Route Suggestions. What Does It Really Mean?? Need Expert Advice On This Topic

I'm having misunderstandings about "route suggestions" Oldschool, Davy, you guys have been with the company longer than I, so maybe you can explain their policies better. But I really need feedback on this topic from everyone...

The issue with the route suggestions, specifically is with running the pa turnpike. My DM says the pa turnpike is unauthorized, I cannot run it and I must take the way I am routed. The problem I see is it adds an astronomical amount of extra miles and it kills the clock.

For example, I get loaded in Cressona, pa delivering to Cincinnati, OH. Instead of starting my trip heading West towards Ohio via pa turnpike to I-70w, they route us to go North to I-80w then come South using I-75 to get into Cincinnati. Also going to St. Louis, MO from Cressona. Take I-80w to I-71s to 70w into Ohio. Another route that is suitable for them is to take 81s to 68w to 79n to 70w.

Apparently I am having a hard time seeing the logic in starting my trip heading North to I-80w when I have to go West and deliver to a place that is South of Columbus, OH. The explanation my DM told me was because the economy is bad, the pa turnpike is too expensive and the company has to save money. I told him that taking the route suggestion way adds an additional 50-100 miles onto the trip. His response was I get paid pratical miles....

About pratical miles, I have delivered freight to the Northwest and South where taking the pa turnpike was not an option. I have compared the paid miles with my hub miles and they are never more than a 30 mile difference. Is that not pratical miles? Is it still pratical miles when they calculate our pay by taking the turnpike, then route us around the turnpike and add 50 to 100 miles extra? I don't think that as a fair deal....

So now I have made this into two questions. Pratical miles and route suggestions.

Is there a cap to pratical miles or is it at the company's discretion?

Am I wrong for not thinking a route suggestion provided by the company is mandatory? That the word "suggestion" is actually a suggestion?

I appreciate everyone's input on this. It's becoming an issue with the company I am with.

We have a similar issue out in Denver with E470, the toll road that bypasses Denver. For a long time, we were told not to take it as it was too expensive. I finally started taking it anyway as I've been doing a dedicated Lowes run that goes through denver everyday. It saves me about 2 hours of sitting in traffic each day.

I anticipate that the DM will complain about it, if he does, I'll tell him that we can't risk failure on The load, it's ran tight enough that my 70 is at 55 minutes each day once im on recaps, I simply can't afford to sit in metro traffic. In effect, if your toll roads aren't forbidden in writing, can you push the issue? I'm not necessarily recommending it, but in my case, I can justify it's use due to HOS and I can play hardball with him.

My DM on the dedicated is a kid that I don't get along with on the money end. Trying to get ancillary pay out of him is difficult if not impossible.

To that end, it's one of the reasons I'm going back to OTR. I also can get more miles and frankly, Denver drivers are so bad that I just can not stomach the commute. It's taking the joy of driving out of me and turning it into a daily grind. I miss the open road.

He's also horrible about adding out of route miles. The suggested routes have the fuel solution tied to them as well, so I adjust those as needed. I use a threshold of about 20 miles, if they are off on the miles more than that, I submit a request for additional miles and will push it is as far as I can.

I have tremendous pull with my terminal manager but don't want to bring it to her yet as i think it makes me look petty, and I don't want to stay on the route I'm on anyways.

She went through the trouble of giving me a home daily dedicated and it would look bad. Instead I just said I was struggling with the traffic and didn't mention the money issues. She is aware of the difficulties some drivers have with this DM though.

We're down to two DMs, neither of which is very generous with extra pay. Its a hassle getting it out of them. They are both young kids that I don't have much of a relationship with. If I keep experiencing issues with miles and pay once I'm back in otr , then I will talk with my TM, if I can't resolve the issues, then at that point I will strongly consider going elsewhere.

But keep in mind that the market is still in really bad shape right now, at least in my neck of the woods and dry van.

I'm wondering if you can politely and tactfully take the issue up the chain to the TM, especially if you can make a case for it offsetting the cost of tolls as well as it being crucial for better service to customer?

Sorry if I'm not much help on it, but I'm having to play politics with the office as well, I've left a couple thousand dollars this month on the table due to the same type of issues. Some of it is just due to market conditions.

I don't know anything about Knight, but I know Pennsylvania.

For example, I get loaded in Cressona, pa delivering to Cincinnati, OH.

That trip on the turnpike, assuming height is above 7'6" and weight is 50k-80k would be about $110 with an ez pass $250 without an ez pass. They're definitely saving money.

Is it still pratical miles when they calculate our pay by taking the turnpike, then route us around the turnpike and add 50 to 100 miles extra? I don't think that as a fair deal....

I'd make a stink about that. That's 1-2 hours of work you're not getting paid for. I'll go the way you want me to go, but I have to get paid for it. If I'm getting paid by turnpike miles, I'm taking the turnpike and we can sort it out later.

I wonder if they're charging the customer those tolls.

If your company says go around, you go around and follow the suggested routing. If you take that toll road, you might have it coming out of your paycheck.

My company pays for the bridge near Oakland CA and that's it. I was told in orientation by the guy that did it that the Kansas toll was also paid but not I-470 around Denver. Recently I had to run from Denver to Milan MO. Didn't think anything of it because of the tight time and went through the toll. After getting an email saying it's not an approved toll to just go through, we're to pull off and pay, get a receipt and turn it in for reimbursement, the 46.50 was taken out of my paycheck! Didn't matter what I was told because that guy is no longer with the company.

Last time that's going to happen! I did ask some guys that do get that run normally and it's about $20 to $25 paying on the spot and they get it reimbursed. It is cheaper even, if the company were to get the Kansas toll pass, but apparently we don't go that way enough to justify it. In this economy, suggested is more than just a suggestion and it can bite you.

Laura

I always hated those toll roads out east (When I drove with CRST those 20 months) lol. First time thru 1 cost me $50, it took me over 1 month to get it back. I told my co-driver to NOT waste his money, he went thru 3 or 4 (at different times) and spent out of pocket almost $180+ he never did get it back that I know of. My mentor told me to just use the easy pass lane and drive right thru em, let it take pics of the truck and bill the company. Ever since then I did just that, went thru em, must have been a dozen more times. Never heard any flack about it either.

Hey TwoSides, it's always good to hear from you! This is a great topic, and so far, a good discussion about it.

I think you have to be very careful about making this a "company issue." It's really a "trucking issue." I remember when I was at Western Express. They didn't allow us using certain toll routes. It's the same at Knight, and it's the same at many trucking companies. Ramper Romper's and Stevo's posts confirm that, and my experience at my first trucking job does the same.

You are getting hung up on semantics and what certain meanings of words are to you. I get it. You are also dealing with a DM that even I have heard nightmare tales about. Trucking has a lot of areas like this. I call them "grey areas." That simply means there's no clear definitive way of dealing with them.

I'd be willing to bet if they handed you a load that was really hot, with a critically important timeline to it, they'd allow your use of the turnpike because you'd be late if you didn't. Thats why it makes no sense. If the "office people" think it's best, then it is. When the driver thinks it is to their advantage, but it goes against the DM's ideas for that particular load, then it's not.

Right now drivers are dealing with a lot more of these "grey areas." The trucking industry is very cyclical. We are definitely in a difficult time right now. None of that makes it any easier for the driver to accept what seems idiotic at times. We drive extra miles but get no compensation for it. That bites big time.

We have to decide what we can accept and what we can't. That's a very individual choice for each driver. We sometimes can negotiate a little help from our DM, but that may depend on how hard we've worked at building a good relationship with them.

You've had a somewhat confrontational relationship with Sean. I can appreciate that, but it's not helping you. I don't even attribute any fault to you. I know how difficult he is, but he's not going anywhere. He's got connections that you and I can never garner.

I'm not suggesting you be a "pushover." I know these guys can make you feel that way, but try to stay calm and accept the things you can't change. If you're an observant person, and you seem to be, you will notice there are basically two types of truckers out here.

There is a group that always complain and insist they are smarter than the folks above them in the chain of command. In fact, they actually think they are above their managers in this chain of command. Then there is a group that stay calm all the time, get a lot done, and don't run their mouths about the company. The levels of success in that second group would probably surprise you.

Okay, maybe that's just a lot of theory. You want some answers and guidance. You can't take this issue up with your terminal manager. They will backup your DM. Of course, you already know that. So, basically you can't win this fight. You have to accept it and decide whether it's an issue you are willing to quit over. If it is, you then have to realize you'll probably encounter the same issue elsewhere. What will you do about it then?

I don't feel I'm being helpful, but I am just trying to talk with you about it. I've run that turnpike a few times. Lately, I don't get up in that area much at all. I may have run the turnpike five or six times. One time I got a phone call from someone in Phoenix telling me I'm not supposed to use it. They were kind and respectful, but firm about it.

I discussed the phone call with my DM. He told me he gets an email everytime I use the turnpike. I asked why he hadn't told me to stop using it. His response was that he told Phoenix I was his most productive driver and he isn't going to start teaching me how to be less productive. They finally decided to do it themselves.

My example shows what a wonderful difference there can be when you have a supportive DM. My DM has no aspirations for becoming a corporate suit. He loves what he does and takes a lot of flack from his managers above him. Trucking companies have many levels of management. I've literally heard him defending his drivers when folks above him are trying to get him to operate differently.

Those layers of management are something a lot of drivers are oblivious to. These DMs are often under a lot of pressure. It's something we all need to be aware of.

When you have a DM like the one you're dealing with, they will often go right along with the pressure that is put on them. Your DM wants to be considered for higher positions in the company. So he conducts himself in ways that will facilitate his goals. You're stuck with that, so you have to figure out how to deal with it.

My suggestion is to set your own goals in trucking and work toward them. If you find they can't be accomplished where you are, then make a move. But... always give it considerable time and effort before making a drastic move. There are so many factors that are in a constant state of flux.

Trucking decisions must be deliberate. Don't rush anything. There is usually a solution, but a driver must be flexible with what he is willing to do and accept. Oftentimes our situation will change for the better without our forcing it. Patience is a valuable characteristic in the life of a trucker.

Let me clarify one thing... a route "suggestion" is not merely a suggestion. It really means: "This is what we want you to do."

Sometimes it may seem weird, but they've routed you in a way to make use of better fuel prices. All of this is done with computer programming and calculations. That stuff sometimes makes no sense.

Am I always obedient to those suggestions? Heck no! I do what is productive and safe. If they want to argue with me, they can. It's hard to argue against productivity and safety.

We drive extra miles but get no compensation for it. That bites big time.

In nearly any other line of work this is illegal. An employee is to be compensated for all work performed. I understand why the laws are the way they are in regards to transportation but it doesn't make it right or fair to the driver. Same goes for paying a driver any other way than hourly or hub miles. Where I'm at offers both options and will pay a driver actual odometer or what shows on ELD whichever is higher (sometimes they differ for some reason). If the interstate gets shut down and the driver has to detour why is it our responsibility to run those free miles without needing to fight for that compensation at most companies. If you feel drivers would abuse it and slack off then get rid of them. That's how most industries work if you're not pulling your weight or satisfied with what you're completing.

Your DM wants to be considered for higher positions in the company. So he conducts himself in ways that will facilitate his goals.

This often times is where frustration comes from in my opinion. Someone wants to move up in the company so they follow everything that's being told of them rather than using common sense. We currently are dealing with someone on our management team cracking down on idling. As a fleet our idle percentage is usually around 11 when they want it 10 or less. We have guys that run LTL OTR but the company refuses to add APU or another way to stay comfortable in trucks. In turn, they idle most of the week when the weather warrants it. We're then told to shut the truck off anytime we get out to open/close doors. Is that small amount of time actually saving enough money on fuel to account for the costs of wearing your starter out earlier and potential road service call? I don't know. I've addressed ways of being more efficient with our equipment in regards to routing but it falls on deaf ears because the corporate suits are focused on idling. Perfect example is a couple weeks ago I ran a load the 160 miles out to Davenport IA. After delivering a couple stores I got reloaded with tropical plants out there and delivered to Clinton IA, Madison WI, 3 in Dubuque, 2 in Waterloo and 2 in Cedar Rapids then came home the 130 miles empty. The inefficiencies came from running about 100 miles out of route to hit Madison despite having plants delivered the day prior to 2 other stores there. I needed to get a hotel in Waterloo after running out of hours and delivered to Cedar Rapids the following morning. 1 of my stores didn't show up until 6am so I couldn't take a load out upon my return because everything needed to be out by the time I'd return so they spent overtime wages on another driver. They had someone else delivering the same plants to C.R. that should've taken my stores as well and had me hit the couple they had in Davenport. It amounted to $900 for me something like 700 miles with 14 stops. I benefitted from it but from a company standpoint it's idiotic.

LTL:

Less Than Truckload

Refers to carriers that make a lot of smaller pickups and deliveries for multiple customers as opposed to hauling one big load of freight for one customer. This type of hauling is normally done by companies with terminals scattered throughout the country where freight is sorted before being moved on to its destination.

LTL carriers include:

• FedEx Freight
• Con-way
• YRC Freight
• UPS
• Old Dominion
• Estes
• Yellow-Roadway
• ABF Freight
• R+L Carrier

OTR:

Over The Road

OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.

Interstate:

Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).

Dm:

Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager

The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Where I'm at offers both options and will pay a driver actual odometer or what shows on ELD whichever is higher

That's been my experience as well. I tell my dispatcher to add miles if necessary.

There are times I'll take a longer route that goes around traffic, but I'll eat that. They'll pay me the miles, but I feel the time I saved is worth it. In that aspect, I agree with Old School.

Pick your battles and I don't want it to become an issue where they decide I can't do that anymore and I have to sit in traffic. I'll give up the 25 dollars to save an hour. That hour also makes me more available for something more profitable.

I understand why the laws are the way they are in regards to transportation but it doesn't make it right or fair to the driver.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. There's no reason to deny an employee pay for work being performed. If they want him to go around the turnpike, they should adjust the miles accordingly.

Interesting topic. Yesterday I finished an assignment that started in Allentown, PA and ended in Mankato, MN. When I left my pickup, I saw that my company routing took me on some obscure route to get up to WB I80. It was obvious that the PA turnpike toll road was a better way to go. So I took it because my company allows drivers a lot of freedom to choose their own route, within reason. Never even thought about the toll.

It’s in my best interest to help my company make money. I get that. However, they do pay me by the mile and I won’t apologize for trying to maximize my miles. Their system, not mine. No one, in my opinion, can blame any driver getting paid by the mile for wanting to not waste time/miles. The company gets free miles anyway because of the zip code to zip code system. I almost always drive more miles on every assignment than I get paid for. 10 miles here, 50 miles there, pretty soon it adds up to a lot of miles on a monthly or yearly basis.

So while I don’t want to cause my company unnecessary expenses, I always choose the option that will get me the most miles in the least amount of time. And like Old School very correctly pointed out, if I am a productive and safe driver the company will not want to disturb calm waters.

On the other hand, if like Laura pointed out, the company started taking those tolls out of my check, I would get up on my hind legs about that.