Unloading the trailer

Sorry I can't tell you about Roehl. I have only worked LTL and flatbed.
But I can give you a for instance..... We used to fill a trailer with
pallets but as we did we would top it with file cabinets. You have to
do the file cabinets totally by hand because if you pull out a pallet and
the cabinet hits the ground its ruined. But then none of that may apply
for whatever Roehl hauls....

 

Every application full application that is asks all thoes physical questions, can you lift 60 pounds over your head and all the other ones, I think they are just part of theese pre made apps companies have. I recently filled out an app with a compaqny that uses all walking floor trailess and thoes questions were on the app I asked the owner if there was some type of lifting involved and he said only if I dump it in the wrong place I also just filled one with an otr company and they were on the app too and I know this company is 90% D&H and the rest live but always no touch, so i think they are just covering their ##### b asking theese questions, so when You go to slide your tandems and blow out your back they will say well You said You were in good condition on the app, Get back to Work!!!

 

I agree that many companies ask you questions about various things you can do...but that you in reality just rarely will do. It depends on the company and what you will be doing in particular. Just because you are working for Roehl...that doesn't mean you will be doing one particular job, even if its van. Who knows....you might unload by hand, or tailgate, or lift gate, pallets....etc. Depends exactly on what you will be doing, ie...what your particular route / assignment is.

For example...Im working with Schneider. But at the same time...im doing a dedicated route unloading with pallets and the lift gate system. That is not typical of other schneider driver positions.

 

In my LTL job, I have a fair percentage of loads, where I put the trailer in the dock door, and the receiver's forklift operator does the rest.
Then there are companies who have forklifts, but no dock. Here we use a pallet jack to move the palletized freight to the back of the trailer to be offloaded by the forklift.
Then there is also the occasion when the freight is palletized, but the receiver doesnt have a forklift. Here I usually drag the freight to the back of the trailer with the pallet jack, and break down the skid, and hopefully there is help on the ground to offload it.
Other customers (eg in malls) we back into the loading dock, and drag the pallets through the mall alleyways to get to the desired store. Here it is expected that the driver will take the boxes off the pallets and take the empty pallet with them.
Other receivers get freight that was nose-loaded by the shipper, and the freight is untouched by our dock. This freight is usually all handbomb, like heating pipes or ducts, windows, mattresses. This freight has to be dragged to the back of the trailer by hand. With the windows, its usually easier with two people in the trailer. With the piping, usually we load a 4 wheel cart into the trailer, load it up, wheel it to the back of the trailer, and offload it, and repeat the process as many times as it takes.
Then there are the power tail gate units, but I have no experience with those.
Also, you could read the section on the Lumper Scam to get other insight into the 'off-loading' that some drivers are expected to do.

Have no idea on Roehl, sorry.

 

I've had a recruiter from Roehl come to my school, seems it's basically the same stuff that most say. There are drop and hook loads, they will have comdata checks to pay lumpers often, or you can do it yourself and get the pay, and sometimes you have to unload yourself. Seems to be a mix, but they say the majority of the time you don't have to touch the freight.

Of course this was from the mouth of a recruiter, take it as you will.

 

This is the way it is at the vast majority of the large, full truckload carriers. You could be as lucky as I was with PAM and only touch freight once in two years, or you could unload/tailgate a trailer once a month for 5 years. Most likely you won't touch a thing.

 

I agree with the posters above, you were probably only asked this question as a CYA point for the company. If you're not in good enough physical condition to potentially unload a trailer, they don't want you. In reality though, you probably will almost never unload a trailer. The majority of your live unloads will be done by the receiver or a lumper. Which, as someone else said, if they offer lumper services, use it. Personally, I'll happily unload a consignee's freight as soon as they start sending someone out to help me do the driving. Til then, it's your freight...get it off my truck.

 

I like that! Gonna have to start using it with some of my receivers! :smt074

 

I was at Target DC in Phoenix a few days ago, with a load of bottled water. When I hecked in, the receiver lady told me it would be about an hour before they got me finished, or I could go out in the warehouse and help them and be done faster. Once my laughter subsided and I could breathe normally, I told her that I'd just wait in the truck, thank you. I needed to make dinner anyway.
Let's see...I went to Arrowhead and loaded the water...I drove it down here from Denver...I fought all the rush hour and construction traffic to get to the DC on time...I put the trailer at the dock where you wanted it...and now you want me to help you do your work? Yeah, okay, I'll get right on that. Tell you what, if I'm not there in 15 minutes, go ahead and start without me.