mercer transportation

No it's just leaking air when under 90 psi

 

How much did the bill come to? After my last air leak needing a new fitting, road service I stocked up on every size fitting imaginable... lol.

Lucky you didn't need road service.

 

I ran into a prime driver today at a rest area in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was rolling out the tarps on his load so I went over to see what was up, he said he loaded yesterday in Wyoming and that the customer doesn't allow tarping on their property for liability reasons so he decided to tarp when he felt like it. Temperatures was 50 and sunny in Nebraska.

I've never come across a shipper not allowing me to tarp on site. As far as I'm concerned its getting tarped now or never.

Have any of you ran into this type of shipper?

I was thinking possibly the shipper doesn't want product tarped therefore doesn't allow it for the liability factor on their property but that the reciever insists it gets tarped? I guess that could be? If so they must be paying additional money to make an extra stop to tarp elsewhere right?

 

I had a customer years ago near Roanoke Virginia James Hardie company actually had a sign posted that said this..." No tarping or strapping on property".. There were idiots from TMC That were sitting on the 2 lane road outside the gate throwing straps.... I told that Customer where to put their load...

 

$58

 

OSHA rules which are never enforced, say tarping safety is the responsibility of the shipper. Any fall protection required must be supplied by them. I have encountered a few of our customers that have a no tarping on their property policy. Also they want a couple papers signed with the driver accepting responsibilty for 'damage' to the product from exhaust smoke, etc. Sorry but I'm not signing those and like you, if it does not get tarped on the customers property it doesn't get tarped. These have always been loads around 13'high, and none of the places would even allow having their loaders at least put the tarps on top of the load. No way I'm pulling any load off the property without it being secured, clearly not legal to be on the roadway. This is the kind of things drivers do so willingly to 'git er done' and be a 'good driver' and it infuriates me. The 98% that do it make it hard for the 2% that refuse to do things unsafe or illegal These companies are looking to protect their financial interests at the risk of injury or death to a driver and absolve themselves of all responsibility. Regardless of their improper policies, if drivers do these things they are the ones that made the ultimate decision to perform the unsafe act and will bear the penalty.

 

North American Pipe in Booneville, Miss has a catwalk you pull up to so you can smoke tarp the load. There is a steel place in Jackson with a catwalk on both sides you pull between that is flatbed height so you can walk on both sides to tarp. Definitely the exception.

 

I think a lot of it has to do with the financial aspect of it. Drivers living paycheck to paycheck, owner ops living settlement to settlement. Theres no way those guys are going to refuse to haul that load, theyve got no choice.

 

If the load is to be tarped, but the shipper won't allow tarping on their property, I call the agent and state what is going on. If they want it tarped, it gets tarped where it is loaded. If they won't accommodate that, get the load off my trailer and find someone else. I don't get mad or confrontational, that's just the way it is. If they won't unload it, I'll hire a wrecker to come unstack it and stick someone else with the bill.

The places that don't want you tarping on prop usually are trying to avoid liability. They don't want to pay for fall protection or tarping cranes. All this tripping over a dime to save a penny between lost time, potentially damaged product, or worse, someone does get hurt or killed.

I really try to avoid those places. The last one I can actually recall this situation at was some feed mill in Kansas. They wanted me to tarp on the street but I eventually got them to concede their driveway while I covered it up right quick.

I can count on one hand how many places I've been that have been like that.

 

My FedEx trailer got a flat. Shop guys aren't in so they aren't sure what to do