nc/ns...

i usually begin my work day around ten or so...not today. today i woke up to the radio beeping/alerting...why? the morning bike dispatcher called in sick so i was called to see if i can show up earlier to help cover the morning hours...no big deal. a bit tiring but no big deal. i take a quick shower and show up to work around eight:20 or so.

the minute i sit down the car dispatcher says...

city dispatch...i think it's 6637 who calls in early. anyway, i sent him seven out of wacker.

j.dot...what? seven?

city dipatch...yup. you got alot of work on the board.

...now i know the day is gonna be long. i have two pages of work sitting on my screen and little by little i see the due times creeping up on me...sh*t! as the day goes i hear them all check in...6637.6721.6664.1141.and so on. don't think i gave to much stand-by today. i'm pretty sure the first time i said "stand-by" was around one:12 which only lasted till about 1:14...the day was hectic.

something wasn't quite right today. it was raining outside so i didn't expect cats to show up. i figured i would get a few call ins and some of the crew to show up late. instead i got a few late starts and eight...thats right, eight, no call/no shows...wtf?!

why? all i ask of the crew is to call me and tell me they can't make it. make up an excuse...tell me the truth...pick one. it doesn't matter to me...sh*t, i'll make up something for you but now, you make yourself look bad to the management. they copy my list of nc/ns and now it's out of my hands. yes, im angry that not too many cats showed up to help with the work load but i think im more disappointed in the fact that people just aren't responsible.

i had 6664 show up and get a thousand flats and he didn't complain at all today. he was still out there rocking. 6719 had his bars break in half and he flipped over his bike...hurt but still rocked a few more before calling it quits. btw, that wasn't a big deal cause he stayed till about four thirty or so. 1141, who usually does car work was helping me out with the madness all day...

1141...forty-one.

j.dot...hey, good morning.

1141...whats up julio? starting up on the west loop...got anything?

j.dot...oh yeah. i got work all over the city today...lets see...umm, head over to 1 south wack till i figure out a good set for you.

1141...no big deal. just let me know what you need me to do. just trying to make things easier for you.

...can you believe it? he said he wanted to make things easy for me? yes i have to deal with a full board and deal with pissed off customers and answer the management questions about why people aren't here and why things are late but i don't have to ride in the crappy rain, the crappy drivers, the wet clothes/manifests, the wait times, and the crazy routing(ha!). anyway, it was nice to hear those words in the morning...it motivated me to just sit down and provide my crew with the best routes possible. good routes equals more work in less time which equals more money. today was a good money day for many and i guess thats why im not too angry for the no call/no shows...peace.