Trailer is dropped and receiver is not willing to unload

What does the rate confirmation say? Read all the fine print. $750 layover is high, most I have gotten that I can remember was $400 plus detention after 24 hours. I am not saying that you don't deserve it, because you lost revenue. You need to be aggressive! Tell the broker he needs to get the freight off of your truck, or pay the same rate to return it to the shipper. In the future, Don't drop the trailer, when you drop it they forget about you.

 

How the hell would that work? Not a machine I'm guessing.

 

If it was specified as a live unload then the ball is in the hands of the carrier. "A couple of days", in my reckoning, is 2...at the worst 3 days. The problem is that few of us know how to play that ball and for that a representation of a lawyer might be needed. The broker here most likely knew about the "drop and wait" and resorted to deception, which should not be left without consequences. But then you ask yourself...what lawyer? Where to get one who knows this stuff? What if the retainer is too high for this to be worth it? Is not better just to wait and hope for something like that not happen any time soon again? ETC. ETC.
First and foremost, I would try to reclaim the empty trailer ASAP by pleading to the receiver to unload it ASAP. I'd probably try to contact someone with the highest authority there, with a hope that the person would be of a higher personal culture than the simpletons of the receiving department, and understand that such a predicament for small carriers - where every single trailer is of essence - might have sorrow consequences for their business. Concurrently, I'd also contact the shipper to see if there is any chance that they would accept the freight back, if the receiver would not be convinced by my efforts to reason with them.
Going after the broker for more money would be the last but not the least thing on the list ... even if the financial outcome would be minimal, at least, I'd want them to feel some aggravation too and remember me as a not happy victim of their trickery. No wonder why some guys use similar deception and keep their future freight hostage.

It is one of those cases which we - solo owner operators - dread especially.
Sounds TQL-ish... it is also the reason why I prefer not to deal with smaller, more obscure, unknown brokers, which of course is not a fair thing to say as there are good small brokers and I might miss out on many good freight opportunities but nobody wants to deal with sort of a thing.

 

No it was some type of AC unit......

 

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I would put it in writing to the broker, shipper and receiver they have to x day to have it unloaded. If not you are taking your trailer and consider anything in it abandoned. Which they will be charged x amount to remove it.
You can't let them people push you over.
I drive flat and after the first hour of sitting past my appointment time. I let the broker and shipper know if I'm not getting loaded by hour 2 I'm leaving for a different load. Same thing on the drop end. By hour 2 I'm considering it refused and taking it back.
Never went past it yet to have my bluff called. They get right to me and I've been banned by one place.
In the end. You don't need to do business with people who think your time means nothing.

 

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Ive never delt with this and again I'm not a o/o. Nor will ever be. But if I get to sitting to long. I noticed a couple medium pizza and a two liter. Pretty much gets me moving.
Yes it's 25 to 35 out of pocket. But I'm back to moving. Some cabinet loads can suck. Waiting 7 or 8 hours as they check each pieace off as it comes off the trailer.
What I usually do is ask some one at the desk how long does this usually take.
If they come up with a stupid time frame ill just askem straight up. Will 20.00 or some free lunch speed it up at all.
Like olive branch ms. You could be getting loaded for 10 hours. Who has time for that. But then there is just times like in produce. This trick won't help. When waiting 39 hours for one pallet to cross the border.

 

Paying to overcome laziness just guarantees more laziness.

 

I can't think of one dock worker I've met in 20 years that I would give a pizza or $20 to. If I'm waiting go in to company owner mode. Sometimes they don't like it.