner I ran for rarely answered his phone. Often, he was in an area where he couldn't get a signal. The last time this happened, the engine took a dump, and I couldn't reach him. Needless to say, he expected me to read his mind in hindsight.

If you don't feel comfortable with the communication arrangements, I suggest you find another owner who knows what being an owner and operator truly means. It's not a hobby. It's a 24/7 job, no ifs, ands, or buts.

 

[ATeam]

If your fleet owner is maintaining the truck and you have had no problems, that is worth a LOT and I would not be thinking about jumping ship just yet. Availability is a legitimate concern that I would guess other drivers share.

Having someone on 24/7 for emergencies is a good thing. Having someone available for non-emergency calls, from say 5:00 p.m. to midnight, might be all that is needed to address the issue. After midnight, most drivers would not be calling for non-emergency reasons anyway.

Another resource is your fellow drivers for that fleet owner and for your carrier. If you are not already doing so, start collecting the names and phone numbers of the drivers you meet and get along with (you don't have to love 'em all).

Again, if business hours are the only issue you have with your fleet owner, and everything else is going well, you are in a pretty good spot.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I don't understand? What do you need the manager for? or owner for that matter....YOU make the decision...It's what I pay you to do.....An owner ain't a darned babysitter ya know....If we start making your decisions for ya you call us henpeckers!
Make your decision and live with it....

 

[Suds43]

OntarioVanMan......wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?? Sounds like you need a chill pill......STAT!!!!
I do agree with ATEAM though.........if that's all the problems you have, consider yourself lucky......there are alot more out there driving for fleet owners who don't give a **** about their drivers, just bring him that money! At least your owner is keeping your truck in good shape mechanically, right?
I guess you need to sit down and talk with the owner, face to face, air out your concerns directly with him. I wouldn't be in such a hurry to jump ship..........
Ya got me fired up about fleet owners OVM.......but I'll bite my tongue.............

 

[x06col]

OVM. Seems you'd make a dandy fleet owner. Why don't you just go buy a half dozen trucks, and field them?? You'd find out in short order "what they need an owner or manager" for. Do it, do it, do it. I dare you.

 

[cheri1122]

Mypie: could you elaborate a bit, as to what kind of questions you'd ask the fleet mgr, if you could?

 

[x06col]

Hey cheri, judging from his post, we should defer all questions to the Hawk. Seems he has it completely figgured these days. Same composer Wayyyy different tune these days.

 

[jwc]

Drive for same fleet owner in a lot of ways they are great but only if you have a problem from 8 to 5 . But the rest of the time good luck and the amount of people they have comes out to 1 per 15 trucks

 

[x06col]

Zat fleet owner from the Toledo area, by chance??

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Hey cheri, judging from his post, we should defer all questions to the Hawk. Seems he has it completely figgured these days. Same composer Wayyyy different tune these days.

Way different how, Col? I've always told it like I saw it. Just these days I have a few more war stories of my own that I can relate to.

 

[cheri1122]

Hey cheri, judging from his post, we should defer all questions to the Hawk. Seems he has it completely figgured these days. Same composer Wayyyy different tune these days.

Col, I think the Hawk would be the first to say that he hasn't got it all figured out yet. Far as the 'same composer, way different tune these days', most of us are learning as we go here.
If we haven't learned everything you know, it's probly because we're not as old as you are, eh?

 

[x06col]

Precisely cheri. Hawk, protect the name, you are not screwing with someone elses now!
Got it?

 

[jwc]

nope not around the oh area

 

[x06col]

JWC thanks. Hawk you could always talk it, but, the walk'in seemed difficult.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Enlighten me in a pm, Col.

 

[LDB]

Getting back to the subject, what is it you want to talk to them about outside business hours? I have 2 cell phones on different providers so if 1 has no service hopefully the other will. My teams know to call whenever they need me but they also know if they just want to shoot something that's during certain hours. During shooting time we do just that, but if there's an issue or question relating to the job it doesn't matter what time it is.

 

[morningstar55ny]

hi ya .. mypie......
we might be working for the same fleet owner if your with panther.....
i have NO problems ..... it doesnt matter what hours of the office are.....
my truck is maintained well..... if there is a problem.... with the truck .....
i take it in to get fixed ...... plain and simple.... and then make arrangments with safty for comp check payments..... and make sure i fax reciepts to my owner and panther.
I like the fleet owner i am working for a lot.
I do my job ..... do my best out here to make both of us money.
if i can not reach him for non emergancy ?? ..... i know i can come here and talk to other drivers..... or talk to some at a truck stop where i might be parked at and if i see any other drivers..... well ok im rambling here....... lol
but ya know what i mean........ heh
i been with panther. it wil be 3 yrs come Nov .....
and 2 yrs with my fleet owner come aug......
maybe i can answer some ?? i dont know....
i have a prvt message box here..... im just a click a way.... ha

 

[OntarioVanMan]

OntarioVanMan......wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?? Sounds like you need a chill pill......STAT!!!!
I do agree with ATEAM though.........if that's all the problems you have, consider yourself lucky......there are alot more out there driving for fleet owners who don't give a **** about their drivers, just bring him that money! At least your owner is keeping your truck in good shape mechanically, right?
I guess you need to sit down and talk with the owner, face to face, air out your concerns directly with him. I wouldn't be in such a hurry to jump ship..........
Ya got me fired up about fleet owners OVM.......but I'll bite my tongue.............

Thanks Suds...yeah someone ****ed in my Cheerios that morning....*LOL*

I suppose i meant what you said...people should have this worked out before hand....so the right knows what the left is doing... Guess I was alittle gruff....

 

[iceroadtrucker]

The worst things I have run across is Fleet owers that stick their head in the sand when U know what hits the fan and Things start breaking down. Telling a driver to deal with it, Just isnt what should be told to the driver. With that said their are enough of them out here that do indeed play the 10a ta 2p games as some one else on here stated in relation to hours of the Fleeter being available for call. True your the Capt of your truck and should call the shots, but Monnie plays an important role as well. If you got access to it then that is one thing if you dont thats another. In reality there isnt many Fleeters out here that got Emergency monie and they live from pay stub ta pay stub. The Few that have Viable acounts are the smart ones that set them up they are the smart ones. If by Chance A fleeter relies on his fleet to pay his personal bills to me that is wrong. The monie (he personaly)makes not his her Drivers should pay his personal bills, the money his trucks make should pay for them selves and maint ect. At the end of the week or month or quarter if there is money left in the pot after all taxes, lic, breakdowns ect is said and done and gots maint monies still set aside then the fleeter pays himself the dividend outa the pot of his fleet. If not leave it alone. If he Rapes his fleet and runs it as a rag tag hopen nothing happens or just puts a bandaid on the problem vice stiching it up in the end the fleeter will loose. Its realy simple rubben elbows and keepen up with the Jones just isnt worth the down fall
But many get Swelled Heads and spend spend spend by HUMMERS and those big 700,000 houses and when somthing happens They stick there head in the sand as they have no funds to recover with in the end.
So drivers beware as the old saying goes believe nothing what u here and only half of what U see. If its sounds and looks to good to be true it most likely is. There are those that sound off and brag on what they have or had and will be the first to give ya advice beware of those so called fliebenite fleeters. Just remember If you make the mistake Your the one that gota deal with it. May a thousand Camel Flees infest their hides.