KC, MO

Stopped here at the drop yard at 6 pm. Didn't want to, but USA has been screwing me over ever since around the beginning of my third week. Nothing but short runs. My effective cap, as I showed my dispatcher on his own screen, is 850 miles.

I'd told him that they'd done this to me as a company driver, and that it was the reason I'd quit. He keeps assuring me that there isn't anything in the computer which classifies drivers and filters out loads, but there has to be.

Last night, I was to drop a load here which couldn't be delivered to Davenport early. My preplanned load assignment? Same load. I was to wait two days to deliver it. I went thermonuclear--this was a punch in the face: "this is what you get for complaining".

My dispatcher took the blame. He said he'd thought they could reschedule it. The thing is, the load coordinator knew better, didn't tell him, and set up the fuckover.

I told Matt (my dispatcher) that I was going to quit once I could set something else up (I'm in hell now and won't go through it like before...I saw it coming quickly...I doubt that Matt has ever seen a list of unbroken short runs like that). Told him that meanwhile I was instituting the 1200 mile rule.

I'm slowing down on all loads under 1200 miles. I won't deliver early anymore. I know it will cost me money, but there's nothing else I can do to defend myself.

It's really stupid. I think that some beancounter looks over my first two weeks and sees me delivering early all the time. He decides I should deliver as many loads as possible, so he caps me at 850 miles.

That's a beancounter for you. Nevermind what the driver wants, and don't think beyond what's in front of you.

If they'd let me run the way I'm meant to run, I'd easily rack up 5-800 more miles per week. This pinhead is costing USA one of it's best drivers, and meanwhile about that many dollars every week.

I try not to take it personally--try to tell myself it's just a bad business decision. But how can I not take it personally when they refuse to let me out of this cage? When they ignore me? When I tell them I'm quitting? When I get screwed every weekend with more short loads, some of which can't deliver early? When they force me to sit around wasting miles rather than cough up one crappy thousand-plus mile load? Even on a weekend?

My god it's like a Stephen King novel!

So yeah. I stopped 120 miles short of my pickup and am screwing around. I'll pick up on time, then drag my feet down to Texas. I might get 60 miles away, stop, and wait several more hours to deliver at the appointed time.

Sons of bitches. Let the beancounter check out his handiwork in a couple more weeks.

I'm getting worked up. Can't stand stupidity. (OK well downs kids--that's different. they're innocent and guileless. I mean stupid people who think they're smart. Too smart to listen to common freaking sense.)

No, I saved my money, and I do allright trading and poker-playing too. It's tough for me to shut down and be mediocre like this, but I won't get bored. Anything less than 1200 miles goes slow. I'll run when they allow me to run.

Do you see this? Do you see what they're doing to one of their best drivers?

Well, I'll mark time and screw around, hoping against hope somebody gets a lightbulb over their head and turns me loose. Fat chance. Pretty soon I'll lose a couple of lies off my dmvr and get my applications out. CRST will let me run. the DRIVERS said so.

Congratulations, you dumb bastards. Whoever leases me next should send you a thank-you note.