Dropping Like Flies!!

Okay, so I made my announcement about the job info last week and while everything looks good from my standpoint, the other c0-workers are not faring too well..
First let me just say that most of them ARE in fact, your typical Truck Driver... Country Fellows with little (or no) book smarts, driving to live and living to drive!! An uneducated lot, with no desire to better themselves, but given their age group I can understand why..

The vast majority is in the 50+ age group... This group is a bit divided on "What to do" A few of them will make the transfer (they have been pulling the same freight for over 25 years with no less than 6 different employer changes...) A few of them have decided to move on with the existing employer..(no need to start over with a new company which would result in lost seniority and accrued vacation time)... I understand both sides!! Of course the Fisherman is telling a different response each time he is asked what his future holds...

We are losing 2 drivers this week, who have decided to transfer into new positions with the current employer... Good News for me, because that means I will gain 2 rungs on the ladder...Meaning I will have more routes to chose from.

And this could not come at a better time...

Our industry is in quite a lull at the moment...Sad to say, but our business thrives on natural disaster!! With no devastating hurricanes the previous season, the demand for our product has been greatly reduced!

So Friday morning is Dispatch Day. Homer will call on each of us to claim our route for the following week.. For the most part, I head into the Great North East every week.

This week, my choices were limited to 3 Florida routes, 1 Alabama, or a South Carolina-Tennessee Run...

WTF!?

I am so out of the loop... First off, I do not keep up with the other drivers daily grumbles and try to distance myself from the goings on at the office...It makes for better mental health, I assure you. I asked Homer "What is going on?" Knowing I would be upset, he tried to explain to me how seniority works and that I should just choose.

I KNOW how seniority works, but what I don't know is why no one wants to go to Florida. Usually, those routes are the first to disappear...

Well, freight is slow!!!! Usually the FL runs are snatched up because they are quick deliveries with only 1 night away from home.. Drivers then rush back to grab up a second load...

There are no second loads!!

So, I chose the SC-TN adventure.... I have plans for next weekend and needed to be off at the end of the week....

But now I am becoming concerned that my normal paycheck is being threatened!! Looks like the sofa might have to wait until things level off....Good thing those 2 fellows are leaving this week!!!