shipper facility rating

That would be hard as there are quite a few shippers/consignee's all over the USA and Canada.

 

Yes, but to put it into a database. Like the way the FMCSA (not sure of agency) can mess with a drivers score. It would be great to flip the tables and find out how well they treat the driver. Or if they are known for being less than honorable with things like payment, having loads that cant be delivered on time, value of loads are too cheap to be taken for delivery or to be sent anywhere? Yes having driver accomodations is always a plus. Yet all the shippers I dealt with, I felt I was lucky if they even had a place I could park and get my 10 if my clock ran out on their property.

 

At the last company I worked at, all of our shippers and consignees had directions in the qualcomm system and drivers were encouraged to submit updates and pertinent information such as parking availability, pet friendly, etc that other drivers will find useful. That's about the best you can hope for. If it's done like a "user built data/rating system", it's too subjective and drivers can have a wide opinion of a particular place and offer distorted opinions, and the data would mostly be worthless.

 

If TripAdvisor can do it for hotels and restaurants, why can't it be done for shippers and receivers?

 

Because any place can be a shipper or a consignee. The mom and pop store with the small dock or the BIG warehouse where there are 200 trucks going in and out of it daily are the same.

AND another thing is how would this happen?

OK so there is a database with a web interface, who will keep it up and how much will that cost?

Then you have the issue of who is updating the info, would their company name be listed?

If so then what would you do if you can track who's customer is who's - it would make a great way to gain customers for those who are savy salesmen (meaning bottom feeders).

 

With enough dollars and knowhow, it can be done.

 

Actually, a lot of places trucks deliver into and pick up at already have "trucker reviews" on Google. Zoom into a shipper or receiver to where you can actually see the facilities' name/address and Goggle info, chances are you will se some sort of review, and chances are it's a "trucker review". The framework is already in place with Google, it's just a matter of having a Gmail address so you can log in and submit you review, but anybody can read the reviews that may exist.

Example, this is Wakefern Foods, Keasby, NJ

click on the "Reviews" link for Wakefern Foods to read the reviews

But, the thing is, the property owner needs to file a listing/address with Google to have it appear on maps with an associated name and hyperlink, many of the larger businesses do, but many don't. But every year more and more and catching up to the "internet fad" and realizing Google is far and away the leader in data

 

I can see it's usefulness for some drivers. For most drivers though it would just be a heads up on what to expect when you get there. Company drivers don't have a choice where they go and can't really tell a dispatcher I'm not going there because they don't have a bathroom etc.