Got chewed out yesterday at a customer.

Why are we responsible to operate equipment they own? If we get injured are they going to pay us, or fight us? CHOCKING, if they provide the chocks, I can understand. If I was the forklift driver, I would sure as hell be getting off my butt and checking the truck is chocked, and hooked, and not trust some trucker to do it. How many times have you been somewhere with plenty of chocks, signs all over the place 'Driver must chock wheels', and most of the drivers have not bothered to touch the chocks?

 

About like at the docks in Philly last week for a load of pineapples. Driver is responsible to raise and lower the dock plate (forklift guy will instruct you how), then wait while they load, then driver must reverse the dock plate process. Union rules are just silly.

 

Don't you know we are supposed to read their minds? Sounds like to me, that guy was in a nasty mood and needed to vent. The majority of shippers and receivers seem to be in chronically bad moods. I think most of them dislike truck drivers and dealing with us because of a few bad seeds, we all look bad to them. Honestly, how many times have you seen drivers wandering around in flip flops, sweat pants hanging down past their butt cracks, unbathed for who knows how long dumping pee jugs out their windows whenever and wherever and generally making jerks out of themselves in their dealings with the shippers and receivers. There are plenty of us out there that are decent and respectable that actually enjoy trucking and dont see it as a last resort to earning a paycheck.

 

Does'nt matter trk drivers are suppose to be mind readers at all times,no ifs ands or buts about it.

 

Dal-Tile loads are heavy. They never could load it right the first time so I could axle it out. Always had to go back and get the pallets rearranged.

Had a two stop load of butter; both grocery warehouses. First stop, one case has a tear in the cardboard, but didn't affect the butter. Guy said take a case off your next stop and give it to me or I won't sign your bills. Took the damaged case and set it inside my trailer and was thinking,"the wife will really like this free butter." So, what I did, instead of taking a case from my next stop, I just restacked his pallet and short stacked it with a case missing in the center. He signed the bills and I left. I never let a grocery warehouse win.

 

Ya got caught, now lie and tell them you were just checking their reading comprehension and they did good.

 

I agree with most others here, chocking is the drivers deal, NOT THE DOCK PLATE OR HOOK. The only time I'd do the dock plate or hook, is when I knew the forklift person and did it as a favor, but it really is the forklift operators job, if they're not too lazy to get off their machine,that is. Heck, I've been to places where they won't even let you on the dock.

 

I never touch anything electrical or otherwise at a customer facility. If it breaks then they could hold me responsible.

 

Really? You will if it means you sit there until the cows come home if you don't.

 

I'm thinking some of these places we go to that have jack ### people working there just really need a jack ### reaction from us. I always show up with a positive attitude but I'm going to be ready for the next jerk that has a problem.