Poor Treatment from shippers and recievers

Most of the time I just look at them and laugh.

When they take forever loading/unloading, I tell them at the window my dispatcher wants to know their name and how much longer it will take because dispatch needs to start my detention pay.

I have yet to get back to the truck and have 15 minutes go by before the trailer starts rocking from side to side!

LOL!

 

Man that happens whether you work for a mega, small outfit, or you're an owner operator. Megas don't always have to sit in docks at Walmart, AWG, Budweiser, etc. They just drop and hook a lot of times. However there those occasions that a mega is subject to a live unload. I always have to sit in the dock because I work for a mom and pop company. It's no drop and hook. When everything is live load or live unload, time management is huge.

 

I delivered to the Galveston port last week and when I cleared Customs i had to check in at the little shipping/receiving trailer.
I walked up to the window and the guy was at a desk halfway across the room.
I told him what I had, he took my paperwork, sat back down, and in a normal voice said.. ,"n. aal @*@"..

I couldn't hear him for all of the traffic and crane noise outside where I was at.
I ####ed my ear to the window and said, "I'm sorry"..
That set him off.
He YELLED the response at volume 25.

I stepped back.. gathered myself before I got thrown off the port for doing something stupid... and told him "You don't have to scream at me. There's a ton if noise out here and I couldn't understand what you said".

A look came over him like he realized what he'd done and I went and delivered my freight.

Came back to the window for my dick receipt and he was a changed man.
Told me to have a safe trip and a nice day.

I was tempted to rip into him.. I knew there would have been a big price to pay.
That's his turf.

 

I always kill ‘em with kindness. It’s incredibly hard to be nasty and rude to someone who smiles, says please and thanks and greets you with a cheery “Hi, how are we today?”

I get it. I see the way some drivers interact with their customers, and I see the customers give it right back. I know every time I walk in the door of my customer’s facilities that a screaming match may have preceded me.

I usually put on my favourite tunes for about 30 mins before my ETA to a shipping dock. It’s the best way for me to clear my head of all the nasty stuff that’s happened that day, and helps me put on my million dollar smile. If I have any issue with the loading/unloading, I will deal with the broker or my dispatcher and not the shipper.

 

It's more common in the North East.

 

Oh gosh yes.

I deliver from Houston to New Jersey. The biggest ######## are in Jersey. Not EVERYONE I've dealt with there are jerks, but man....those people need to get out and have some fun. The way this one lady was talking to her dock worker I almost stood up for him. Ok, so the guy was a few minutes late WRITING his time of arrival down. He gets the point, move on. No need to just keep going on and on about it.

At FedEx chicago there is a guy behind the counter we call "Mr whatdoyouwant" because when you walk up to get your bills, that's all he says, "What do you want?" Not hi, not hello, not how can I help you, just what do you want. Hmm, its 1am, this counter is for drivers to come get their bills so they can leave, what the hell do you THINK I want?

 

It’s April and snowing and I’m freezing my ### off up here.
Can you blame us for being pissed off?

 

Getting away from crappy freight, tends to get away from crappy people in the beginning.

 

Just one of the many reasons I’ll never under any circumstance go back to a job where I have to live load/unload or sleep in a truck. Run linehaul, only deal with people who work for the same company and it makes all the difference in the world...