Driver Pet Peeves

[Matt]

Let the drivers know your pet peeves ;D

[batchmaster]

right now the only things that i can think of are the constant water overflowing from the side saddle tanks when they are getting loaded. there is a button in our loading bay to start and stop the water, most guys don't care whether they dump water on the ground or not. right now it isn't such a major issue, but during the winter when we are heating the water that is $. I would also like to have the guys as the truck before them comes out of the bay, get your truck in there and be ready to load, whether it's right away or 4 hours between loads, in this industry, time is money.

[batchmaster]

oh and another thing that happens at my plant, the 20 oz. pop bottles, for some reason they do not make it into the trash, they end up all over the place. sometimes within a couple steps of the garbage can, it's ridiculous. hoses and that too, a broken hose, hmmm...let me throw it on the floor, maybe someone else can use it, instead of walking it out to the dumpster and throwing it in or atleast throwing it in a garbage can. while i'm at it, we keep the place swept up pretty nice, but the same thing with the piles that are swept up, they never get picked up and put in the trash, the pile is just left there. i think it's some kind of conspiracy.

[Driver]

Sooooooo Ya got your own lil spot here..
The Office...I liked that forumn name better. I see ya sent my other repley into the garbage bin.. Oh Well LOL
Enjoy your new spot here guys...just wanted to offer up a nice big plate of
Chesse & Crackers to go with the whine
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[batchmaster]

yep, our own spot, and i don't expect you guys to stay out of here, just like i won't stay out of the driver's room, i actually don't know how many management people there are on this site but...in time i'm sure there will be some. just make sure you have my wine in the refrigerator, don't like room temp wine.

[batchmaster]

how about when the company buys pizza, and everyone who ate the pizza doesn't even write down that they took a lunch, i think that's kinda shady...did have quite a bit of standing around today, after the morning push!

[Driver]

Always gotta take advantage of a free lunch and that means taking it any way ya can get it ;D ;D..
On the other hand
How about all those times we don't get to eat,haul right thru the lunch hour and alot of times right pass the dinner hour..
But do we complain,,,,,,,Nooooooooooo

Actually think I am guilty of this today,,,,I actually sat down for a bit (15 or 20 min) after cleaning up work area while the rest of crew was on lunch and didn't give lunch a thought today..Guess Ill have to pencil it in tomorrow since I know he reads this form and I just busted myself

[batchmaster]

when customer service dictates, yes there are times when we cannot take a full lunch. and we don't charge a lunch, i'm sure your company does not either. or, if we happen to buy pizza, and we're slammed and you can only get a couple pieces in while you are loading, again that's different, obviously you would not be charged a lunch. 15 or 20 minutes is not a lunch either, that's a break, which everyone is entitled to. and one other thing, you can't tell me that every driver drives right past all the fast food too, we know you guys stop, but everyone tries to be soooo sneaky. and after years of being charged no lunch, and i can recall a lot of down time here where we could take a lunch and we didn't, now everyone is p.o.'d at the company for during harsh economic times in the construction industry, trying to save a little money so they don't go under, come on what's wrong with this picture? everyone knows the work is scarce this year...and as far as this company, there are like 130 guys, imagine everyday if no one takes a lunch, and that's mixer drivers only, that is equivalent to like $1300 a day, taking an average of like four different pay scales...everyone needs to look at things in this industry from a company standpoint, not a personal standpoint. the company has not pointed out any one individual or one plant and said these guys have to take a lunch. the company is going to do what they have to do to stay afloat. okay, enough ranting about my company, so how is work elsewhere in the concrete construction industry?

[Driver]

As far as our outfit,,,,,,I think the rain days topic sys it all........
I see the local news stations are talking how much the constrution indstry is up in Mich,,,,,,,,all the work must be going to you big guys in the Metro areas.....
We are small outfit and just starting out so things are going preety good from what I see,,,but then again I dont handle the books.In this bussiness it allways can be better

[batchmaster]

construction is up where? not in my area, and not for this company at all. we are down big time from last year percentage wise...and after 5 straight days of rain, 6 actually including the little bit from yesterday, but we are looking hard, this plant in particular will be down in yardage big time.

[rllovr]

We'll I Guess I will reply for my first time, I've been on both sides of the fence, as a driver,
and as front office, I think My guy's know that if We are running hard I still want them to
stop and get a quick bite, a Driver has to have fuel just like the Truck, On the other hand it is
a pain when you know a guy is stopping and taking his time to eat and is just being
a CLOCKSUCKER (i.e NOSER), As far as work being down it is slow, but that is what
Middle Management is to monitor and help with (i.e. sales ) Maybe Bigboy, and Lyle Pyle
should team up now there is a combination.

[Driver]

LOL..be nice ;D ;D
Welcome to Matts site
By the way,,,,,, name fits ya good I should have know...LOL ;D

[batchmaster]

well according to contract down here, the guys are allowed two coffee stops of 5 minutes a piece, if they want to grab something, whatever, i don't deny them that, but they have to inform me if they are going to stop...which still most of the time doesn't happen, or they tell me by bringing the food in here to eat it, then i know, but, that extra 5 minute disappearance sometimes, if you are counting on a guy to be back to stay on track with a job and he's five minutes late and you didn't know he was stopping to grab a bite, sometimes that hurts, not that much but it does. but if you would have known before hand and maybe been able to do something different to not hurt your service, that is what counts.

and i don't know what you refer to when you say middle management...if you are referring to a dispatcher/batchman, you can make all the phone calls in the world, but most of the time we are tied to the office...without us the plant does not run, obviously, without the face to face interaction you get going out and seeing guys and meeting new contractors, like i said, the phone calls really to me seem more like a bother to some people. but meeting them in person is a different story, you took the time to get out and see them, that means more. more like a dreadful telemarketer trying to sell something over the phone, and God knows we all love telemarketers.

[rllovr]

No don't take that the wrong way, The Dispatcher/Batchman has enough on his plate,and that is a thankless job, everything is always your fault, you take it from the Bosses, you take it from the Drivers, and you take it from the Customers, I was reffering to the sales team that
spends more time riding around taking care of personal business, and then when something goes wrong they buckpass back to the guy at the plant, some guys are just legends in their own minds.

[batchmaster]

couldn't have said it better myself, that should be printed and hung on the wall here, you are a-ok in my book! but if you've been on both ends of it, you know so...all us dispatcher's do is push a button in here so...what's so hard about that? forget about taking the orders, ordering material, scheduling jobs, scheduling drivers, all of that stuff that is so simple. not to mention when someone calls in sick, a truck breaks down, a job runs short, jumping through hoops to get all of that taken care of is simple too, i think my signature to my posts said at one time, dispatching, the world's most thankless job! it is too. thankless, and i don't know how people with other companies do, but underpaid too! especially for the hours!

[nascarfan67]

well i gotta tell ya batchmatser, to watch you do your job, most people would say that it is an easy job, but after only a day of training and a couple of hours here and there, i believe it is only because you are good at your job, you make it look easy, when in reality it is anything but easy, alot of people depend on the batcher and how well he performs his job, from drivers to contractors to front office to suppliers, i think we have the best batcher in the company, which means i will get very good training, if you can leave your hands off the buutons,lol.

[batchmaster]

everyone thinks that this is the easiest job in the world, until you're in the hot seat. i took to it very easily, suprised a lot of people, it comes pretty natural to me. but i've seen others struggle big time, wonder why they don't find another line of work.

[rllovr]

Another good one is when a Driver comes up the day before at 12:00 and say's oh by the way I need tomorrow off so I can do this with My kid, Oh and is there any way I can get My paycheck a day early. You know I know it's important for family time, and I also know that this
place is my place, so I don't expect everyone to work the same schedule as Me, but it's always the same guy, that takes advantage, steals, milks the clock when He see's fit, and also has something He has to leave for 2 or 3 times a week, and what pi--es me off is You let the guy go take care of His business only to find out He was'nt with his kids He was at the Bar playing BIGSHOOTER, Then You take heat from everybodyelse who does work hard, I know my guy's read this , ( maybe You Guy's need to turn the heat up and make Him perform). Because God know's if I fire His but than I'm a heartless pr-ck.

[batchmaster]

or wants to put in vacation a week before hand...hmm, who is that...someone on this forum comes to mind, but anyways, if you are getting paid, you should atleast be somewhat productive, if you aren't hauling mud that is, not just try to milk the clock. these guys think i have it made in here, don't realize that on a slow week i have 50 hours in...would be nice to be paid for that time but...i'm not complaining, the company i work for takes pretty good care of me so.

[rllovr]

I guess this is My spot to complain, but it's 8.00 p.m. We just got done, and after working all weekend, My drivers worked there a--es off and nobody has complained, I guess this is where
I tell them thank you. so thanks.

[batchmaster]

yep...you see them make all of that cash for the time they have in, and what do you have from all of your hours? just a tired a**. but no one sees all the time you have there, first to come in, most of the time last to go home so...who tells us thanks? no one tells me very often.

[Driver]

All right you guys,,,
Ya know we appreciate ya & enjoy working with ya or we would just simply blow off tomorrow. ;D ;D

OHHH and by the way,,I believe everytime I received my payroll from either of you guys I do or did say
THANK YOU

There I said it (don't expect it again) ;D ;D

[batchmaster]

thank you today...you never know what response you get the next day...not so much from you driver but others, each day is it's own.

[sgt1970442]

DEAR MR. BATCHMASTER,
YOU SEEM TO BE VERY VOCAL ON THIS SITE. YOU LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOUR DRIVERS DO AND DON'T DO FOR YOU. I REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME TO WORK FOR THIS COMPANY ON ONE OF THE CONSTUCTION CREWS. YOU YOURSELF DID'NT MAKE IT VERY LONG IN THE FIELD, IF NOT FOR A FEW KEY PEOPLE YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT JOB YOUR IN. SO BEFORE YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT THE DRIVERS AT ANY COMPANY, REMEMBER WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND ALL THE DRIVERS THAT MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A HERO WHEN ALL GOES WELL. AS THEY SAY DRIVERS CAN MAKE A DISPATCHER A HERO OR A ZERO.

[batchmaster]

wow...get a life. it was a promotion to come into this office, so they told me, didn't realize it would be more hours and less pay. it wasn't that i didn't make it in the field...i could have went back at any time. it was that i chose to come in this office when they offered me a job. so anyways get your facts straight before you try to come at me. "few key people"...whatever. and as far as the drivers go, you need to get your facts straight there too. slackers don't cut it. not saying that mine are...but don't think we don't know if you are wasting time or screwing off, we know.

[batchmaster]

try to stay hidden there hollywood, you can't hide from me. do you work for this company anymore...hmmm...and why is that...hmmm...should i elaborate??? i heard of another job you got canned from also...hmmm...yep, take away the responsiblities of working a shovel and come-along and give me a plant with 8 drivers, 8 trucks, a loader operator and loader, and loads to ship, material to receive, orders to take, guys to schedule...not to mention the then newest and most high tech plant they had built. i think they saw more of me than just pulling mud around. don't be mad. hater.

[Driver]

[quote DRIVERS THAT MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A HERO WHEN ALL GOES WELL. AS THEY SAY DRIVERS CAN MAKE A DISPATCHER A HERO OR A ZERO.[/quote]
No wonder I feel useless,,the management is getting credit for what drivers do

LOL Good to see some life here even if someone is trying to slam someone else ;D ;D
In Batchmasters defense (& yes I know he doesn't need to be defended) It is my opion that he is one of the best Dispatchers that I have hauled for,,,, He was always more then fair with his drivers while maintaining a good work envoriment..I seen a lot of dispatchers attempt to do that job & seen many fail to make the job fun..
Other then where I am working now I put the Batchmaster right up top for BM of the year ;D ;D

[sgt1970442]

TO THE BATCHMASTER, AS YOU SAID YOU SHOULD GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. I'VE NEVER WAS CANNED, AS YOU PUT IT, FROM THE COMPANY YOU WORK FOR. YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE SIDE OF THE STORY ON THE OTHER JOB, BUT WE CAN LEAVE IT AT THAT. AS FOR THE FACT OF HIDING, I THOUGHT I MADE IT VERY SIMPLE TO FIGURE OUT WHO I WAS, EVEN YOU FIGURED IT OUT! YOU SEEM TO HAVE THIS IDEA I HATE YOU, WELL THATS NOT TRUE. I THINK YOU SHOULD LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE NOW AND THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO GET THE AXE, SO BE CAREFUL WHO YOU PIZZ-OFF. OH BY THE WAY CUTE BANNER AND TELL MATT ITS A GREAT SITE, AND JUST REMEMBER IT IS CALLED MIXERDRIVER.COM

[sgt1970442]

BATCHMASTER ,
I DON'T DOUBT THAT YOU ARE A DISPATCHER WHO DOES A DECENT JOB, JUST DON'T BREAK YOUR ARM PATTING YOURSELF ON THE BACK. SEEMS AS THOUGH THE COMPANY GOT RID OF A MAN WHO HAD 25 PLUS YEARS WORTH OF TIME DOING WHAT YOU CLAIM YOUR SO GREAT AT. JUST MY PERSONNEL OPINION, I THINK HE COULD HAVE TAUGHT YOU SOME THINGS. GOSH THIS SURE IS FUN, DON'T YOU AGREE!!!!

[Matt]

OK KIDS,
This site was developed with the intension that ALL people in the industry could gather and exchange knowledge, information, thoughts and comments without bashing each other. All members and the companies they work for can remain anonymous, unless they choose otherwise. This is why when (sgt1970442) tried to type out the name of the company a few of us work for, it is automatically changed to "the company". It is an automated feature that alters swear words, and any other words that I add to the system. I have more productive things to do with my time than to edit and delete people’s posts that skirt this system. If members care to exchange verbal blows, than do the rest of us a favor and use the personal messaging feature with in this forum. I personally know both sgt1970442 and batchmaster and have worked with both for a fair amount of years. You two both have a lot to offer this forum, so let’s keep it on the positive level. ;D I realize that this looks as if I am speaking only of two particular members, but it applies to all. I have edited many posts in the past for similar conduct.