late delivery

In the future, get there early if at all possible. Don't time your trip to get there "just in time". Many places will take your load early, but heaven forbid if you're late. Always better to sit because you're early, than to sit because you're late.

 

Biker gives good advice . You acknowledged sometimes things happen so allow for it . Being late causes all kinds of problems . If for example they unload a truck every hour and you are 10 minutes late and the next truck is there an hour early , they'll take that truck ahead of you . Did you call and tell them you'd be 10 minutes late ?

 

always plan to be at shpr/final 1hr early. AS SOON AS YOU KNOW you will be late let dispatch know (preferably by q'comm) immediately. CYA driver

 

Already good advice about this topic. I will echo it, and say that you definitely need to let dispatch know if you will be running late. They can usually get your appointment time changed. My husband has had to do that a couple of times, usually on loads where he had two pick ups or two deliveries, and the first one took forever. Planning your run and monitoring your hours are also very important, from the time that dispatch sends you the load information.

As far as weekend dispatchers, yes, they can sometimes get a bit short. They are usually dealing with a lot more drivers than your regular dispatcher is during the week.

Keep your chin up, seek good advice, and you'll get the hang of it!

 

Had that happen to me when I was running flatbed. I didn't have a delivery apointment but my next pick-up was scheduled for 2:30pm. I started my day just fine and then got caught in traffic for a fatal accident in Ft Wayne. Finally got out of that and made my delivery. I still had plenty of time to make my pick up apointment, until I came acrossed a second fatal that occured right in front of me blocking the entire road with nowhere to turn around. I get to the shipper at 2:40pm and got told that everyone was leaving for the day and they'd see me in the morning. Mind you this is after I called and they said I could be loaded as late as 3:00. So, to answer your question, I don't think shippers/recievers give you a break no matter how long you've been driving.

 

A company my husband use to work at would always tell them an appt time and it was always a half hr earlier than what there real appt time was

 

I have noticed the same thing. Every now and then, while checking in at a consignee, I will catch a glance of the paperwork with the appointment times. It is always later then the time I was given.

 

Always try and run as many of the miles early in the trip as possible. If the hours are there too use, and it will not mess up your timing for the next load.
This way you have a better buffer, even if they will not take you early, you can try to find parking within 1-20 miles. Also this will allow you to get the used hours back sooner.

Wallyworld is a bad one for this. You cannot go in more than 1 hour early, and you cannot be late. If late they will reschedule for the next day most of the time.

 

I have droped at wallyworld before about 12 hours early but it was a dry load. If you have a reefer load they will not let you drop most of the time.