US Xpress Enterprises
Demands Driver To Commit Animal Cruelty

We were scheduled to pick up a Goodyear load in Beaumont, TX this morning 8/25/07 @ 0800 - 1000 CDT. Dispatch had sent a message with the load plan saying that this shipper did not allow more than one driver per truck on the premises at a time and no children or dogs. We assumed that it was like Fed Ex meaning that only one driver was allowed OUTSIDE of the truck and that we wouldn't be able to take the dog out of the truck on the premises. Okay... No problem.

So we head to the shipper and arrive shortly after 0800 CDT. The guard at the gate stated that one of us would have to physically get out of the truck... Along with the dog and wait until the other driver got loaded and came back out. The guard also wanted us to "tie up our dog" which was in a dusty gravel parking lot with no shade whatsoever. Not to mention that it was 100 degrees outside and there wasn't even anyplace for one of us to sit to wait. As you can well imagine, we flat refused to even acknowledge this idea. Our dog is our child and has NEVER been tied up in the entire 7 years of her life and this certainly was not going to be the end of her "not tied up" streak. I simply wouldn't allow it.

So we send a message to dispatch explaining the situation and they advised us to "tie up our dog". What part of NO do these people not understand? Would they tie up their 7 year old child to a pole out on the blazing sun in 100 degree heat? I highly doubt it.

Consequently, they pulled us off the load and sent another truck to pick it up. A solo truck, none the less, without a dog or child on board which is what dispatch should have done in the first place. Can anyone say incompetency? So I decided to send a "letter of concern" to dispatch via the Satcom stating my discontentment. The following is what I sent verbatim:

Dispatch was aware that this shipper didn't allow dogs and only 1 driver into their facility at a time. When the load plan was sent, we were still told to pick up load with you knowing that one of us was going to have to stand outside in 100 degree heat with no shade or nowhere to sit... in a dusty gravel parking lot. With dispatch being aware of this situation, this load should've been assigned to a solo truck without a dog to begin with. Furthermore, our dog is one of the family and like our child and has never been chained a day in her 7 years on this earth! Would you chain your 7 year old child outside in a dirty gravel parking lot in 100 degree heat? I think not. On top of all that, the dog would have been filthy by the time she got back in the truck. You don't want your equipment to be filthy, do you? This is by far the most unreasonable demand USX has made on us thus far. I wait with baited breath to see what is yet to come.

As for now, we are sitting in a Petro that was about 5 miles from the shipper waiting for another load and more than likely, we will be here until Monday morning. Is it just me or does it sound like USX has a vendetta out against us? I think someone should inform USX that they are barking up the wrong tree here. (Pardon the pun!) I back down to no one!!!

Company: US Xpress Enterprises
Country: USA
State: Ohio
City: Medway
Address: 55 Victory Safety Lane

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