Hey there Big Strappers. Hope you enjoyed today's entertainment. We had fun recording this! Bloopers were hilarious as you could well imagine. When you leave a company, do you try hard to maintain a level head? Or are you most likely to 'blow a gasket'? Love to hear from you.
Eventually, I want to drive flatbed. My company only hauls dry van and reefer. After the coronavirus pandemic is over, I will probably be perusing through the job market to find a good flatbed company.
Daniel De Blasio that’s cool man, I hope you find a good outfit. It is harder work than you think though I’ll tell you that! I started on flatbed and still do it but it was much tougher than I thought it would be. Good luck.
I have two resignation letters prepared. One that says I resign for indifference to management decision on something. And another that has two weeks notice with an end date to write in place. I would also have two copies each with envelopes prepared for my supervisor/ Dispatcher. And another one for there boss. So there isn’t any miss understanding or miss communication. One time I gave a two weeks notice to a dispatcher and she had nothing to dispatch anymore to me. That was truly disappointing that she did that. Her reason was that I was leaving and other drivers could use the loads. So it can be a double edge sword nowadays in trucking. So for me I decide on giving a notice by how I was treated for the time being at the current company.
Just quit my job today after three 1200 mile weeks and 5 unpaid resets. I went with option 1 in the video. I'm not giving them two more weeks of my life for free.
The last company I drove for, when a driver gave notice suddenly had his truck in for a major service, and just by chance didn't have a substitute truck for him. They gave him a pretty good run around before he got his final check. I learned from his mistake and called out sick for a week until I got my final check in hand. I really was sick [and tired of the BS].
big earl I got lucky, nothing but good loads and they got me home every day. Then they tried getting me to turn in my truck for a 2020 but I told them no thanks, after they badmouthed me when I told them I wanted to go somewhere else to haul steel.
The easiest way I had the most practical way is to line up another job while you’re out on the road. Set it up so that you can start a week after Home time. When you go home clean out your truck except for the bare essentials and then when it is time to go back on the road tell your dispatcher that you had a change of plans since a family member is ill and you have to take a leave of absence for 30 days maybe more. Tell them that you need a load to or through the nearest yard to turn in the equipment as you know they won’t want you to hold their equipment for that length of time. 99% of the time they will comply, give you a bus ticket home and even not take back any driver sign on bonus portion that may have been issued with “If you leave within six months you have to pay it back.” I have done this procedure several times and it is always worked in my favor. I cannot speak for those who owe money for a truck driving school or contract of the sort. The bottom line is you do not give them two weeks notice because either they will give you really low miles, long wait times and more than likely will not get you home in time for your orientation to your new location. If you were leaving a trucking company who is an over the road carrier it makes no sense to treat them with any respect since you’re leaving based on the fact that they have not treated you with respect. I’ve always lived by the creed why give them two weeks notice? Does an employer give you two weeks notice before they fire you? Most companies in the United States are at will employees anyway.
Every time I switch i leave old company on Friday and start following Monday I switch in a 34h reset and i return equipment they way I received it I take pictures with time stamp and location stamp on receiving and returning it
How I’ve quit every carrier. Step #1 get another job step #2 park the truck at the terminal and clean my stuff out step #3 call em up tell em pound sand. If they were a halfway decent company I would still be working for them. Never had a problem finding a job as a result of it drivers are super employable and super expendable at the same time. Was funny at my last carrier I called up my mechanic friend there and he told me they had my truck issued out again the next day. I’m actually really professional till it comes to leaving a company but I’ve always seen it as this they can fire or lay you off for any reason at anytime they please then I can fire them in the same way especially if they are requesting you to do illegal stuff
I'm not in trucking but love this channel. In my industry, we had a MASSIVE worker shortage in the big cities. Many guys quit by walking out, stealing accounts and giving the boss their piece of mind. Now many of those guys are laid off and have burned bridges.
Im a millennial trucker and have been trucking for 5 years so im just starting out in life and my career. Ive walked out on a few jobs and i tried to leave peacefully with a two weeks notice and was told "we accept your resignation" and they wouldnt let me fulfill the two week notice or pay out my vacation since it was "gifted" not earned. Luckily i have a written letter that proves i was not terminated. I think from here on out i may just only give a one week notice or just say i quit.
The company's don't give you two weeks notice. While I Value being a Courteous Professional. In this day and age it is naive and will only cause you Grief. If I was a newer driver, give the two week notice, Period. If you are an older driver, let your Gut tell you if those individuals can handle a two week notice Responsibly. Best Wishes! M.H.
I Don't do two weeks notices, unless the company treated me right which don't happen too much. Because think about it if they wanted to get rid of you there not going to give you a two weeks notice, they just tell you to turn in your keys after that last load that had to be delivered and you were the only one in the area. Or they lay you off without warning even though you have already seen the warning signs that they are in financial trouble and you keep asking them questions and they keep lieing to you saying they are fine, then next thing you know your stuck halfway across the country with a fuel card they turned off, with no way home. Or they pull the we have a new trainee we need you to train and show the ropes who is really your replacement but they don't tell you that part. Or they pull the we don't want to fire you cause we don't want to give you unemployment so were going to make you quit by giving loads that don't pay jack. SO TELL ME WHY I SHOULD LEAVE ON GOOD TERMS AGAIN, AS LONG AS I HAVE A GOOD MVR, DAC, AND SAFETY RECORD AND A CLASS A WITH NO POINTS I CAN GET ANY JOB I WANT MY RECORD FOR LENGTH OF TIME BEING UNEMPLOYED BEFORE BEING REHIRED WITH ANOTHER CARRIER IS 5MIN ALL IT TOOK WAS ONE PHONE CALL GOT FIRED AND REHIRED THE SAME DAY OR SHOULD I SAY INTERVIEWED THE SAME DAY BACK ON THE ROAD THE FOLLOWING WEEK😎😎
I enjoy ALL your videos, but this one really had me laughing out loud while I was waiting to get loaded. You really dislike Volvos😁 "Your Secretary is ugly & has bad breath & your mom dresses you funny" 😂😂😂 I trully enjoyed your acting 👌keep 'em coming!
May be sound advice for some but in Alberta, mainly the oil industry, things may be a little different. You're best bet out here is to just quit. Most companies don't care about you, to them you're unit 104. They care about what the revenue on your truck is. If you're a high earner and you quit they will try to negotiate with you to keep you.. If you're not then hit the road jack. Out here it's very rare for them to have an employee to continue to work for a company once that employee quits. Lots of trucking companies are federal which means it's cheap to pay you out. 2 days per year you've worked there. Another kick in the teeth as an employee!!
Hey Dave, You’re very right about jumping from company to company. I see some drivers that have had jobs at 3 or 4 place in 6 months or a year. They leave one company and have the same complaints, but some of the stuff out here isn’t the company it’s the industry. Sometimes you just have to say that’s truckin.
I currently work for a company that treats drivers like lesser humans. They think we are dumb and speak to us as if we are. Up until recently, their maintenence was severely lacking. These mechanics have a lot of work ahead of them. Although I'm trying to hold out and give notice, I'm finding it harder and harder to do either or. TH-cam felt I needed to watch this again. So, I watched this again. I'm closing on my home in a few weeks and was advised to stay out until then. Once I close, I'll put in my notice. I don't know if I'll be able to last through that though. Pretty sure corporate will work with me but, I gotta do what's right for my family first. It's truly sad the way trucking companies feel they can treat drivers. It's not just this company. I've worked for several. I've been at this one for a year out of convenience. Seen several drivers tarnish their CDL for equipment issues. Seen a few drivers I highly respect leave the industry altogether.
When you give your notice, you should already be outfitted with a minimal truck kit. Be ready to leave on the spot because some carriers will do just that, even if they liked you before. You dont want to be stranded on a lot with a full truck load out of your gear, clothes, fridge, CB, food etc and scrambling to get back home. Be prepared for Spartan living for 2 weeks
I did just that David at Western Express. On one stop home I cleaned out the truck lightly and then when I turned it in a week or 2 later everything else.fit in my Jimmy and then went home. At Swift they did just that. So I had to scramble and rent a Uhaul 10' van to clean out my truck, food, microwave, clothes, etc.
Good advice here. I'm just a year retired now, but in my career I've had a lot of jobs, mostly in driving, and I always left on good terms with 2 weeks notice. I always included a written, dated note when I told my boss I was moving on, even when I really wanted to be gone. And I never voluntarily left a job before I had a new, usually better job lined up. Once my employer to be wanted me to start immediately, but I told him I needed 2 weeks. He was disappointed, but understood, and that new job turned into the longest job I ever held right up until my retirement last year.
Heh... I still remember how I ended up quitting my last company... I had a truly junk tractor that was constantly red tagged, and of course my dispatcher (being the way dispatchers are) kept trying to get me to roll as-is, no repairs for the defects from the shop... you know, for things like brakes, massive air leaks (we're talking something like 5 pounds per SECOND, here), and all that lovely stuff that's liable to get someone killed if it's not working properly. And, of course, you can never forget the constant demands that I commit HOS violations. Of course, I am the captain of my ship and all that jazz, so I kept telling them "no, I'll not be operating like that." Boss man didn't like that too much, and called me into his office. Man was about 30 seconds away from firing me for my constant refusal to roll with defective equipment, so I finally just put one of the keys on his desk and said: "Welp, it's been a good run, sir, but I think this is where we go our separate ways. Consider this my 2 weeks notice, effective 2 weeks ago." Cleaned the truck out, then put the other key alongside the first, and was on a bus home before the day was out. Didn't have a new job lined up at the time, but I did have a 22 hour bus ride to find something else. Ended up having a conditional offer from my current company before I got home LOL. I'm currently on an extended military leave while I spend some time in active duty, but you best believe that I'm looking forward to going back to work with this company once the Army puts me back in the reserves where I belong
Every deregulation CDL era truckload company is crap nowadays. The old truckload companies survived by taking lessons from the newbies. So I’ve decided bail money being available is the key
It always pays to be professional, but you can use quitting as a strategic move too. I quit my first job with 3 reasons; no more weekends, better equipment, and no ltl in toronto. But my move was to rent a parking spot in my old company's yard, so they got to see my shiny brand new 389 every weekend. 3 months later they signed a 700$ a day pay contract and the owner and i drove to the pete dealership.
When I was younger I use to quit on a whim. Too young to know I was working for some great paying carriers. It was so easy to just quit and go to another good carrier. Now a days that pool is a lot smaller. Not many good ones left out there. You never know where life is going to go and you may need to go back to one of those. One example, is I had a liar of a dispatcher. 2 months after I quit he left and someone great was put in his place. For an owner operator the proper notice is hard, too many carriers you could run for a month with to be nice and never get paid a dime.
Your advice applies to any trade job. I used to work machine job shop jobs and regular machine manufacturer jobs. Even if I hate the employer and the job conditions, I would always treat them with respect and with professional courtesy. I never "burn bridges" with them. Word does get around.
Perfect timing, thanks for the video. Can be tough finding a carrier that doesn't wait until after your start date to fill you in on what the company is really expecting from you
A couple of years ago I doing a local job starting most days at 6am, the boss said before I went on a Thanksgiving vacation that in December we were going to have to start at 5am. I told him well I can do that or I can find another job. 1 application, 1 drug test , I was closer to home, starting at 7, and making $2 more per hour. Equipment was the only downside, but now that has been taken care of.
i told my mega carrier when i was ready to take their truck to the closest terminal to my house. they did what i asked, instead of bullshitting me sending me to the utah terminal when i live in VA. there’s no point in staying for two weeks when they’re definitely gonna make sure you don’t have decent pay checks
This is good advice for everyone! I know supervisors who bent (broke) the rules and gave good recommendations (which is against every company's Human Resource policy) when people were good employees and quit in a professional manner. Confession: I am a wanna be truck driver (i.e. I am not a trucker)
Im not a truck driver but alot of my unceles were in the 70's and 80's one of them still is. They would tell me stories of the road and i was lucky enough to be taught how to drive by one of them. He told me you can't just drive for yourself you have to drive for everyone around you. Make sure to give truckers plenty of room and when you are following a rig if you can't see his mirrors he can't see you.
My notice would go down like this, so as to not get shit work cause they know I'd be leaving. "Hey bossman, you recall the loads I've done for the past month?" "Yeah what's the problem?" "No problem at all, I've been getting decent paying loads so I officially gave my notice 4 weeks ago, I just wanted to protect myself and protect you at the same time. Deuces"
I quit my job on 4/6, I told them I was putting my two week notice and was told that a two week notice wasn't necessary and to just turn in the truck to the nearest terminal. No job lined up and I won't be returning to trucking unless I can't find a regular. I didn't tell anyone why I was leaving even though they asked me why, I just told they I wasn't feeling it anymore.
I m with Otaku. I brought the truck in for servicing for its 25K mile PM, cleaned it out gave them the keys and told them Im going home. Why give 2 weeks? Truck company management are just like the drivers, we are all fluid. Here today, gone tomorrow. Just bring them back their truck and trailer and leave. I didnt have anything guaranteed just a bunch of phone interviews I hoped would turn into something. Had a lead on a dairy needing class A drivers for its supermarket delivery routes but the COVID19 thing done put a strangle on current business.
I REALLY APPRECIATE AND ENJOYED YOUR VIDEOS I BEEN TRUCKING SINCE 87 AND I HAUL PRODUCE FROM CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA AND NEW YORK FOR MANY YEARS AND I CAN'T RELATE TO YOUR STORIES SOMETIMES AND I LAUGH MY ASS OFF 🤣🤣🤣
I thought about knocking his coffee and his energy drink off the desk, but Cathy would have made me clean it up afterwards so I went for the computer screen! Less messy.
Most trucking companies just want a steering wheel holder !!! 10 years ago i left a werner truck in a flying j in Chicago and 6 months later they hired me back !!!! Couldn't believe it and nobody does
Hey some of these carriers don't respect the two week notice They like to punish you for some reason. Giving you bad loads and low miles for the last two weeks. I've also heard stories that some carriers leave you stranded because they are pissed you are quitting. Any advice on how to handle that?
I quit me trucking g job this past monday and even though I was at home I was told to return the truck to the Memphis terminal or they would cite me for truck abandonment. Dropped the truck off in Memphis terminal, hit the Memphis airport, and rented a car from Avis. Always have money but away for your exit strategy!
When I quit with one carrier, I was prepared to give a notice but desperately hoping I wouldnt have to. When I went in to quit, they were so thankful I brought the truck and trailer back in one piece that they didnt even ask for a notice. It was so bad that people were apparently leaving equipment! Glad I jumped ship when I did.
Did my two weeks notice,treated me well and was told "You're welcome to come back if it doesn't work out".Start pulling fuel locally tomorrow,home every night.
I've been driving since 1990 jus call in sick an do that every day eventually they will get the message/ an keep your wife out of it it's not her business. The big mega carriers will never write you a good review it makes them look bad..I could go on but I digress..your best asset is your dac report period.
@@tez_foe4382 Happened to me back in 95... KTL out of Largo...became Scales I think?... actually lied and told Covenant that I had wrecked a truck and hit a car...total lie ...Covenant had already hired me and told me to report for orientation on Monday....Covenant called me back on that Sunday and rescinded the Job Offer.. I called DAC and Dac said No Wreck on My DAC....and None on my MVR....Probably a good break for me after all...lots of drivers say that they are crap to work for ...just goes with working for a big carrier they say... Anyway I eventually got a better job ...
I quit a few jobs. I use the Golden Rule if they're nice to me I'll give them 2 weeks if they're nasty I clean my truck give dispatcher my Keys. Fuel credit card. Phone tell him to hold it for me for a week or two and that's it. I'm gone. I can get a job in less than a week and this work because most of them want me back.
I did it wrong I guess. I just cleand out my truck and turned in my truck keys to the shop. I dont want to do regional or OTR at this time, I want local or dedicated now. The local companies need you to be be local to interview with HR people or whatever. Cant be 700miles away and interview locally. Two weeks for what? They cant guarantee you getting home by a specific time. Bring the truck back, give them the keys and leave. No tantrums just "Hey Im out. Its been cool but Im gonna go home now." Who cares about good reviews? All they wanna know is did you have any accidents or tickets? If you didnt then who cares what a schlub in some company 1200miles away says. I was only interested in getting experience and keeping the DAC, MVR and PSP relatively spotless. I was with Swift and Western Express. I liked Swift a whole bunch but their drive cam didnt like me. Western Express had loads but no amenities in the truck & .30cpm was too onerous for me.
I just quit a good driving job. Got tired of the random shutdowns and the mountain of other crap coming down the pipeline. I have worked 4 days in the past month. So this is the last week there. And I have a job lined up for next Monday. Not as good of pay but steady. Plenty of work to keep me going.
Yup. Lot of quitting these days!!! Because everyone is getting f***d over by these "trucking companies". Maybe you should conside opening up a trucking company Dave, Im sure lot of us drivers will be happy to work with you including myself. Cheers!!
Ha ha that was funny, when I was in Texas I 10 going to Florida, 20 years ago, most of the scales were closed, so I didn't bother to do my log, as I'm coming up on the scale "Oh Sh-t" it's open !!, I was worried now a whole day behind, I'm flagged in to the scale, I'm about 200 feet from the turn in when I see a Big cloud of dirt and smoke going into the scale, I couldn't go into the scale because the truck in front of me when he stepped on the brakes, off came the rear sliding tandems and the trailer rear fell off on the ground blocking the entrance to the scale !! Its funny how one person's bad luck is another's lucky day. Thanks William Orange county, ca.
I've found leaving on good terms, they will usually take you back if needed. I left, and was rehired 5 times by one company. They still send me emails a few years later saying I can come back.
Lol this video was hilarious... I’ve told a few bad carriers to shove it and quit on the spot. I try and be more professional now and do better research on the carrier before taking the job
Another great video Dave. I love the subtle placement of your TH-cam award on the boss's desk, congratulations well deserved sir. Noticed a lot of unprofessional comments on this one I hope they were meant to be humorous many of them are criminally actionable.
When you see errors you have to put in an objectionable content claim and request they Prove the occurence. DAC is legally obligated to be furnished with proof when you object to content.
Love the video it was definitely a fun one. Just an idea...I’m sure you know as well as I do, some of these bosses are real immature and A holes when you tell them you’re quitting and react really dumb and tell you how about you just leave now and forget about the 2 weeks notice. Or refuse to write you a good reference. Anything along those lines. Maybe you should make a video about what to do in a situation like that because I’ve seen it first hand and I’m sure there are a ton of managers that are like that. Love the videos!
If you give notice a notice don't have more than you can put on a bus. They will send you to place 900 miles from home and tell you leave the truck there. Just go by the house empty the truck. Look out for you.
The one thing to remember is that it is a small world. The guy you used to work for at a previous job may end up being your new boss at the new place that you have headed off to ... People NEVER forget those who burn bridges.
I agree its best to leave a notes but as u have said before companies r shady and i have seen them rin deivers throigh there notes and get them far away from hom and say u dont work for us get out of r truck rather then get them home so i would becareful about that because of that reason and if im correct i beleave here in the states a company has ro gwt u home weather they get u home or give u the cash equivlant for it one reason i enjoy beeing local is i can give them a notes and dont have to worry about getting home if i switch companies just breaks down to tje fact that these companies dont care as u have said before its all about how mich money u can make them
I remember when I left Stevens Transport, I gave them a two week notice. Already had a job lined up, asked for 30 days until I started. ...They got me back in three and a half weeks. ....Just like clockwork and par for the course. xD I was running in the Chicago Rail Yards for $15.50 an hour. In my exit interview, they asked me why I was leaving and I commented on the low pay. They asked me what it would take to stay and I said, "I need $23/hr to keep working in Chicago." Their counter offer was an extra $1 per hour. :/
Har! Good TH-cam theatre, Dave. Thanks. My teenagers are sitting here with me getting future workplace education from you, too. And of course, we all love the stories! Keith- P.S. My mom dresses me funny, too, but I rarely make it out into polite society where anyone would notice, so I guess it's not really a problem.
Thanks for watching Keith! Appreciate it! Got a funny look from Cathy when I said about his mother dressing him funny, Cathy is his mother! In trouble now but it WAS one of my favourite grade school insults! Couldn't help myself!
When I was hauling equipment I was told one day the company was downsizing and my boss would be taking over driving my truck. At the end of the day the owner came to me and asked me to stay, because my boss had decided to quit. I told him I was sorry but as soon as my boss told me that this would be my last day I made a phone call and got another job that paid more money. (true) He asked me how much more and when i told him he said he couldn't match that, and offered my boss a pay increase to stay. I was not going to stay working for that company anyway.
1: They most definitely will not have you back in time for your start date. 2: Don't plan on receiving any pay for that last week after you gave them notice. 3: After giving notice plan on getting crap loads if any loads. 4: Realize that all they're going to do is verify your dates of employment with them. As long as you quit and weren't terminated you're fine. Always quit on payday preferably while on home time. Once you are home with your truck parked at the terminal, cleaned out already and have been paid up THEN call them and let them know you're done and that the keys are in the truck. Note: This advice only applies to OTR fleets. Local drivers definitely follow the advice in this video.
Hey there Big Strappers. Hope you enjoyed today's entertainment. We had fun recording this! Bloopers were hilarious as you could well imagine. When you leave a company, do you try hard to maintain a level head? Or are you most likely to 'blow a gasket'? Love to hear from you.
I want to see the blooper reel
Eventually, I want to drive flatbed. My company only hauls dry van and reefer. After the coronavirus pandemic is over, I will probably be perusing through the job market to find a good flatbed company.
I'm always polite, even when they're not.
Daniel De Blasio that’s cool man, I hope you find a good outfit. It is harder work than you think though I’ll tell you that! I started on flatbed and still do it but it was much tougher than I thought it would be. Good luck.
I have two resignation letters prepared. One that says I resign for indifference to management decision on something. And another that has two weeks notice with an end date to write in place. I would also have two copies each with envelopes prepared for my supervisor/ Dispatcher. And another one for there boss. So there isn’t any miss understanding or miss communication.
One time I gave a two weeks notice to a dispatcher and she had nothing to dispatch anymore to me. That was truly disappointing that she did that. Her reason was that I was leaving and other drivers could use the loads.
So it can be a double edge sword nowadays in trucking. So for me I decide on giving a notice by how I was treated for the time being at the current company.
Many years ago, a good friend and mentor told me, "It is better to be going towards something than away from something."
I agree, good thought!
Just quit my job today after three 1200 mile weeks and 5 unpaid resets. I went with option 1 in the video. I'm not giving them two more weeks of my life for free.
The last company I drove for, when a driver gave notice suddenly had his truck in for a major service, and just by chance didn't have a substitute truck for him. They gave him a pretty good run around before he got his final check. I learned from his mistake and called out sick for a week until I got my final check in hand. I really was sick [and tired of the BS].
Give them 30 seconds notice it's more than they will give you.
True enough!
The last time I quit I did a 2 week notice and they started giving me the worst loads so I kind of did a 1 week notice lol
big earl I got lucky, nothing but good loads and they got me home every day. Then they tried getting me to turn in my truck for a 2020 but I told them no thanks, after they badmouthed me when I told them I wanted to go somewhere else to haul steel.
Exactly!! Sometimes it's a bad idea .
I agree big earl
I gave a two week notice and they said just turn in the truck tomorrow. I needed those two weeks of pay for my plans to run smoothly...
lol... I love the "your mom dresses you funny" line
Haha i tell my son that
These mega carriers will replace u very easily. They could care less if u quit. It’s a revolving door. If they gave a damn, they would treat u better.
The easiest way I had the most practical way is to line up another job while you’re out on the road. Set it up so that you can start a week after Home time. When you go home clean out your truck except for the bare essentials and then when it is time to go back on the road tell your dispatcher that you had a change of plans since a family member is ill and you have to take a leave of absence for 30 days maybe more. Tell them that you need a load to or through the nearest yard to turn in the equipment as you know they won’t want you to hold their equipment for that length of time. 99% of the time they will comply, give you a bus ticket home and even not take back any driver sign on bonus portion that may have been issued with “If you leave within six months you have to pay it back.” I have done this procedure several times and it is always worked in my favor. I cannot speak for those who owe money for a truck driving school or contract of the sort. The bottom line is you do not give them two weeks notice because either they will give you really low miles, long wait times and more than likely will not get you home in time for your orientation to your new location. If you were leaving a trucking company who is an over the road carrier it makes no sense to treat them with any respect since you’re leaving based on the fact that they have not treated you with respect. I’ve always lived by the creed why give them two weeks notice? Does an employer give you two weeks notice before they fire you? Most companies in the United States are at will employees anyway.
Sounds like a good working plan to me!
The only thing my old carrier will notice is that I'm not driving for them anymore
Every time I switch i leave old company on Friday and start following Monday I switch in a 34h reset and i return equipment they way I received it I take pictures with time stamp and location stamp on receiving and returning it
Good idea to take pictures!
Good idea! That way they can't send you a bill for damaged or missing stuff.
How I’ve quit every carrier. Step #1 get another job step #2 park the truck at the terminal and clean my stuff out step #3 call em up tell em pound sand.
If they were a halfway decent company I would still be working for them.
Never had a problem finding a job as a result of it drivers are super employable and super expendable at the same time.
Was funny at my last carrier I called up my mechanic friend there and he told me they had my truck issued out again the next day.
I’m actually really professional till it comes to leaving a company but I’ve always seen it as this they can fire or lay you off for any reason at anytime they please then I can fire them in the same way especially if they are requesting you to do illegal stuff
Yup!
The amount of people I've seen come crawling back for there job over the years is astounding, never leave on bad terms matter how much you hate it .
I'm not in trucking but love this channel. In my industry, we had a MASSIVE worker shortage in the big cities. Many guys quit by walking out, stealing accounts and giving the boss their piece of mind. Now many of those guys are laid off and have burned bridges.
What industry are you in?
Let me take a guess? HVAC-R?
Im a millennial trucker and have been trucking for 5 years so im just starting out in life and my career. Ive walked out on a few jobs and i tried to leave peacefully with a two weeks notice and was told "we accept your resignation" and they wouldnt let me fulfill the two week notice or pay out my vacation since it was "gifted" not earned. Luckily i have a written letter that proves i was not terminated. I think from here on out i may just only give a one week notice or just say i quit.
Real talk I usually schedule like 2 weeks in advance with the next company and then just use those 2 weeks as vacation time
The company's don't give you two weeks notice. While I Value being a Courteous Professional. In this day and age it is naive and will only cause you Grief.
If I was a newer driver, give the two week notice, Period. If you are an older driver, let your Gut tell you if those individuals can handle a two week notice Responsibly. Best Wishes! M.H.
You did this video for a reason because it must happen quite often And I wonder why. A lot of this in this video really hit home for me.
My guy straight kicked the desk and told him to “shove it a-hole” 😂😂😂😂😂
I Don't do two weeks notices, unless the company treated me right which don't happen too much. Because think about it if they wanted to get rid of you there not going to give you a two weeks notice, they just tell you to turn in your keys after that last load that had to be delivered and you were the only one in the area. Or they lay you off without warning even though you have already seen the warning signs that they are in financial trouble and you keep asking them questions and they keep lieing to you saying they are fine, then next thing you know your stuck halfway across the country with a fuel card they turned off, with no way home. Or they pull the we have a new trainee we need you to train and show the ropes who is really your replacement but they don't tell you that part. Or they pull the we don't want to fire you cause we don't want to give you unemployment so were going to make you quit by giving loads that don't pay jack. SO TELL ME WHY I SHOULD LEAVE ON GOOD TERMS AGAIN, AS LONG AS I HAVE A GOOD MVR, DAC, AND SAFETY RECORD AND A CLASS A WITH NO POINTS I CAN GET ANY JOB I WANT MY RECORD FOR LENGTH OF TIME BEING UNEMPLOYED BEFORE BEING REHIRED WITH ANOTHER CARRIER IS 5MIN ALL IT TOOK WAS ONE PHONE CALL GOT FIRED AND REHIRED THE SAME DAY OR SHOULD I SAY INTERVIEWED THE SAME DAY BACK ON THE ROAD THE FOLLOWING WEEK😎😎
I enjoy ALL your videos, but this one really had me laughing out loud while I was waiting to get loaded. You really dislike Volvos😁 "Your Secretary is ugly & has bad breath & your mom dresses you funny" 😂😂😂 I trully enjoyed your acting 👌keep 'em coming!
Thank you Dalia, but I have to admit, I think I need acting lessons bad!
She said “you’ve got to be kidding me”!!! 😂😂😂😂
May be sound advice for some but in Alberta, mainly the oil industry, things may be a little different. You're best bet out here is to just quit. Most companies don't care about you, to them you're unit 104. They care about what the revenue on your truck is. If you're a high earner and you quit they will try to negotiate with you to keep you.. If you're not then hit the road jack. Out here it's very rare for them to have an employee to continue to work for a company once that employee quits. Lots of trucking companies are federal which means it's cheap to pay you out. 2 days per year you've worked there. Another kick in the teeth as an employee!!
A cousin of mine wrote a song called “Take This Job and Shove It”.
The two weeks notice don't work out for any job. They will fire you in due time.
Hey Dave, You’re very right about jumping from company to company. I see some drivers that have had jobs at 3 or 4 place in 6 months or a year. They leave one company and have the same complaints, but some of the stuff out here isn’t the company it’s the industry. Sometimes you just have to say that’s truckin.
Yup!
I currently work for a company that treats drivers like lesser humans. They think we are dumb and speak to us as if we are. Up until recently, their maintenence was severely lacking. These mechanics have a lot of work ahead of them. Although I'm trying to hold out and give notice, I'm finding it harder and harder to do either or. TH-cam felt I needed to watch this again. So, I watched this again. I'm closing on my home in a few weeks and was advised to stay out until then. Once I close, I'll put in my notice. I don't know if I'll be able to last through that though. Pretty sure corporate will work with me but, I gotta do what's right for my family first. It's truly sad the way trucking companies feel they can treat drivers. It's not just this company. I've worked for several. I've been at this one for a year out of convenience. Seen several drivers tarnish their CDL for equipment issues. Seen a few drivers I highly respect leave the industry altogether.
When you give your notice, you should already be outfitted with a minimal truck kit.
Be ready to leave on the spot because some carriers will do just that, even if they liked you before.
You dont want to be stranded on a lot with a full truck load out of your gear, clothes, fridge, CB, food etc and scrambling to get back home.
Be prepared for Spartan living for 2 weeks
We switch trucks so much at my company, I always live with the bare minimum
I did just that David at Western Express. On one stop home I cleaned out the truck lightly and then when I turned it in a week or 2 later everything else.fit in my Jimmy and then went home.
At Swift they did just that. So I had to scramble and rent a Uhaul 10' van to clean out my truck, food, microwave, clothes, etc.
Good advice here. I'm just a year retired now, but in my career I've had a lot of jobs, mostly in driving, and I always left on good terms with 2 weeks notice. I always included a written, dated note when I told my boss I was moving on, even when I really wanted to be gone. And I never voluntarily left a job before I had a new, usually better job lined up. Once my employer to be wanted me to start immediately, but I told him I needed 2 weeks. He was disappointed, but understood, and that new job turned into the longest job I ever held right up until my retirement last year.
Doing it the right way! Enjoy retirement, you've earned it! Thanks for watching!
Heh... I still remember how I ended up quitting my last company... I had a truly junk tractor that was constantly red tagged, and of course my dispatcher (being the way dispatchers are) kept trying to get me to roll as-is, no repairs for the defects from the shop... you know, for things like brakes, massive air leaks (we're talking something like 5 pounds per SECOND, here), and all that lovely stuff that's liable to get someone killed if it's not working properly. And, of course, you can never forget the constant demands that I commit HOS violations. Of course, I am the captain of my ship and all that jazz, so I kept telling them "no, I'll not be operating like that." Boss man didn't like that too much, and called me into his office. Man was about 30 seconds away from firing me for my constant refusal to roll with defective equipment, so I finally just put one of the keys on his desk and said:
"Welp, it's been a good run, sir, but I think this is where we go our separate ways. Consider this my 2 weeks notice, effective 2 weeks ago."
Cleaned the truck out, then put the other key alongside the first, and was on a bus home before the day was out. Didn't have a new job lined up at the time, but I did have a 22 hour bus ride to find something else. Ended up having a conditional offer from my current company before I got home LOL.
I'm currently on an extended military leave while I spend some time in active duty, but you best believe that I'm looking forward to going back to work with this company once the Army puts me back in the reserves where I belong
Every deregulation CDL era truckload company is crap nowadays. The old truckload companies survived by taking lessons from the newbies. So I’ve decided bail money being available is the key
Always good to have bail money! Thanks for the chuckle Bradford!
It always pays to be professional, but you can use quitting as a strategic move too. I quit my first job with 3 reasons; no more weekends, better equipment, and no ltl in toronto. But my move was to rent a parking spot in my old company's yard, so they got to see my shiny brand new 389 every weekend. 3 months later they signed a 700$ a day pay contract and the owner and i drove to the pete dealership.
When I was younger I use to quit on a whim. Too young to know I was working for some great paying carriers. It was so easy to just quit and go to another good carrier. Now a days that pool is a lot smaller. Not many good ones left out there. You never know where life is going to go and you may need to go back to one of those. One example, is I had a liar of a dispatcher. 2 months after I quit he left and someone great was put in his place. For an owner operator the proper notice is hard, too many carriers you could run for a month with to be nice and never get paid a dime.
Your advice applies to any trade job. I used to work machine job shop jobs and regular machine manufacturer jobs. Even if I hate the employer and the job conditions, I would always treat them with respect and with professional courtesy. I never "burn bridges" with them. Word does get around.
Perfect timing, thanks for the video. Can be tough finding a carrier that doesn't wait until after your start date to fill you in on what the company is really expecting from you
It was another good video Dave, you articulated everything very well. And I enjoy listening to your stories
Thanks Ronald!
A couple of years ago I doing a local job starting most days at 6am, the boss said before I went on a Thanksgiving vacation that in December we were going to have to start at 5am. I told him well I can do that or I can find another job. 1 application, 1 drug test , I was closer to home, starting at 7, and making $2 more per hour. Equipment was the only downside, but now that has been taken care of.
Nice when it works out for the better, isn't it Trent! I was always lucky that way myself!
@@SmartTrucking Honored by your reply. You are the best trucking expert on TH-cam.
After I Sold out in 2004 .i Have Quite two companies pulled in the yard and said good buy.
Im Simi Retired .like a Old Fool . im Still a Steel Hauler. I retired 3 months and could not Stand staying Home all time Home .
I'm from India and I have been watching your videos from a long time and I loved it very informative ..keep it up u doin great mate 👍
Thank you sir!
Some companies just let you go on the spot as soon as you say your leaving.
i told my mega carrier when i was ready to take their truck to the closest terminal to my house. they did what i asked, instead of bullshitting me sending me to the utah terminal when i live in VA. there’s no point in staying for two weeks when they’re definitely gonna make sure you don’t have decent pay checks
I've watched a bunch of your videos over the last few weeks. This was by far my favorite! Very comical!
You can take this job and shove it!!!!!!!!😂😂😂
I don't even work in trucking and the advice is always helpful.
This is good advice for everyone! I know supervisors who bent (broke) the rules and gave good recommendations (which is against every company's Human Resource policy) when people were good employees and quit in a professional manner. Confession: I am a wanna be truck driver (i.e. I am not a trucker)
Im not a truck driver but alot of my unceles were in the 70's and 80's one of them still is. They would tell me stories of the road and i was lucky enough to be taught how to drive by one of them. He told me you can't just drive for yourself you have to drive for everyone around you. Make sure to give truckers plenty of room and when you are following a rig if you can't see his mirrors he can't see you.
Your uncle put it beautifully. "you have to drive for everyone around you" He sure got that right! Sounds like you had an excellent teacher Donnie!
My notice would go down like this, so as to not get shit work cause they know I'd be leaving.
"Hey bossman, you recall the loads I've done for the past month?"
"Yeah what's the problem?"
"No problem at all, I've been getting decent paying loads so I officially gave my notice 4 weeks ago, I just wanted to protect myself and protect you at the same time. Deuces"
Dave, the bull hauler with the fish finder made it out just fine, he let the bear off with a warning!!
Got a laugh out of me there Paul, thanks!
@@SmartTrucking Glad you got a laugh Doug, be safe and God bless to you and yours!
I quit my job on 4/6, I told them I was putting my two week notice and was told that a two week notice wasn't necessary and to just turn in the truck to the nearest terminal. No job lined up and I won't be returning to trucking unless I can't find a regular. I didn't tell anyone why I was leaving even though they asked me why, I just told they I wasn't feeling it anymore.
The Otaku Trucker I hope you find a new job and find happiness in it, you’ll get through it I’ve been there
I m with Otaku. I brought the truck in for servicing for its 25K mile PM, cleaned it out gave them the keys and told them Im going home. Why give 2 weeks? Truck company management are just like the drivers, we are all fluid. Here today, gone tomorrow. Just bring them back their truck and trailer and leave. I didnt have anything guaranteed just a bunch of phone interviews I hoped would turn into something. Had a lead on a dairy needing class A drivers for its supermarket delivery routes but the COVID19 thing done put a strangle on current business.
And that does happen!
Dont necessarily be afraid of "bad reviews".
If you have a proper skills you will Never have trouble getting in the captain chair.
I REALLY APPRECIATE AND ENJOYED YOUR VIDEOS I BEEN TRUCKING SINCE 87 AND I HAUL PRODUCE FROM CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA AND NEW YORK FOR MANY YEARS AND I CAN'T RELATE TO YOUR STORIES SOMETIMES AND I LAUGH MY ASS OFF 🤣🤣🤣
Thanks Carlos, stay safe!
Dude! You guys have GOT to release a blooper reel on this one! lol dang! lol
We are working on it!
For awhile there, I thought you were going to get whacked with the frying pan ! We all know that story. Thanks for the good tips.
520 in is Hilarious he’s holding on to the computer
I thought about knocking his coffee and his energy drink off the desk, but Cathy would have made me clean it up afterwards so I went for the computer screen! Less messy.
Most trucking companies just want a steering wheel holder !!! 10 years ago i left a werner truck in a flying j in Chicago and 6 months later they hired me back !!!! Couldn't believe it and nobody does
Hey some of these carriers don't respect the two week notice
They like to punish you for some reason. Giving you bad loads and low miles for the last two weeks.
I've also heard stories that some carriers leave you stranded because they are pissed you are quitting.
Any advice on how to handle that?
Keep cash for ride home ✌
Low miles for sure to be close to their terminal to turn the truck in but you are far away from your home.
I quit me trucking g job this past monday and even though I was at home I was told to return the truck to the Memphis terminal or they would cite me for truck abandonment. Dropped the truck off in Memphis terminal, hit the Memphis airport, and rented a car from Avis. Always have money but away for your exit strategy!
Yes, we'll be doing an upcoming video on that!
@@SmartTrucking thank you
When I quit with one carrier, I was prepared to give a notice but desperately hoping I wouldnt have to. When I went in to quit, they were so thankful I brought the truck and trailer back in one piece that they didnt even ask for a notice. It was so bad that people were apparently leaving equipment! Glad I jumped ship when I did.
The Lettuce King is back.!!!
If you negotiate and stay plan on being out the door on their terms. They just want you around long enough so they can find someone
Always offer a polite extension of the middle finger. On good terms of course.
Did my two weeks notice,treated me well and was told "You're welcome to come back if it doesn't work out".Start pulling fuel locally tomorrow,home every night.
I've been driving since 1990 jus call in sick an do that every day eventually they will get the message/ an keep your wife out of it it's not her business. The big mega carriers will never write you a good review it makes them look bad..I could go on but I digress..your best asset is your dac report period.
What If The Company Puts Bad Stuff On Your Dac Report To Prevent You From Getting Another Job ?
Tez_ Foe if they lie, u have recourse. As long as u have a safe record, u can get another job.
@@tez_foe4382 Happened to me back in 95... KTL out of Largo...became Scales I think?... actually lied and told Covenant that I had wrecked a truck and hit a car...total lie ...Covenant had already hired me and told me to report for orientation on Monday....Covenant called me back on that Sunday and rescinded the Job Offer..
I called DAC and Dac said No Wreck on My DAC....and None on my MVR....Probably a good break for me after all...lots of drivers say that they are crap to work for ...just goes with working for a big carrier they say...
Anyway I eventually got a better job ...
I quit a few jobs. I use the Golden Rule if they're nice to me I'll give them 2 weeks if they're nasty I clean my truck give dispatcher my Keys. Fuel credit card. Phone tell him to hold it for me for a week or two and that's it. I'm gone. I can get a job in less than a week and this work because most of them want me back.
Well Dave no gloves or mask !! You just gave your ex boss covid 19. Lol
You're right! Potential lawsuit probably! Although I'd just make him live in the backyard afterwards.
Ok Dave, I disagree with #4. Why tell them why? After all, they’re about to become your competitor. Love your show!!!
Thanks for watching!
I did it wrong I guess. I just cleand out my truck and turned in my truck keys to the shop. I dont want to do regional or OTR at this time, I want local or dedicated now. The local companies need you to be be local to interview with HR people or whatever. Cant be 700miles away and interview locally.
Two weeks for what? They cant guarantee you getting home by a specific time. Bring the truck back, give them the keys and leave. No tantrums just "Hey Im out. Its been cool but Im gonna go home now."
Who cares about good reviews? All they wanna know is did you have any accidents or tickets? If you didnt then who cares what a schlub in some company 1200miles away says. I was only interested in getting experience and keeping the DAC, MVR and PSP relatively spotless.
I was with Swift and Western Express. I liked Swift a whole bunch but their drive cam didnt like me. Western Express had loads but no amenities in the truck & .30cpm was too onerous for me.
I just quit a good driving job. Got tired of the random shutdowns and the mountain of other crap coming down the pipeline. I have worked 4 days in the past month. So this is the last week there. And I have a job lined up for next Monday. Not as good of pay but steady. Plenty of work to keep me going.
Sounds good Jesse!
Love the T-Shirt!
I’m On a blacklist in trucking anyway around that I have a clean driving record.
Yup. Lot of quitting these days!!! Because everyone is getting f***d over by these "trucking companies".
Maybe you should conside opening up a trucking company Dave, Im sure lot of us drivers will be happy to work with you including myself.
Cheers!!
Thanks Mallu!
Good tips.. the acting that was done on the Video here should go up for an Oscar!! Lol. Keep up the great work.
James, if you think that acting was good, I worry about you, but thanks for watching!
Ha ha that was funny, when I was in Texas I 10 going to Florida, 20 years ago, most of the scales were closed, so I didn't bother to do my log, as I'm coming up on the scale "Oh Sh-t" it's open !!, I was worried now a whole day behind, I'm flagged in to the scale, I'm about 200 feet from the turn in when I see a Big cloud of dirt and smoke going into the scale, I couldn't go into the scale because the truck in front of me when he stepped on the brakes, off came the rear sliding tandems and the trailer rear fell off on the ground blocking the entrance to the scale !! Its funny how one person's bad luck is another's lucky day. Thanks William Orange county, ca.
I've found leaving on good terms, they will usually take you back if needed. I left, and was rehired 5 times by one company. They still send me emails a few years later saying I can come back.
Thats what Im sayimg as long as your Dac, mvr and psp are ok. Other than that who cares what your nosey neighbors say.
@@broncomcbane6382 5x? Dude quit getting fired hoss
Bs, I badmouth all my x carrier's because I'm a unprofessional professional.
That’s the spirit lol 😂
Thanks Dave another great video , very good info from a trucking professional ... keep it coming
Thank you!
I’ve done it so many times I’m considered a pro !
You saying that reminded me of a friend of mine who is also a pro! I should do a story on that sometime. It was the Lettuce King!
Smart Trucking do it till you find the right carrier!! :))
Well I messed up didnt have a other job lined up just couldn't do a other day local food delivery 😅
I hear ya, shit happens.
This is the best video ever, thank you sir.
But #3 is the best
Thank you for watching!
Lol this video was hilarious... I’ve told a few bad carriers to shove it and quit on the spot. I try and be more professional now and do better research on the carrier before taking the job
I must admit my own personal exits from carriers weren't always graceful.
Another great video Dave. I love the subtle placement of your TH-cam award on the boss's desk, congratulations well deserved sir. Noticed a lot of unprofessional comments on this one I hope they were meant to be humorous many of them are criminally actionable.
Thank you Paul! Appreciate it!
Gotta be one of the best videos yet
Thank you! Terrible acting though. I need lessons!
Canadians even sound polite calling someone an 'a-wipe-🤣😆
I really Love the Stories at the end ,
Dave you really remind me of my grandfather :'( !
I'm going to take that as a compliment, thank you!
World class acting, thought i was watching a broadway play 😂😂
Good lord, I thought I sucked!
@@SmartTrucking 😂😂😂
Office People mess up your DAC report as payback, Dave❗❗❗
When you see errors you have to put in an objectionable content claim and request they Prove the occurence. DAC is legally obligated to be furnished with proof when you object to content.
Yeah, it's a crooked system.
@@broncomcbane6382 That takes a Long Time❗❗❗
@@broncomcbane6382 Sit around for 9 months waiting for it to happen, Yep!😷...
@@SmartTrucking It takes a long time for somebody to correct it😷❗❗❗
Love the video it was definitely a fun one. Just an idea...I’m sure you know as well as I do, some of these bosses are real immature and A holes when you tell them you’re quitting and react really dumb and tell you how about you just leave now and forget about the 2 weeks notice. Or refuse to write you a good reference. Anything along those lines. Maybe you should make a video about what to do in a situation like that because I’ve seen it first hand and I’m sure there are a ton of managers that are like that. Love the videos!
Thanks for watching Anthony! Yeah, you're right, some bosses can be like that, quite a few, in fact!
Huuuge ticket is how THAT worked out. Had to pay before leaving even.
If you give notice a notice don't have more than you can put on a bus. They will send you to place 900 miles from home and tell you leave the truck there. Just go by the house empty the truck. Look out for you.
Hope the guy never used his radar detector when he went fishing...take care and be safe out there Dave.
Good point! Tough to get the truck into the bass boat!
Good stuff Dave (and "film crew").
A fish finder... that's great!
Thanks Frodrick!
The one thing to remember is that it is a small world. The guy you used to work for at a previous job may end up being your new boss at the new place that you have headed off to ... People NEVER forget those who burn bridges.
That's true, good point!
I agree its best to leave a notes but as u have said before companies r shady and i have seen them rin deivers throigh there notes and get them far away from hom and say u dont work for us get out of r truck rather then get them home so i would becareful about that because of that reason and if im correct i beleave here in the states a company has ro gwt u home weather they get u home or give u the cash equivlant for it one reason i enjoy beeing local is i can give them a notes and dont have to worry about getting home if i switch companies just breaks down to tje fact that these companies dont care as u have said before its all about how mich money u can make them
Yup!
I remember when I left Stevens Transport, I gave them a two week notice. Already had a job lined up, asked for 30 days until I started.
...They got me back in three and a half weeks.
....Just like clockwork and par for the course. xD
I was running in the Chicago Rail Yards for $15.50 an hour.
In my exit interview, they asked me why I was leaving and I commented on the low pay. They asked me what it would take to stay and I said, "I need $23/hr to keep working in Chicago."
Their counter offer was an extra $1 per hour.
:/
Har! Good TH-cam theatre, Dave. Thanks. My teenagers are sitting here with me getting future workplace education from you, too. And of course, we all love the stories!
Keith-
P.S. My mom dresses me funny, too, but I rarely make it out into polite society where anyone would notice, so I guess it's not really a problem.
Thanks for watching Keith! Appreciate it! Got a funny look from Cathy when I said about his mother dressing him funny, Cathy is his mother! In trouble now but it WAS one of my favourite grade school insults! Couldn't help myself!
That used work to jam. They couldn't clock you
Your vast knowledge is much appreciated
No detention pay to much sitting I'm seriously thinking about it.
When I was hauling equipment I was told one day the company was downsizing and my boss would be taking over driving my truck. At the end of the day the owner came to me and asked me to stay, because my boss had decided to quit. I told him I was sorry but as soon as my boss told me that this would be my last day I made a phone call and got another job that paid more money. (true) He asked me how much more and when i told him he said he couldn't match that, and offered my boss a pay increase to stay. I was not going to stay working for that company anyway.
Looked good on the owner!
1: They most definitely will not have you back in time for your start date.
2: Don't plan on receiving any pay for that last week after you gave them notice.
3: After giving notice plan on getting crap loads if any loads.
4: Realize that all they're going to do is verify your dates of employment with them. As long as you quit and weren't terminated you're fine.
Always quit on payday preferably while on home time. Once you are home with your truck parked at the terminal, cleaned out already and have been paid up THEN call them and let them know you're done and that the keys are in the truck.
Note: This advice only applies to OTR fleets. Local drivers definitely follow the advice in this video.
Imma be a new driver love your videos and very informative