So I took 3 days off was supposed to go back out yesterday, Friday, well My sister got sick while I was at home and she was contagious so she gave it to me. I called my DM and told him hey I'm sick laying in bed head fells like its going to explode have to use the bathroom every hour or so, I need a couple more days off would it be OK if I came back out on Monday.

He hit the damn roof went on and on about how I can not have 5 days off they need me out there with the truck rolling. Either get rolling or they were sending someone to pick up the truck.

#1 truck is an 05 with 300K on the clock its been paid for along time ago.
#2 I sat in Dallas for 4 days waiting for freight burned half a tank of fuel.

So I obviously don't see what the big deal is. I mean yes I know the truck has to be rolling for anyone to make money, but they aren't losing anything if I take 2 days more off. Its secured in my driveway, not idling nothing.

So I call the Fleet Manager at my terminal explain to him and tell him well I think ill be able to roll today at noon. So I go out to truck check my load assignment its a decent load. Laredo, TX to Athens, Ga 1300 miles or so.

Absolutely no reason I cant make it in 2 days right.
They want me to roll today Saturday and it absolutely can not deliver until noon on Wednesday. Its also a Mexico load so its just sitting in the yard its not like I have to make a pickup or anything.

I just called them and told them will pick it up tomorrow and the weekend DM said I don't care what you do as long as it gets there on time. Now is it just me or is the Weekend DM the only one who has his stuff together?

Sorry just needed to vent thanks for listening. Please feel free to share your stories of utter confusion and frustration to make me feel better.

 

Your DM is an idiot. No one with a lick of smarts wants a sick driver at the wheel. He should have told you to take the extra days and get better before returning to work. There are names for idiots like that, and I would spell them out....but the autocensor would blank them out :twisted:

My evil twin says its "too bad you couldn't get right in his face and cough on him"..... you know, share your malady with him, then when he is flat on his back call him up and scream at him "What the #@%$ are you doing at home sick in bed....we need you here in dispatch to drive that desk, freights gotta move and you're a $#@%*&%$#*&&^%$### slacker!!!!!" "If you aren't slaving at your desk in 5 minutes buster, you're going to find your #$@# on the doorstep!!!" See how the moron likes that... :twisted:

If I was your DM (don't worry, never will it come to pass) I would at worst ask you if you had been to a doctor, and if so...could you please bring a note in with you to show you went to the doctor and if he said you should have bedrest. Beyond that I would prefer you rest and get well.

Trucks sit enough, as you did before....so a couple more days isn't going to bankrupt Swift.

 

And to top it all of the driver will probably get there and the load won't be ready, or he will get it there way ahead of schedule, and waste time in the truck instead of using the "down" time wisely to get better.

 

My reply to your DM, "If you come get the truck, bring my last Swift paycheck with you!"

 

Driving sick is about as bad as driving on about 1 hour of sleep or being drunk behind the wheel. I would have QC'd your dm and told them "I do not feel that I am in good enough condition to be SAFE on the road"

They cannot argue with you if you throw SAFETY in the message, not to mention Phoenix has it in their logs so it makes life a little easier for you in the long run. Also, when you send a message like that, it would be worth it to take a picture or have someone you are buddies with in the office print you off a copy of it and keep it some place safe.

 

As someone else stated, had you been to see a doc? Probably, the smart thing to do anyway so you can get some meds to knock it out quicker. Your DM sounded like a wanker, but the flip side is they probably hear every excuse and lie from people trying to get an extra couple days off to party. Having some paperwork from your doc is always good to CYA. Oh, calling Swift retarded because your DM is a moron doesn't make much sense. I'm sure there are idiots in every company, but that doesn't make the entire company a bunch of idiots.

 

danj made a very good point. The use of the words "I am unsafe to drive" are powerful words, especially when sent in a message on a QualComm.

NevadaJim reinforced the point that I started to make, and carried it farther.
Good advice.

Folks, generically speaking.....there are bacterial and viral bugs going around that can knock you down and out for days even weeks. Many of these bugs are "upper respiratory" related that end up messing with your lungs and even can affect your heart. If you get sick while on the road, please try to stay away from people to help contain the bugs, and get to a doctor!!

Some of these things are downright nasty. Two years ago I got a bug and had to see a Dr., and did so in Effingham, IL....they had been having a run of the stuff that affected most of the town, and some people had even died from complication. I was prescribed "Prednisone" on top of it all....and that stuff is a serious drug as far as steroidal treatments go. The doctor told me that more than likely had I tried to "tough it out".... I might not have survived, and would have ended up possibly falling victim to pnuemonia and maybe not surviving it.

Now, I am not saying run to a doctor everytime you have a tickle in your throat....but you know when you are truly sick. Thats when you need to go.

 

Thank you!

 

If I were you, I would not only have told him to bring me my last paycheck, I'd also have cussed him out BIGTIME!! It'd probably teach him to be a smartass (and a dumb one) fron now on. :evil:

 

If the load is not supposed to be there til WED. then just leave in time to deliver . Screw what they say when to leave. Tell him to leave home on fri 5pm to get to work on time monday 8am :lol: