19:42 Feb 16 2010
Times Read: 1,633
The military has went to a different system now for the household. We use to meet these rules- so much insurance, drug screens, no crimal records, stay within a claim % or you get marks against you, charges set by the mover but if you was too high they would not approve you. They went down the list- that way everyone got some work. You got a mix of weights, travel to and from, your name showed up as next- that is what you got. You either took it or turned it down, which lead to a mark against you.
Now it seems the DOD thinks going to the "online booker" type style of putting the shipment online. Now anyone in the system and grab the shipment, set price by the DOD, and take the job on. They can pay someone from a UHaul to do the job- no rules set as far as what kind of labor you us as long as you get it done.
I did one job under this new system about two years ago and lost my shirt. At the time we was the 2nd company to use the system... it was still getting the bugs out. It was so new the company who gave me the job (one I work with all the time) could not tell me much about it. I did the job as normal and instead of the $1,500.00 I should of made I got paid a whooping $720.00. Safe to say I have not done one again.
Until today.
It was a small shipment, in the next town. We was to have it packed this morning for the driver who came all the way out of WA. to pick it up. Never did get the idea of him coming all that way for a little 2000 lbs but he said it was slow and it got him closer to home.
On Monday we started calling the company who is in charge of this move- they are in CA. The shipment moves from Ky. to Ga. Emails, phone calls are not returned as we call to tell them snow, unable to do the packing on Tuesday. NO ONE will return the call or emails.
So today the driver calls from the town. He is at the truck stop, wonder if we was packing or what as no one is answering his calls in CA. I wait till mid morning and travel to the next town, pick him and his helper up, and go to look at the job. Mind you- the military shipper told me on Monday that there was no way anything but a 4x4 will get in. My car is 4 wheel drive.
This is his driveway- gravel, metal bridge with wired gaurdrails hanging on the sides. Hill that leads up to his house, and back down.
Yes- I am sure there is a way around the low overpass but I was not hunting it down. These pictures was taken around 11:30 am. Yeap= it was that cloudy and snowing by the time I got home a little over a hour later.
My pack van is not going across the bridge till the snow is gone as it will not go up his hill. Driver said he would never get past the 12'1" bridge that is 4 miles before the house, on the clear main road. I told the shipper the problems and he understood. I said we had two ways to go about this- 1- he hauled the shipment to the bridge where I will pack it and let the driver use my pack van to haul it to his tractor trailer. He was not to happy with that one and I don't blame him. I mean- this is our job, what we get paid to do. But you live on top of a hill then you know no trucks are going to get up there in 5 inchs of snow, ice.
2- We wait till next week. He said he was home till the 26th and he liked that plan, that way they would have beds.
I told him I would call the company in charge of the move, told him the name of that company even and he said he had been calling them since Monday himself. He was going to tell them he was snowed in. I said we would have to let them make the call as they are the ones in charge of the move. Yeah new system and all the money it will save the goverment.
Took the driver back to his truck, each of us leaving messages for the CA. company as they are the ones in charge of this shipment. I also called the base, telling them of what is happening to only be told they could do nothing, not change any paperwork till the CA. people called them. And they was closing in 4 hours. As it is it will be wrote up as missing the pick up date. This will go back on the CA. company. The same company that is burying its freaking head in the sand hiding. Local Base can do nothing, instead of talking to the shipper and reseting the date to his request.
Yeap= this new system is working out so fucking great. I don't know why they did not do it years ago. Family First. That is the name of what the goverment wants movers to do now- make the military family first in your dealing, jobs.
I have a nice military man sitting in his home with a family who has been told nothing of what is going on.
*thumbs up*
Way to make the Family First. Pay for half ass service and that is what you are going to get, not evening caring about this service member to call him back in two days. I see great jobs ahead with this system.... great ones.
Fuckers don't even care... leaving the shipper there waiting not knowing. I will not work this way. If that is what is coming to...then it is time to go to Walmart Dist. and run a forklift.
COMMENTS
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xxEmaeraldxx
22:35 Mar 01 2010
I hate when that happens.. if you find the cure, let me know!