Rainy Debunks Another Myth About Mega-Carriers In Her Latest Article

No Old School...i stood out in the USPS also lol.

i had a few managers and employees ask why i wasnt running our plant of 2000 people. When i gave a speech in front of the Post Master General on how the USPS could save hundreds of millions of dollars per year, he asked me why I didnt have his job. My response was simple...i didnt want it hahahah

Those who succeed, succeed. Those who do not, choose not to.

Those who succeed, succeed. Those who do not, choose not to.

Amen Sister! Preach it!

So very true Rainey, the blueprint you have laid out for all to see is solid as the granite on my trailer, lol. Our society has become full of folks who don’t know what work is, much less how to correctly do it, along with wanting everything handed to them on a platter and right now. Lost is the concept of working hard and earning your way. I see it in all walks of life. Paying your dues seems to be one of those things we did back in the day. When I left QC they went nuts, everyone from the shop manager, mechanics, terminal manager, and my FM cried. I had paid my dues, worked hard, and they all loved me. Your very correct it can be done anywhere. For those that expect it to be handed to them will fail all on their own soon enough.

Rainy wrote:

Those who succeed, succeed. Those who do not, choose not to

True. So true...

I thought of this article last night, so figured I would bump it.

Some of you know I had surgery in the fall. After being out nearly two months, I returned with a new truck and got calls and messages from several weekend/night dispatchers asking where I had been and they were so happy to see me back. "Oh its so nice to hear your friendly voice again. So many people are just miserable and demanding".

He seemed to forget I am demanding in a sweet way. "I am dropping this at Hershey. Can you get me a load out of there so I can head back east please? Blizzards over Donner is not what I had in mind. lol" Five minutes later, he sent a load from SLC to Pennsylvania. Kill them with kindness and both your lives are easier.

We then got a new weekend dispatcher who saw me parked and called and woke me up--once. He is new and was concerned about the load. Next time i went into the terminal I stopped in to meet him. I explained I have not been late in 3 three years and will give him 24 hours notice of any delivery issues. I also gave an example of a recent screw up I had and how i accepted responsibility for it, which made it easier to correct. His mouth hit the floor. "You can do that? 24 hours ahead?"

My FM spun in his chair, "Yeah, leave her alone. She will tell you what she needs. She does a lot of 8/2 splits so her clock looks different from most." The new guy responded by saying "Wow, we need more like you".

A couple weeks ago, that newer truck had issues, so now i have a brand new truck. It is beautiful, and again, i got it due to my reputation. Then I went in to get a load from the "new weekend day guy" and he said, "I love when I see you on the board. I never worry about you. You make my life easier." This is the same guy who called and woke me a couple months before, and never did again. He is a quick learner. He has learned I will tell him what I need and apprise him of problems, and he knows I will get it done.

Last night i spoke with one of the night dispatchers for the first time since getting my new truck. He said something similar, "I saw you got a new truck! Glad to have you rolling again, you always do a great job."

Again, it is about attitude and team work. When you show you are efficient and independent, you can ask and even expect things. When you learn to make life easier for your support team, you get what you want. And it may even sound a little manipulative , but sometimes I tell them what I want in a way that makes life easier for them.

"Hi, I need to get home in two days so would it be easier for you if i drop this load at the yard 30 miles from my home? That way you dont need to plan a swap. I can have it there tomorrow morning".

Problem solved for both of us. I got what I wanted, but did it in a way that made things easy for dispatch.

I actually make each of them feel special and not just a number. I also spread out my requests over the four or five of them so it doesnt look like I am hounding the same guy all the time, or abusing our relationship. But in the end, we all know each other well and we all get what we want.

Today I went to see my FM and in front of me he typed my old truck number. I teased him, "I knew I was nothing but a number to you!" lol He rolled his eyes.

The guy in the next cubicle stood up "Excuse me? Hello, Kirsten, how are you today?" lol The guy next to him said, "I'm covering you guys this weekend, so take it easy on me please."

I love teasing them all. lol

I met another driver of 4 years with Prime. He told me he never met his FM. Not once in 4 years did he walk to the desk and say hello. Not only does that sound crazy to me, but it sounds sad. Like I am totally working alone and in a boring environment.

I work hard to excel at everything I do. (You should see me sleep.) From day one in this career I pushed myself. I have proven to my FM that I am greedy, I love making money. I have built a good relationship with him and wouldn't want another. I am rewarded with nice paychecks. I also get just about anything I want. When I speak to him or anyone else at CFI I always feel as I am treated like I am the only driver at CFI.

While I love CFI, anyone can do what we do, be successful in this career. Have the right attitude, do your job with pride and safely. No company is out to get you. When you succeed they succeed. We have many people here who drive for some of the biggest companies out there and we are all happy.