Am I responsible for damaged cargo? Securing? Inspecting?

I would think if the shipper made the SLC notation on the original set of bills , you might have a better shot.
Most shipping clerks are trained not to do it , i have been to shippers that have signs that say , no slc on agents signature line.
Grey Area for sure.

 

If a driver sings BOL for 500 flat screen TV. You have show up with 500 flat screen TVs that are not damaged. When loading you go watch them load the truck and count the TVs and look to make sure none of the boxes are ripped open or crushed. That's basically all your doing it looking to make sure they don't load damage stuff on your trailer. If you see anything wrong you can tell them to stop and get you another box or you can tell then to just write on the BOL they sent damage stuff. They won't do that because no reason to ship damage product to customer. They will get you a new box.

Some shippers will also put seal with a number on when trailer is loaded. This seal number is also on the BOL. So they know when you deliver the load nobody was in trailer and if anything is short. Then the shipper did not load the product on the trailer. If the trailer is short, they also know the shipper did load load the product on trailer.

Most shipper make driver put seal on trailer doors. So they know nobody has been in trailer and nothing is missing. Some food products won't even unload trailer untill they come out and inspection the seal on trailer to make sure trailer doors have not been open since it left the shipper.

If you load 500 flat screen TVs and only show up with 300 and no seal on trailer. The trucking company will probably have to pay for 200 missing TVs. That would be freight claim and a driver probably would get fired for something that expensive. If it just 15 cases of hot dogs or candy they don't really care. If the trailer seal is intact they know it not the driver fault.

When I started I had a load of bananas got to warm supposedly (I did not has thermometer to test them) and the receiver was in Brooklyn NY. They did not speak English. I called my company they said have the people sign the BOL for the load if they want it or they can refuse the load. They took the load and 4 days later called my company said load was no good after they had FDA inspector come look at the bananas they had in their cooler. The trucking company refuse the claim as far as I know because the customer had the bananas 4 days and claim they were not good.

 

Only one way to find out- ask them.

Every load is different, unless you go to the same customers all the time.

Some shippers will take photos of the load once it's loaded and seal the doors themselves. Then, when you arrive at the receiver, they don't even check if there's a seal or not and they don't seem to care much about the count.

Other shippers will throw the load on the truck like it's yesterdays cow manure and not provide a seal. Then, when you arrive at the receiver, it's like Fort Knox and they won't let the load past the security shack without a seal.

You can put "SLC" next to your signature every time, but you'll come across that one place that will reprint the BOLs and not let you put "SLC". And even with that, your company may still come back to you on a damaged load and ask what the heck you're doing while driving [especially if it's a regular load and you're the only one who has arrived with load shift].

Some shippers will demand that you count the pallets or cases as they load them. Some shippers won't allow you on the dock, but still expect you to count the cases/pallets.

A general rule of thumb is- whether they allow you on the dock or not, always take a look at your load before closing the doors and sealing or allowing them to be sealed. You want to be sure that at first glance nothing is obviously damaged, spilling out, leaking, etc. And you want to be sure that the load is secured properly. Also, you want to be sure the load is not drive or trailer axle heavy or even all loaded to one side of your trailer, taking a risk of laying your trailer over on a sharp turn.

All of those things are your responsibility, even if the aftermath is not, besides potentially getting fired barring any egregious examples of extreme negligence.

At the end of the day, the CARRIER is responsible for damage and shortage, not the DRIVER, unless you signed something saying otherwise upon being hired. I say that assuming you've taken the aforementioned precautions in load securement, load balance, and load integrity.

Sure, crap out too often on load shifts, shortages, or damaged loads, and your company may can you, even if they aren't your fault. But no way you're paying for the load unless you agreed to in writing at some point.

 

If you as the driver didn't witness the loading and/or secure the load yourself, note it on the BOL before you sign it.

 

How does a driver know those tv boxes aren't empty.
I used to haul rock lobster tails out of LA to Billings and the receiver used to open 4 pallets of boxes and hand count tails.
Now what ,,are you liable for count and weight.

 

A trailer's doors are not considered to be load securement by DOT, and they will allow/insist you pay tuition if you fail this lesson.

Do you want to be the ####### opening the doors and having product fall out, or on you? Some other driver will put you on YouTube.

Load locks, and straps. More if its tall, or odd, or alone. Screw any shippers policy. It ain't moving on my trailer until its secured. I go to some shippers who will not load you if you don't have at least 2 load locks, before they start.

 

Your dispatcher really is your right hand in all of these situations.

Make sure any question or any issue whatever you make certain that the dispatcher understands what's going on.

The company that you work for will have it on your driver information that the load needs to be secured or it's a driver count or whatever the case is. With any questions issues anything else always always always tell the dispatcher what's happening on the spot.

And watch the other drivers when they pull out while you're getting loaded if you're not in the warehouse. Watch them and see if they strapped her loads in or how they strap your loads in. You'll see guys if you get talking with them they probably come there once or twice a week so they know how the loads work.

But I always check the information the dispatcher sent you and if in doubt always strap it in.

And if they give you straps or load locks ask⁰ the dispatcher what to do if the trailer is going to be dropped and you're going to bobtail someplace else and grab another trailer.

Just never forget you have to always be in communication with the dispatcher that is the most important thing.