1 Pallet Missing at Delivery

I assumed that this was a live load. If you cannot verify, you don’t sign for it. If you sign for it and leave the shipper, it’s legally your baby.

 

Just curious what was the product?

 

In my world, drivers are NOT EVEN ALLOWED on most docks but typically bills are noted SLC. Being shorted a pallet happens more than most would think and typically the carrier and the shipper (or whoever is paying the freight) works it out as shipper error . Was this a multi drop load? As there are lots of incompetent drivers, there are plenty of incompetent dock workers.

If you're so adamant the carrier/driver is responsible, then from here forward, note all future shipments are "driver count and acknowledge and no shortages will be accepted by broker" and see how that works out for you.

 

I've gone to quite a few places where they hand you the BOL when you check in, you sign it, then are required to remain in your truck while loading. If the load needs to be reduced to make it legal, they may or may not note it on the BOL. I've even hauled loads where the only paperwork I was given stated "1 truckload", and they emailed the detailed shipment info to the customer. Needless to say, I don't worry too much about it. I know that everything that was put on my truck at the shipper is still there when I show up at the receiver. If there are discrepancies, that is for the shipper & receiver to work out amongst themselves. If I wasn't allowed to watch/count as it went on, and I wasn't allowed to watch/count as it came off, then it isn't my problem. If they want it to be my problem, then they need to change their policies so that I can watch and count as they load and unload. I will NOT climb all over the freight (especially in a dry box/refer) counting stuff after it has been loaded...might crush/damage product, not to mention some knucklehead might just think it's amusing to close your doors while you're inside counting.

In a perfect world, the driver would know exactly what he's signing for. The world ain't perfect, though. If the shipper loads the trailer, and I put a seal on it at the shipper (noting the seal # on the BOL), and that same seal is still intact when I arrive at the receiver, then it's a matter of a loading dock worker on one end or the other running out of fingers & toes, or a problem with the paperwork that the office at either end needs to deal with. I did my job as best as I was allowed...everything that was placed on my trailer made it to the destination undamaged. If it wasn't placed on my trailer by the shipper, it won't be delivered to the receiver.

 

Sounds like the trailer wasn't sealed and the Carrier didn't CYA. You can't short the Carrier on the contracted rate unless they agree to it. How about giving us the rest of the details?

 

This should be in the Brokers area, but anyway..
As others have stated.
What does your contract say about freight shortages/overages? You did have them sign a carrier packet (contract governing the relationship for both companies?) And then they signed a "rate con" (contract governing the specific move?

You do what is specified in the contract, and if you do not have anything specified you eat the loss. Any other action the carrier can (and should) file on your bond. That will create a whole new mess for you that, from stories here, you really don't want the hassle of.

 

When drivers are banned from the area, how can they count when the truck is crammed full?

 

I hate it when that happens.

Bet it only happens to said driver once.

 

You can't mess with the carrier's money you owe them, the consignee has to make a cargo claim against the carrier's insurance. that's the purpose of the carrier carrying cargo insurance.

 

Someone did bad on the count. A case or two or OSD I can understand but a WHOLE PALLET? we aint gots time for dat.

It is seriously unfortunate.

Driver don't set foot on the dock, trucks don't get sealed for &^%$ Shippers make drivers sign something that did not happen (Count) and Shippers make mistakes that are blamed on the driver in a heart beat. Carrier has no choice but to open insurance all around etc.

That is if there is a driver capable of counting at all.