How not to act towards a shipper/receiver

In todays "just in time" business practices, some companies use the trailers as rolling warehouses and will not take delivery early because they do not have room to take your product. They count on you showing up at a certain time because they only have room for the product then. It should be labeled as such, no early delivery, etc.

 

Credit terms are a huge reason why some shippers won't ship early and some receivers won't receive early. A receiver may have a NET 30 days to pay term from the date the product is shipped, or from they day it is received. Right now, no purchser wants to start the clock any earlier than they have to.

It used to be that you only had to worry about this at the ends or beginnings of months or fiscal quarters. Nowadays, many purchasers have negotiated NET 45 day credit terms, so this is happening at mid-month as well.

Also, the sooner that the load is completed, the sooner the customer has to pay the carrier. Budgets are extremely tight right now and a shipping manager can lose their job in a hurry for making their company pay for products and services sooner than they have to. I would always check before attempting early PU or delivery.

 

Now it makes complete sense. It's a very different world now than just 20 years ago. Man, what's it gonna be like in another 20 years?
Scary. Or maybe freight will just be teleported. Beam it right in.

 

In the case of the CRST truck it may have been a case of contract issues. For example we have one customer that for every hour we are late on delivery they get a certain % discount off the rate. So the shippers would hold our loads as long as possible. We went in and modified the contract and now the customer is under the gun just as much as the carrier. They made it a case of shared responsibility/liability rather than the game it used to be.

I dont know of course if this was the case. Maybe the dock guy just didnt like you. We also do a large amount of dedicated and we usually get priority at those docks. Maybe it isnt the most fair system but in todays freight climate everyone is looking out for themselves first. Whatever the case was you can rest assured we sit enough to make up for that one lucky break!

I spent 36 hours in a dock in Phoenix Az recently only to be told that my load cancealed. It took 36 hours and you are not going to load me at all??? But thats why we make the big bucks right?!?

 

it all boils down to being a human and treating others like you want to be treated. I drove cross country for quite a few years and all through that time i tried to be polite and watch what I said to and in front of shippers and receivers.
You,d be surprised how many drivers complain really loud in the drivers brake room then have trouble getting in and out.
You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

 

I NEVER talk to the shipper or receiver after arrival except to check in! If after the required 2 hours or what ever the company deems is detention I CALL dispatch and let them handle the problem! Too many loud mouthed wanna be super truckers think their oversized or mouth will get them somewhere on the docks but after all my years I've NEVER seen it happen in the drivers favor! Yeah, you might THINK you're a bad arse but the guys on that dock hold your life in THEIR hands! I've seen drivers get PO'ed and drive away only to see them down the road at a truck stop waiting till the next day for a load! That really put money in someones pocket. Oh it DID! The guy who got his load!

I've also seen more than a few drivers get kicked off of property thinking their mouth would speed things up! That's a job killer there and as noted earlier in this day and age who can aford to loose an account or job?

 

I really don't worry about waiting as my co has it set that after 1 hr wait time pay starts and I get $31.00 an hr just to set there. they can take all day for all i care at that rate. I have been paid wait time to sleep lol

 

I used to work in a warehouse and maybe the reason CRST was loaded ahead of you is their load was staged for them. So if you came to load, they would have had to try to work around CRST's load. Maybe the case, maybe not.

I also remember years ago when I ran the road last time, I would deliver to this place in Chicago 2-3 times a month and my appointment time was like 9-10AM, well I got there early like 2 AM and spoke to them. After hanging out with them, they said back it in. Cool, he then gave me his cell number and said whenever I am coming in to call him. The point is, until someone holds them responsible, they can do what they want.

Be nice and you will get nice back. Sometimes no matter what you do, your load will be late, doodie happens sometimes.

Just keep smiling and remember we are on the road and do not have a boss looking over our shoulder, they are not so lucky.

 

if everyone in trucking had this mindset .... Trucking might just be worth doing again like it was in the 80's.....
Treat dot and scale house officers in the same manner you might be surprised on what they let you slide on.....

 

Amazing! You and I finally agree on something.

Courtesy, and adding "yes sir" or "yes maam" to the conversation does amazing things as well. And if it doesn't, smile and don't worry about it. Maybe the shipping/receiving clerk has been having a bad day - like their mother just died.