Am I responsible for damaged cargo? Securing? Inspecting?

Do you think it would be wise to take pictures or somehow have the shipper sign off on an inspection between driver and shipper? I'm trying to understand how I can protect my CDL and my job.

 

Good advice. Thanks. I hadn't thought of that. Makes sense.

 

Good information Had to look up Rate Con. Thanks. Checking the info you mentioned, noted. Appreciate the heads up.

 

How would I know how much damaged product to accept, say less than 10%? What would be a good phrase to say to the shipper before I call dispatch? Before signing, should I say something like, "Could you just give me a second? I just need to confirm something with dispatch?" And then call dispatch, who will hopefully answer quickly.

I like this rule, I just wonder how well it holds in court. Is it that, once the trailer is sealed, damage to the cargo is NOT the responsibility of the driver if the trailer arrives and no accident was reported? Meaning, no police report.

 

You are responsible for everything from the front bumper to the rear bumper , and could even wind up in prison for working to hard.
You could sign bills SLC , that wont help a potential claim in court , most megas roll over on a claim with a multi million dollar direct bill freight agreement.
You could always call the Marshalls if it gets to heavy.
Welcome to the world of truck driving, prepare to put your ### in the wind for every 2 bit hustle there is , id go food grade tanker.

 

Found this...here Who’s Liable for Damaged Cargo?

"If the shipper can prove without a doubt that a carrier received the goods in an undamaged state and delivered them damaged or even lost, the carrier will be liable unless there are exclusions attached. Damage should be documented through images and documentation and is required by the carrier. The notations made on the bill of lading at the time of pickup and delivery become vital to make everything accounted for."

Where are these notations entered? Can we include photos of the goods that are damaged, assuming there are some which have been loaded.

If the container is sealed, should that be noted? Would this be considered by the shipper to be in agreeance that the load will be delivered As Is and that the carrier assumes no responsibility for shifting or damage while in transit?

 

Great. Just a second ago I posted a response with this exact solution. Are you an O/O or company? If company, is this company policy?

 

Thanks for the heads up. Learning. Had to do some research on SLC (Shipper Load and Count)

Code 23: Carton Shortage SLC

Description

Code 23s are given when an order arrives short and the freight bill is marked SLC (shipper load and count), meaning it was the shipper's responsibility to load the truck and confirm quantities and the carrier did not verify a carton count.

How to Prevent Valid Code 23s

• Ensure that all cases are shipped as noted on the freight bill. Be sure all cases ordered on PO are shipped complete.
• If the load is not SLC (shipper load and count) then make sure the BOL is not marked SLC, otherwise you will be liable for shortages
• Driver must note case count on Bill of Lading and not have marked SLC

 

I always put SLC (shipper load & count) on the bill.
On a preloaded trailer where I’m not sure if the cargo has shifted or not, I always open doors slowly and don’t stand right in front of them, I try to stand to the side for a second if that makes sense. That way if something falls I can get out of the way quickly.

 

When you pick up the load from the shipper and they give you the BOL, do you write SLC on the BOL and have the shipper initial it? Does this not mean there is a shortage and the shipper is agreeing they have counted and loaded the shipment with a shortage AND that the carrier/driver did not verify a count?

I looked up SLC today and am trying to understand how this works. Thanks.