Dispatch Nightmares

   I’m writing this while on the road with one of my sister’s who is a truck driver.  We all know companies like to cut corners anywhere and everywhere they can while taking all of the glory and credit for their good and strong points; you rarely see a trucker get credit for anything; yet it is the truckers that do all of the work for the companies.

   These hard working men and women pup up with a lot from the companies they work for. If you are lucky enough to find a good company to work for, like my sister did, you may find it won’t be so easy to stay on with them. Those companies seem to have a zero tolerance for mistakes no matter how little or miner they are.

   When I started this trip all I wanted was company for thanksgiving and to see some of our own country; get some fresh views of our land and maybe some ideas for more of my Romance stories. And while I could write plenty of stories about truckers rest assured there is no real romance in truck driving.

   Companies have become paranoid over the public’s penchant for get rich quick by law suites schemes; which even I have to admit has gotten way out of control. The courts granting such law suites are even more ridiculous then the law suit itself. But, dispatchers of companies who deal with a multitude of drivers on a day to day basis should know the rules and any changes made to them, wouldn’t you agree?

   My sister called dispatch being she was in the area; she only had a short time to stay because she was carrying a load to be dropped in Tulsa, OK. She calls dispatch and asked: “What all do I need to do to have my sister ride along till Thanksgiving?” The dispatcher told her everything she needed to do; but the dispatcher omitted one of the most important items. My sister even called dispatch back to verify it and the dispatcher still omitted the fact that we had to wait on a verified pass before taking a passenger with her. My sister even told dispatch she needed to do this quickly but wanted to get it all right.

   Now I blame myself for some of this, I know better then to sign anything without thoroughly reading it first. I was just so happy to be able to go, I did the unthinkable and didn’t read the contract; if I had I would have caught the clause that stipulated that I had to wait for a verified pass in order to go with her and she wouldn’t be so stressed out about loosing her job right now. I would rather not have come at all then to see what hell this company has put her through over the issue of a pass; and all because they are afraid of being sued.