Sunday, September 10, 2006

Losing it

I was in a "funk" all last week and really couldn't think of anything positive to post. It all started last Monday (on my shorter day). I called to check on the status of my load and was told it would be ready about noon. It takes at least an hour to do the necessary paper work and get my trailer hooked up and be ready to go.

I get to the dairy about 10:45 am and was told they still owed my load some milk that hadn't been run . We bottle different labels of milk for various stores and naturally they do not have the same UPC (that little label they scan at the register). Sometimes you can substitute another label if they happen to carry COLEMAN brand milk as well as their store brand. This store did not,so I "had " to wait on the right milk. No big deal as it happens on a regular basis.

When they finally get around to bottling the milk ( I say "bottling and not producing" because it is the same milk just labeled differently) I am waiting for, I drive out of the dairy about 6:10 pm. Plus I have extra milk on the trailer that must be put on a different truck. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. I arrived back at the dairy after 3am and after finishing fueling and doing paper work it was 4 am when I made it home.

The week just went down hill from there. Every day it was something until Friday when I really lost it and told everyone what I thought about the whole situation. Most of the time I try to "grin and bare it". On Friday I told them I was going to "grin and bare it" and when I did they could kiss what I was baring. They took it all in stride because they knew I had every right to be upset.

We are 2 drivers short and I knew this wasn't the best time to ask for a vacation because of that fact. Well one of our drivers is on vacation for 2 weeks. When I said something about it, I as given this explanation. "He does the kind of run we can put anyone on, even a new hire." The answer did not sit well with me.

We hire ON-SITE MOBILE WASHING to wash our truck and trailers on Saturdays. They do a terrible job at best. After they "washed" my truck, this is how it looked.
The passenger side mirror was not touched (never is). The frame was not washed. If is wasn't painted white, it did not get washed.
A clean truck is more than an image issue. It is also a maintenance issue. If you look at the last photo, you will see what looks like a small mushroom. That is the "vent " for one of the rearends. When the gears turn inside the rearend it builds up pressure and that pressure is released thru the vent . When it get stopped up from road grime the pressure has to go somewhere so it blows an axle seal. That's $$$'s plus down time.

OK, enough of this. Would someone help me down, I'm getting dizzy up here.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes we all need to vent our frustrations at the imperfect world we live in. It sounds as if your week was a rotten one - I hope next week goes better.

It looks like the people who wash the trucks need to be given a "vacation", a very long and permanent one!

squire said...

Hal, these pictures will be on the bosses desk Monday morning.

Linda said...

I know what you mean--several weeks ago, I just announced I wouldn't be blogging for several days. Nothing wrong with a break--just don't go away!

Anvilcloud said...

I hope that this week goes a lot more smoothly. What's up with that cleaning job though?

Annie said...

Taking these pictures and then showing them to the boss is a great idea. But that won't solve the problem of not getting out on the road in a timely manner - or getting home at 4:00 in the morning. That's a dreadful schedule.

Carole Burant said...

And I thought I was the only one who got dizzy!! lol Wow, you certainly do have every right to vent...I can't believe those pictures were taken AFTER your truck was "washed"! Hopefully something can be done.

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Do you have a company name printed on the side of your truck? How will I know you so Jimmy & I can wave to you if we see you.
When we see a truck that looks like it's carrying milk or dairy we wave...I know it's not you because it's the wrong state, but one day it might be you.

 

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