Lumpers - are they needed

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

  1. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

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    Aug 7, 2009
    Near Nashville TN
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    Sure they charge $250 or more! (not always) Delivered vacuum cleaners to USAA exchange in Newport News. I was informed I had to escort the lumper in and out, he was my responsibility. $320 for less than 2hrs. It's extortion. Why do I need to sit there because they don't have dock space to unload me? Tell me the foreman on the dock don't get their share of the graft. I have a bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell you.

    IF THE WHEELS AREN'T TURNING? I'M NOT EARNING!!
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2013
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  3. frago

    frago Light Load Member

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    May 26, 2008
    NW Iowa
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    Lumpers are a Trucking company issue. Not a shipper or receiver issue. You should be thankful that receivers allow them to be used and moreso that they supply them most times right on site. They do not BUY the product you are hauling but rather ORDER it. It is loaded to best utilize the space in the truck otherwise one load could wind up as 15. You know that BOL you sign when you pick a load up? Yea that is you taking POSSESSION of the load. Until the receiver signs that away from you it is YOUR property. Well at least the companies property. So Don't forget to thank that lumper next time for doing YOUR job for you.
    Now go have a Big Mac and use your sweat pants as a napkin.
     
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  4. Rug_Trucker

    Rug_Trucker Road Train Member

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    Aug 7, 2009
    Near Nashville TN
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    My thing is take the freight off my truck. Not my job to be a storage bin while the lumpers shuffle it on to new pallets for the new destinations. My job description isn't to throw pallets and break everything down for all the different destinations that Kroger or Piggly Wiggly and others do.

    As far as sweat pants? I am not lazy. I am not a dock worker. If my company wants me to touch the freight? They need to get out their check book and pay me well. Does Lowe's expect the driver to unload their daily trailers for the night stocking crew? Break it down for the different departments? No! They have employees to do that.

    If I was an owner operator the freight would come off my truck right away. Or I would call it them refusing the load. Or there would be compensation for the time sitting in the dock for rental of my truck and trailer.

    No sweat pants here.

    Frago, who do you work for? You must be an hourly worker.
     
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  5. Powder Joints

    Powder Joints Subjective Prognosticator

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    Sep 25, 2007
    Rosamond, SoCal
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    Get out my reciept book, fill in the name of Jesus Martinez, create and address out of the phone book, not going to say how to handle the ssn, you figure that out, list the dollars Im charging and smile all the way to the steak house. Never once ever has a company given me a difficult time just charge them the same amount as the lumper would have.
     
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  6. SHC

    SHC Spoiled Rotten Brat O/O

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    Westville, IN
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    Yes, Lumpers ARE needed because there are too many sweatpant wearing, flip-flop wearing, 400LB drivers who refuse to leave the cab of their truck except for a buffet..... if you're too lazy to unload your own truck, then you get penalized in the form of a lumper fee. It's the way of the land.
     
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  7. j3411

    j3411 Medium Load Member

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    Jul 31, 2010
    Buckner, Il
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    Do what you want as far as unloading the fright. I haul tires allot and sometimes I have to toss a few. but... If I can hire a lumper to do it I do. I'm not lazy, don't weigh 400 pounds or wear sweats. I also have been driving over 35 years and have no back or knee problems. I plan to leave as I came, just a little older.
     
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  8. Grandiego

    Grandiego Medium Load Member

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    Nov 2, 2007
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    A couple of points:
    1. Driver's should not get mad at the lumpers. They work hard and often don't make that much money. The lumper services they work for make out real well. The Shipping/Receiving companies that allow them in their facility, and the trucking company which accepts lumper loads (if you are a company driver), is where you should direct your frustration.
    2. Driver's are often not allowed to unload their own freight. They are required to hire a lumper even if they don't want to.
    3. Driver's do a lot of work for which they are not compensated. I personally prefer not to work for free, so if my company will pay for a lumper, I'm going to hire one.
     
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  9. Dieselwrangler

    Dieselwrangler Light Load Member

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    Oct 16, 2011
    Edmonton, AB
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    Of course lumpers are needed, sometimes it's icy in front of the dock... you need something to throw under the wheels.
     
  10. 379exhd

    379exhd Road Train Member

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    rolling through hell
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    Yea thats about all theyre good for. Sorry but if the CUSTOMER ordered it THE CUSTOMER needs to unload it. And have you seen some of the lumpers good god i dont want then unloading a truck hell dont wanna be with in 1000 ft of them probably got more diseases than a .50 cent lot lizard at a t/a
     
  11. MrEd

    MrEd Road Train Member

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    Sep 2, 2011
    Winfred, SD
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    Lumpers are NOT needed. The customer ordered the product. The customer should pay someone a fair wage to drive a forklift and unload their own stuff. I pull flatbed, and I never once had to pay to have the load unloaded. every place I go to pays forklift drivers or crane operators to unload me. I used to pull a reefer, and lasted about 10 months. After all the dock fees, gate fees, lumpers fee and other such extortion i decided to move on. A driver pulling a reefer should be required to 1. open his doors 2. back into the dock safely and in a timely manner 3. supervise proper loading by shipper forklift driver. 3. pull out and close doors 4. drive safely to consignee in a timely manner. 5. open doors 6. back in timely and safely 7. supervise consignees forklift driver unloading the trailer 8. get product counted and bills signed. 9. repeat until retirement.
     
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