Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/734262
Voices 10 | Overdrive | October 2016 In my August Pulse column, I wrote about a recent survey of carriers and brokers in DAT Solutions' load board network regarding detention. I also briefly mentioned riding with flatbedder Jeremy Johnson, leased to Blair Logistics of Birmingham, Ala., and experiencing with him hours of senseless detention. It's the too-com- mon reality for Johnson and many of you. He ranks long waits as the biggest problem with his job: "No account- ability on shippers and receivers." We showed up at a plant on time at 9:30 a.m. to drop a steel coil. After some discussion at the receiving desk, Johnson learned that a Blair driver who'd arrived earlier was given John- son's bill of lading number, wrongly assuming some prior mistake. "So now you get your phone out, take a nap, find something to occupy your time," Johnson said. "I just sit here and wait till they get it all sorted out at my expense." He seized the opportunity for nap- ping in the bunk of his 2000 Peterbilt 379 — his first truck, powered by a 3406E Caterpillar. He woke at 11:45 and went to the receiving desk, learn- ing he was behind five trucks. Johnson rolled back his curtainside and undid most of the securement so he'd be ready for a quick unload after backing in. He's a big fan of the trailer addition, noting it protects his straps and other equipment from early wear, and saves hours per week that would've been spent tarping or removing a tarp. It was 3 p.m. before he unloaded. He received no detention pay. Blair Safety Director Jeff Loggins says that most of the fleet's contracts with detention pay kick in after two to four hours, but even then, payment is often slow or uncertain. Unless Blair gets paid, the owner-operator gets nothing. Johnson, 35, is one of Blair's best, serving on the company's safety council, Loggins says. "He doesn't damage freight," he says. "I don't think he has any CSA points." Johnson's proactive, too, such as when he sees other Blair drivers loading. "If he sees them doing it not the way we teach it or by DOT standards, he'll go up and try to talk to them about it," Loggins says. Like any owner-operator, Johnson doesn't like the way excessive and unpredictable dock delays keep him away from his family in Lawrence- burg, Tenn. Ideally, he'd like to get a more dedicated route that allows for more home time. – Max Heine Saving time with curtainside, losing it to detention Scan the QR to pull up a video from Max Heine's run with Blair Logistics-leased owner-operator Jeremy Johnson. In it, Johnson details how he fairs with Blair and the efficiency gains from using a Fastrak curtainside system he's put on his 1999 Reitnouer flatbed. Alternately, search the title of this story at OverdriveOnline.com to pull up the video. Max Heine The comment of the month on OverdriveOn- line.com might well have come from none other than frequent commenter MW33. It was in response to a post about various ideas from thinker-tin- kerers with the vision to imagine solutions to problems and see them through to fruition. MW33 took a different approach to the "What's your dream gear?" question, though: "This is easy! My dream gear is a truck that will go more than a week without breaking down!" 'Nuff said? Weigh in via OverdriveOnline. com – search "What's your dream gear?" to find the original story. Dream gear? Just gimme some uptime, please