No seal and load rejection scenario.

Who is to say it wasn't tampered with at the warehouse? Or through any of the manufacture, storage and shipping process?
Yes a seal when used properly ensures it wasn't opened in transit. Does that mean automatically it isn't tampered with? Still dumb to declare the shipment garbage for that single reason. I guess my paranoia is still relatively low.

 

I pulled a pneumatic bulk load out to somewhere in Nebraska. No seals were requested when the order was placed, and it wasn't going to the sort of place this shipper would automatically issue seals (i.e. water plants), so no seals. Get to the receiver and they rejected the load for that reason. Phone call to the company. They called the shipper.m Shipper called the receiver and informed them that since no seals were requested, no seals were issued...and that no credit would be offered for the returned product. In other words, the customer was still buying the load whether they accepted it or not, and the return freight charges would be 50% of the outbound rate...which was OK, because we usually bounced back for nothing). They agreed. Shipper called the company, company called me. Drove back to the shipper, never even unloaded...just got new paperwork for somewhere else that ordered the same stuff and sent me on my way. Got paid for 2-1/2 trips, but only had to load and unload once.

The other trucks that were behind me on their way to that customer were all told to stop at a truck stop and buy some seals. Customer didn't seem to care WHERE the seals came from or when they were affixed to the trailer, they just wanted to see them.

 

Had a metal seal cut at Petro in Atlanta... The seal was on the ground, cut clean, door was unlatched but pushed shut... Thief probably wasnt happy when he opened the doors to see stacks of empty pallets...

 

I wish everybody would get on the same page with this seal thing. Some shippers/consigness swear by the seal others disregard it entirely.

Truckload by nature should be on the same page with the seal. It should be all the proof that is needed to deliver a load and secure it from any claims. But some customers want to pay the truckload rate and get LTL service and count and inspect every piece.

I have had a seal maliciously pulled off a trailer before. Found the metal band seal on the ground in a pre-trip. Not all truck drivers are saints and respect other drivers. For that reason I do the same as others and keep the 'official seal" in the truck until I am ready to deliver. Until then I lock it and/or use a bolt seal.

 

I lock the trailer every time even when empty. Always, always lock the trailer no exceptions. It keeps people honest and smart crooks will move on to easier pickings. Also, a fear I have when it's parked at home empty is kids playing around.. ..someone might get shut inside of it and I will be liable because a lock could have prevented that.

Seals are funny. Some places very picky about them. Most places not. I do a certain brand of dairy products that I won't name but when they are multi-stoppers only the first drop has a seal. They tell us use a padlock after that. And then the other stops will be delivering to places I sometimes think of as picky about seals but there has never been an issue yet.

As far as shortages or overages you as the driver and/or your carrier will always be vowed as liable for the piece count regardless if the seal was intact or not. Most places don't allow signing bills S.L.&C but even when they don't I always do it anyway just to see if they catch it. If they don't then that's fine by me. Most times they make you mark thru it though. In all the years I have never had an issue to where it covered me though.

 

Picked up a load in Wisconsin one time. Lady giving me the bills says "please put this seal on your trailer." I was like "it's a flatbed where should I put it?" She said "that's your problem". Security guard asked to see the seal at the gate. "Ok thanks"

 

There should be a poll asking if we ever broke a seal off because the driver was a pickr

 

Tylenol is a series of large plastic bags of powder raw medicine, Ive had several conversations about that stuff. 24 pallets in large plastic bags. That one went to St Louis from Chicago. I wont forget that load for a number of reasons.

In Jersey, it was usually a given if you slept somewhere not a truckstop or rest area, your trailer doors will be wide open come morning. We were on a layover one time and a intruder got inside our trailer trying to hide from the Law. He took off when they came round to make contact with us hunting him. We told him go for it. It's a empty trailer and no one is supposed to be in it. Teaches me to padlock that thing even when not loaded.

 

Trucking is not the same page we all crave sometimes. You just have to roll with the punches.

I prefer to look at it this way, Im glad there are people who care about seals. (I do...) and so many who don't.