Lumpers - are they needed

Discussion in 'Shippers & Receivers - Good or Bad' started by Aussie, Jul 18, 2006.

  1. Grandiego

    Grandiego Medium Load Member

    381
    82
    Nov 2, 2007
    0
    Here's a typical lumper delivery:
    1. Arrive and stand in line with paperwork
    2. Lumper Manager calculates fee (cheapest I've been charged is $50 and most I've been charged is $300)
    3. Driver gets out a blank COMCHEK and calls his dispatcher for an authorization # which makes the COMCHEK valid (amount will be deducted from driver's next paycheck)
    4. Driver gets in line again and hands over COMCHEK (lumper makes phone call to verify COMCHEK authorization)
    5. Lumper unloads freight
    6. Driver applies for reimbursement from the company he drives for.

    *Lumpers do not take credit cards. Your company card will not pay for a lumper. If you don't pay for the lumper you either unload yourself (if allowed and practical) or lose your job. You can usually get COMCHEKs at the nearest truck stop.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

    3,335
    867
    Aug 7, 2009
    Near Nashville TN
    0
    So why does the fee come out of my check? Why doesn't it just come out of the company's account?
     
  4. Grandiego

    Grandiego Medium Load Member

    381
    82
    Nov 2, 2007
    0
    I have the same question. I get authorization for reimbursement from the same person who gives me authorization for the COMCHEK. But the lumper fee is immediately taken out of my pay, whereas paperwork for reimbursement has to be physically submitted. Essentially I give my company a 1 week loan every time I use a lumper.

    Maybe someone can explain the logic to us both.
     
  5. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

    3,335
    867
    Aug 7, 2009
    Near Nashville TN
    0
    It would be too bad if you didn't earn enough to cover the lumper fees that week............3 loads that needed lumper fees of $300? Working for free. :biggrin_25522:
     
  6. ChromeDome

    ChromeDome Road Train Member

    3,706
    2,086
    Jun 10, 2007
    Lakeland, FL
    0
    I do not believe in lumper's.
    The company that ordered the freight owns the freight. Take it off my darn truck.
    Should I thank lumper's? Heck no. It is your freight.
    The fee's they charge most of the time are out of line with the work needed.
    I went to 2 different food lion stores with the same load one week.
    It was a roll off load. No breakdown, on pallets.
    First place was a charge of 60.
    Second place charged 90. Even though the cost of living in the area was cheaper than the first.
    15 min to unload. 15 min for paperwork. So in 30 min time they made 90 bucks.
    This works out to 180 an hour. That is insane.
    I would have unloaded these trailers myself, but I cannot use power equipment to do so. I would have had to roll it off under my power, and the pallets weighed 2,200 lbs each, and the dock was up hill.

    Paying anyone to take there freight off of the truck is wrong. That is all there is to it. These company's need to get there pants sued off for the scam they are. It is just a way for the receivers to pad their books for tax purposes. There is no other reason they are still used. If you believe otherwise you are an uneducated fool. Get off your high horse and learn.
     
  7. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

    3,335
    867
    Aug 7, 2009
    Near Nashville TN
    0
    If it is an established account why the BS? Have them pay it up front! Or just put it in the charge for hauling and let the lumpers get it from the receiver.
     
  8. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    10,347
    11,137
    May 28, 2009
    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
    0
    For the umteenth time People, the consignee orders the product and the delivery is NOT complete until the product is delivered to his dock. A loaded trailer backed into his dock does not constitute a delivery. Just as the mailman sitting in front of your house with your mail in his mailtruck. He has to put it in your mailbox, right? And the sofa you bought at the furniture store today and had it delivered. Did the delivery guy show up and tell you to unload it?

    Lumper fees are figured in to the price of the product. The shipper charges extra for his product and actually pays the lumper fee in a round about way. A driver having the lumper fee deducted from his check will get it re-imbursed when he submits the receipts. That's a good arguement to turn in your paperwork ON TIME, right? If you're running lean, then get an advance.
     
  9. truckerdave1970

    truckerdave1970 On Probation

    2,988
    3,289
    Dec 15, 2008
    Rochester, NY
    0
    1st thing we all need to understand is the food distribution/grocery non-sense is crooked all the way to the top!
    If you came up with an awesome new product, let's say BBQ sauce, you would have to payoff the the grocery store to carry your product, pay a fee just to get a spot on the shelf (if you want an eye level shelf, that costs ALOT more), add money to the cost of your product for lumper fees so they will unload the product that THEY bought at the warehouse, pay the warehouse for the storage of your product that THEY bought from you. So a $.20 bottle of BBQ costs $3 and the warehouse and store make money off of you, EVEN IF THEY NEVER SELL YOUR PRODUCT!!!
    The bad part is the consumer (you and I) pay at the register for all of this greed!
    Imagine how much lower our food bills would be if all the payoffs were stopped!!!
    I once paid $1,500 to have a load of McCormik spices unloaded at a Safeway D.C. in KY.
    I had 1 pallet, knee high, of 360 Burger King Garden Salads (BTW THAT WAS THE ENTIRE LOAD, 1 pallet). The lumper demanded $30 to move that pallet from the front of the trailer to the dock. I cant repeat what I said here, let's just it involved the lumper and the horse he rode in on! I wasnt allowed to even use a manual pallet jack, so I dragged the pallet to the dock by hand! And they wonder why drivers have problems with lumpers???
     
  10. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

    3,335
    867
    Aug 7, 2009
    Near Nashville TN
    0

    Like I said WTF has this got to do with me? Nothing! And I would need to get an advance in my pay? And the company will charge me for that advance? Then the Commcheck cashing place charges me? Up yours and the horse's too!
     
  11. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    10,347
    11,137
    May 28, 2009
    Rancho Mirage, Ca.
    0
    The Comm-check you get from your company goes to the lumper and he then cashes it, so, you aren't charged.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.