A day in my shoes

Discussion in 'LTL and Local Delivery Trucking Forum' started by Mike2633, Nov 22, 2014.

  1. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    As a local driver things can be quite challenging. There's factors and things that you kind of have to take into account. Here's a recap of the last 3 work days.

    Wednesday was about as good of a day as I could hope for couldn't ask for a much better day then Wednesday. My usual first stop had skipped there delivery this week meaning they didn't have an order, probably trying to sell a lot of there stuff down and so it was straight to my second stop I went. This worked out because I had started late due to a meeting we had at work.

    I got to my second stop which is now my first stop right in the nick of time and here is what I mean. My second stop in the morning around quarter to 8 gets very busy a work crew with a construction company and some other regulars all come into that stop at the same time and load up on there provisions for the day. Well besides a Frito Lay truck being parked where I needed to be everything else was A-Okay lot was empty I was able to swing my big 16 bay side loader trailer into the lot around the gas pumps and park it so I could run inside and ask the Frito Lay driver to move his truck. He moved it no problem I was then able to swing around the cross the street and then straight line back right into the hole I needed to go into. The work crews and everyone else showed up and while they were doing there thing I was busy delivering. By the time I was done they were done too, so I finished up at the store and got ready to leave that stop all the workers and customers pulled out of the lot to go on there way and I went off to my next stop. Usually I have a 14 bay trailer and not a 16 bay, but that particular day I had a 16 which totally changes the way things have to be done.

    My next stop a small dumpy gas station because of the bigger trailer I had to ally dock back in off of the street, I had done that maneuver before so it wasn't that big of a deal and ran and got them out of the way.

    My stop after that one is an older dumpy C-Store and I park on the street because that's the only place I can park and go and make my delivery. While I was making my delivery one of the customers in the store was busy trying to steal a cheap small bottle of wine. The store owner was very angry at that person and they got into a verbal altercation with the person saying to the store clerk "Are you going to shoot me now?" The store clerk saying "I'll shoot you over a bag of chips."

    Any how I had a case of Old English break at that stop don't know how that happened, but it broke anyhow got that stop done and out of the way. Got to my next stop which is this goofy gas station that's hard to pull into. Of course when I got there, there was a car broken down hood up and everything right in the middle of where I need to park never fails. So I threw on the four ways and ran it in from the street.

    Anyhow the rest of the day was pretty standard I won't bore you with the details.

    Thursday:

    Was expecting my normal grocery store, but they bulk trucked it instead of putting it on a side loader so I started my route kind of early 20 something stops and 394 cases and 35 kegs. Waited at my first stop an hour for them to get there made our delivery I had help on Thursday, went to my second stop nobody there so I ran to another place waited a few minutes then phoned them on the phone and they let me in 4 kegs down the stairs.

    Take the fulls down the stairs and bring the empties up the stairs. The next couple of stops went alright lots of cases of Colt 45, St.Ides and Old English. Then I have a stop that's bothersome I have to call them on the phone they have a delivery window, but it's not a real window, because they are never there you have to call them a half hour out. So I called them a half an hour out naturally he said he was going to be late we did 2 other stops before I got there he said he was on the way we waited a good solid 1/2 hour and he finally showed up. 1 keg and 5 cases of Barefoot 4 pack wine took almost an hour to deliver, ridiculous.

    Then it was down into the flats, we had 4 stops there one of those stops was 11 kegs. My helper and I got that one knocked out fairly quickly and got in and out of the flats in about an hour or so.

    Then I had 3 other stops in Cleveland's Treemont Neighborhood. Got them all out of the way the one stop they usually are there at 1:00pm, but he had to go home for something so he wasn't there so I called the stop after of him and he was there, but only for a limited time so I booked it to that stop made that delivery then ran back around the corner to the stop I just came from and that guy was there at that time waiting for me. So I made those deliveries and then the rest of the day finished up like normal. Kegs down the stairs wind cold traffic unorganized customers.

    Went to a wine bar/ coffee house that's not normally on my Thursday and the girl there didn't know anything about what was happening, but she paid for the stuff anyhow which I really didn't care, just take delivery of it or else I would have brought it back to the warehouse.

    Then lets see, Friday comes Friday was okay, got done at an okay time, but rude customers one woman at one of my dumb stops was being extremely rude to a seafood delivery guy who was let it through the wrong door by one of her employees she was yelling and screaming I mean so far out of line and really it would have been one of those times, when the customer is always right only goes so far. Really it would have been one of those times where someone should have said something that guy should have told her, you don't talk to me like that ever. I don't talk to you like that and your not going to speak to me like that. I'm not one of your kids or one of your employees, I'm a grown man and your not talking to me like that, do we have an understanding? I couldn't care less about you or who you think you are.

    The employee who let the guy in said whoo whoo whoo it was my fault I let him in yell at me. The guy who is the dishwasher at this place who I think is mentally handicapped though did make me laugh, this woman is screaming like a lunatic and he's sitting there making a noise mimicking a frying pan on a stove top and I was standing right next to him the whole time she's going off like an A-Bomb and he's making this noise ha-ha ha-ha!

    Anyhow what else oh everything else that day was fine for the most part got my self in a little trouble got to a bar that I hit early in the morning got to them later in the afternoon, and knocked on the back door nobody was there and I though oh screw it wheeled a load in through there front door, the owner didn't appreciate that at all, and I think that ticked him off a little, bit, but oh well I've got a job to do and these people don't so tough cookies for them.

    Then I got to my last stop and there pretty nice to me, because I do a good job for them and I also order food from them as a customer so they don't treat me like some piece of garbage.

    That's the thing about these places I go to a lot of them I could be a potential customer to and people ask me where I go and I recommend places and things like that and you know the Budweiser driver on my route some of the places we deliver to we both don't like and were out there telling people don't go there they suck, but instead go over here because that place is good. It happens so when you run a business like that, you really have to be careful because delivery people and employees they can affect out comes more then you think.

    Now other times things happen like I have this dumpy gas station that I go to it's an old Gulf station that's now unbranded and last week I forgot a case of beer for them on the truck it was a case of Coors Light Aluminum Pints and I didn't realize it until the tail end of the day and wasn't going back so I had the company make an error bill for this customer, not a big deal nothing I was going to get in trouble for this isn't something that happens a lot not the end of the world.

    Anyhow had that stop yesterday and told the guy I had a credit issued to them, because I forgot something on the truck but didn't realize my mistake until process of elimination took place. He looked at me really concerned, he said "Wait, wait I missed something checking the order in?" I said "We both did, mistakes can happen. I'm sorry it happened, but I realized it and had them issue you a credit and an error bill." He got real quite and said "I'm not mad at you, in fact it means a lot that you told me and had them issue a credit." He goes had this look on his face like "If I missed that what else did I miss?" He goes "Any one else could have taken me for $15.00 bucks right there."

    I could tell something was troubling him, he said "I'm watching my employees on my computer from yesterday" Then he just shook his head. I could tell he saw something that probably was going to lead to trouble.

    Same thing Friday before last substitute salesman was running around put together a 7 case order for a customer that normally gets 47 cases. I get there wheel there stuff in and the guy says to me "That's it?" I said "That's it 7 cases $178.00" He goes "That's not right, I said that's all I have for you." He goes "What the heck! That's Bull you know what!" Yells to the clerk get him a money order and pay him.

    The owner of the store pulls out his binder of business cards angrily picks up his cordless phone and calls our sales department.

    Anyhow when I had them this week there order was for $1,400 dollars and I joked with him I said "They upped the annie this week a little bit." He laughed and said "Yeah they sure did ha-ha."

    So I don't know I hope that gives you some insight.

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    Last edited: Nov 22, 2014
    Puppage, baha, Shaggy and 5 others Thank this.
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  3. street beater

    street beater Road Train Member

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    I hope you get paid very well.
     
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  4. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    I agree,having to put up with rude customers should be a separate check just for that.
     
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  5. 77fib77

    77fib77 Road Train Member

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    That seems like a lot of work. At least you have a helper.
     
  6. ACH1130

    ACH1130 Road Train Member

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    Land of far far away,
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    Ok dude, we get how much you beer guys have it hard, and how you have more screws loose then most of us lol. Im still glad I never got into food/beverage delivery. I'd be telling my boss I request an extra check for customers I don't like
     
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  7. tangerineGT

    tangerineGT Road Train Member

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    I am so glad I dont deal with bull #### like that , I deal with farmers all the time now and let me say they are some of the most respectable people you could ever deal with...

    However, I work pretty hard for that peice of mind . Lol


    I thank you for delivering my favorite drink.:biggrin_2559:
     
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  8. crazeydude

    crazeydude Light Load Member

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    Jun 21, 2014
    Long Island, NY
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    Oh you don't have to worry no more Kid! You got a cushy gomerment job! No more inside deliveries, hand unloads, hauling 4" hoses loaded with gas/diesel! Opps never did fuel did ya?? Ha ha :biggrin_2559: Come back, NEMF needs you! Oh another guy is talking bout leaving now! Carlos! Ya started a mass exodus kid!
     
  9. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    At Home on The West Side
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    If the city was hiring I would throw my name in the hat and get out of this business ASAP.
     
  10. BASARAB

    BASARAB Light Load Member

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    Warren, mi
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    I quit after the first paragraph, too much reading:biggrin_25524:
     
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  11. ACH1130

    ACH1130 Road Train Member

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    Land of far far away,
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    @tangerinegt I've learned that most other blue collar workers who work for a living usually are, those are most of the people I get along with

    @crazeydude I think your the one who misses me, I did t get. 100 messages of being bored at Home Depot all week lol. and I knew about thT guy leaving. He's like you, been leaving since he started.but looking into dump truck.mplace in deer park hiring

    @mike2633 not sure how old you are but a lot of those city guys will be leaving soon for retirement. We got about 6 leaving in the next 2 years, so I would start filling apps.mthey usually are good for 6 months to a year
     
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