Pick up and delivery appointments

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by HillbillyDeluxeTruck, Jun 12, 2022.

  1. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    I always call the customer to verify delivery location and appointment time as soon as I get the load info. There are TOO MANY LIARS in trucking for me to take anyone's word for important details.

    If the company wants to be stubborn about appointment times, then I would be PERFECTLY scrupulous or picky about following HOS to the T. Of course, that means you will be working somewhere else pretty soon.

    The compan is just trying to squeeze more productivity out of the driver while fuel is up and rates are down. Most customers are understaffed and will be late to load/unload no matter what time you arrive.
     
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  3. snowlauncher

    snowlauncher Road Train Member

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    You just summed up the entire modern world of freight logistics in a couple of paragraphs....
    Well said, sir.
     
  4. Ffx95

    Ffx95 Road Train Member

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    That’s the thing. Usually the cheapest bottom of the barrel freight are the ones demanding quickest delivery times. But don’t you dare come too early. Also they have tight lots. Also the employees are miserable SOBs. Also they’ll refuse that box that’s slightly dented on the edge. The driver in front of you or behind you is going to have ridiculous BO and most likely a raggity white Volvo or freightshaker cascadia with tore up cab extenders and missing bumper.
     
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  5. SmallPackage

    SmallPackage Road Train Member

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    And then we have the cases were the trucking company we contracted with cough cough Knight calls to set a pickup appointment for 6.30 or 7am every time. Because they pickup at our warehouse and then have to make our Houston warehouse the same day before 5 pm. We make sure we have everything staged and extra guys on the clock to hand load. (Only takes an hour max for 400 tires.) The truck never shows till after lunch 1 or 2 pm and all the extra help is gone every time. That leaves me and another old man like me to load. According to Knight The truck is always broke down or the driver is picking up an empty and is on his way and will be there “shortly” Every time!.
    So now we just take our time loading it and get to it “shortly.” Gives the driver extra video game time in his air conditioned cab while we are in the 53 ft oven during hottest part of the day, they miss Houston that day and screw over that location that had extra hands on deck for an afternoon load and the next day they don’t. So the couple of old men there are loading it themselves.
     
  6. mustang190

    mustang190 Road Train Member

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    There are appointment times for everything. When I pulled refers the delivery time was yesterday!
    At least with hazmat tankers the appointments can be flexible depending on weather, traffic etc.(but you better not be lying) it’s a lot cheaper to change a appointment than clean up a wreck.
     
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  7. loudtom

    loudtom Road Train Member

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    If you're paid by percentage, you should be able to request a copy of the freight bill from your carrier. If that is in the form of a rate con, it should have the appointment times listed on there.

    If you don't trust your carrier, then it's not a good relationship to have regardless of what's going on. I would suspect they're altering the appointment times to extract more revenue from you. Just turn down the loads that can't be legally done.
     
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  8. gentleroger

    gentleroger Road Train Member

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    Fixed it for you.

    Can anyone tell how my day is going?
     
  9. HillbillyDeluxeTruck

    HillbillyDeluxeTruck Road Train Member

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    Well guess who got screwed. Showed up at the reciever (Great Lakes Coca Cola Dist in Alsip, Il) 2hrs early yesterday, as Im pulling in to check in, broker calls for an update. He's all excited Im there early. They won't take me and tell me to come back at my appt time.

    Show back up an hour and a half later. "Sorry your appt is for tomorrow". From there it goes downhill. Broker wont respond to calls/emails after my initial call. I knew I had no chance of getting unloaded. Go back to the parking spot I found. Finally at 8:40 this morning we get a "sorry that load is always scheduled for a Thurs delivery". From then till 11am we go back and forth and they finally agreed to $500 for layover.

    Now Im stuck at some fuel stop hoping I can get something back out towards the house in the morning.
     
  10. Geekonthestreet

    Geekonthestreet Medium Load Member

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    The delivery time is when I get there, ######! I never show till about 15 minutes after the start of the window so they can finish clearing debris/regulating temps/pouring coffee. Unless it is a live load, then I’m there super early! Being early with HAZMAT is just as bad as being late.
     
  11. gentleroger

    gentleroger Road Train Member

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    Alsip Coke is unreliable for appointment and load ready times, even by Coca-Cola standards.
     
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