Abandoning Your Equipment/Load: How Not to Quit

The graduate with a Science degree asks, "Why does it work?"
The graduate with an Engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"
The graduate with an Accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
The graduate with a Liberal Arts degree asks, "Do you want mustard with that?"

I'll add another to this old joke: "Drivers who make a habit of abandoning their load are going to have much in common with Liberal Arts graduates."

"Abandonment" as used in the trucking employment history world, is when a driver quits by leaving the load and/or truck somewhere. This is one of the worst ways you can quit a driving job if you want to keep driving. Abandoning your load/truck ranks up there with failing a drug or alcohol test in terms of affecting future your future driving employability.

Abandonment of a load and or truck is bad, but there are degrees of "badness." Many carriers typically classify Abandonment under four sub-classifications. While any abandonment isn't good, the following sub-classifications are listed from "best" to worst in most carriers' view.

1. Abandonment at company terminal with notice
   The Truck and/or cargo was left at a company terminal and the driver does notify the company of termination.
2. Abandonment at authorized Location with notice
   The Truck and/or cargo was left at a location authorized by the company and the driver does notify the company of termination.
3. Abandonment at company terminal without notice
   The Truck and/or cargo was left at a company terminal and the driver does NOT notify the company of termination.
4. Abandonment at Unauthorized location without notice
   The Truck and/or cargo was left at a location NOT authorized by the company and the driver does NOT notify the company of termination.

Some companies also further define abandonments.

• Unauthorized location with notice
  You leave the truck and or cargo at a location NOT authorized by the company-but you do notify them of the termination.
• Authorized location without notice
  You leave the truck at a location that is authorized by the company, but you do so without notifying the company of termination.
• Left vehicle with team driver
  You leave the truck and or cargo in the possession of your team driver.

When you want to move to greener pastures as a driver, it's best to look for a job while you still have a job. If you can't do that, try to leave on the best terms you can-this will help your employment history be such that you have the most employment options. If you don't know what your employment history says-find out. If you have an abandonment, make sure yours is properly classified.