Geo quit his job.
Yes, he quit. He told his employer to jam the truck keys up where the sun does not shine. He told them to bugger off. After what happened to him, I used much more colourful words than I will type. You get the picture.
Before I get to the happenings that lead to this decision, let me give you a brief education on the trucking industry.
Here is the difference between a trucker and their dispatcher: A trucker depends on the dispatcher for high mile runs (if they get paid per mile) or decent weighted trailers (if they are paid per 1,000 pounds). A trucker depends on a dispatcher to get their ass home. A dispatcher needs to move freight and could give a snot less if it's beneficial for the driver. A dispatcher works an eight hour shift and knows they will go home after the eight are up.
Drivers hate dispatchers and dispatchers are sissy little cowards that hide behind locked dooors so disgruntled truckers won't beat the piss out of them.
With that being said, the whole day he kept telling his dispatchers "I will be out of hours by 2:00. Get me home." None of the asses even gave a damn. When two o'clock rolled around, he sent a message "Out of hours. In CT." His message back - "Shut down til midnight and then come on in."
You do not tell a man who hasn't seen his family all week to sit in another state so he can roll in all nice and tired on Saturday morning. I've seen his paycheck - he doesn't make enough to warrant those hours. Oh, and don't think he gets paid for working on Saturday. He's just driving - not picking up a load ergo not working; therefore, he is on his time.
The rat bastards had Geo stranded, literally, at the Connecticut/New York border at 2:00PM on a Friday. And he couldn't get in contact with me since I didn't have my MOBILE thanks to JURY DUTY.
When he finally got to talk to me at 5:40PM to tell me what happened, he had just one thing to say and ask.
"I got the other job. Can I tell these f*ckers I quit?"
He wasn't asking for "permission", mind you. He wanted my opinion. He just did it in question form to make me feel like part of the process.
I gave him my reply. You know the rest.
2 comments:
I don't know anything aboout trucking or truckers (although I've fantasised about them many times).
Anyway (fave word), ahem, isn't it always the case that the office/admin people really couldn't give a stuff about the people out there doing the real work?
That nice cosy desk just doesn't lend any empathy with a sore bottom on a seat atop a set of wheels miles away from home.
Maybe the dispatchers should be forced to accompany the drivers every once in a while, just to know how it feels being on the receiving end.
And well done Geo for at least making you feel part of his decision. Whether you are or not, he involved you, which is all that matters.
Geo got home one Friday awfully late. He told the dispatcher who kept him out so long that he wanted to "talk" to him. When Geo got to the terminal, the office was locked tighter than a candy shoppe in an orphanage.
Coward ... all of them ... COWARDS I SAY!
Whew...that felt good!
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