Own Authority and Risks involved: Better seal your trailer when you transport food!

Look at that filthy pallet on the pic below...and there were some more. The full load of dry food was rejected due to bugs/bird feather/other filth present on pallets. I don't know what will be decided between the broker and shipper yet, and then what I'll agree to or not with the broker... but I am stuck with it for now and will demand layover. My message is that without the seal arriving intact, they could attempt to pin it on me...one way or another (if they were dishonest) and I probably would not have much argument against it.

At the shipper, they verified that the seal was put on...they would not seal it themselves but the gate guard verified it...in addition to that I video recorded the process of me putting the seal on, with the surrounding area and the trailer plate and its number. Upon arrival, they would not care to break the seal themselves (too f... lazy, or what!?)...so again I video recorded my breaking it in such a way that the recording shows the dock to which I am backing to and the surrounding area. The receiver, of course, was convinced and agreed to write down "seal intact" - crucial for any potential claims or whatever BS. It is imperative that they you would not break the seal without them present or at least proving that the seal arrived intact. Once, I had a receiving lady, who first told me to break it and throw it in the back, but after some shortage (which was there not, as it proved later) she bluntly refused to admit the seal was there....so after speaking to someone else there and showing video recording, they agreed to write down seal intact with initials.
I even consider to go completely crazy and get myself a body camera and do a quick walk around inside the trailer proving its cleanness and bug free environment prior to backing into a shipper's dock. Food loads, after all, are too numerous to be excluded from the freight pool an honest man is hauling.

 

Well, if that's the case...your strict "no ifs and buts" policies must have caused you way too many "over the phone" fights with the shippers and receivers. You would not believe how many times I dared to blemish their "shipping/receiving" pride by such a trivial thing as requesting them to legibly sign their names or printing them next to their signatures. Forcing some of them to go out there and physically install or break the seal must be a complete "rape" of their dignity. I must look like a clown walking around with my phone and filming every move I make. It is effective and it takes 80 G memory card too.

 

There is an end of this story. The shipper wants it back. The rate was agreed according to the last 15 days lane average presented by DAT loadboard. Fair. I was easy with this ... eager to get rid of the thing ASAP and sweep my trailer and perhaps wash it out too, which is not something I like to do to a wooden floor.

 

900 miles East Coast.