Question about loading / unloading

Hey all! I getting ready to fax off my papers to Central but questions keep going through my mind as I read things on the forum.

For example:

I read a lot of complaints about how long it takes after a person bumps-the-dock to get loaded / unloaded.

Not getting paid and burning up time as well. Seems as though it could person in a bind sometimes

Would it be unusual for someone like me, who has a lot of forklift experience, to get on the dock and say "hey, mind if I help? Give me a forklift or pallet jack".

It would have to be an electric pallet jack, 'cause I'm gettin' old, but if it gets the show-on-the-road I'm use to doing whatever it takes.

Of course I don't really want to work any harder than I have to however, if I can increase the efficiency of the run, may get me home sooner and basically just gets it over with, I wouldn't mind.

Thanks.

 

"...to avoid that problem as much as possible, you can do your 10 at the shipper/receiver,assuming they will let you get there early and sit."

Yea, I know. That seems to be a bit-of-a-problem sometimes from what I've read.

A person is stressing out because the unloading is 'gonna take 5 hours, for whatever reason, but a person only has 4.75 left on the clock. Cutting it close there.

Then their told they can't sit on the property.

Now they have maybe .25 hours to get somewhere where they can park and not get messed with by a cop every 2 hours of sleep.

I understand that you can pull-off and take the 10 before 'ya get to the receiver but that, to me, is just a waste.

I like my sleep and all but if it's not time for me to sleep then I'm just going to sit around for 10 hours doing nothing and then still spend another 5 for the unload. Still doing nothing.

Wasted 15 hours for a 5 hour unload.

Is it just me?

I'd rather get to the destination, get it done ASAP and get out of there.

Maybe hit a Denny's, have a steak, get in the sleeper and watch some stupid youtube videos. Get 7-9hrs of sleep and do it again the next day.

I know that the lumpers need to keep their job but if I was one, I would probably say "knock yourself out". Then put my earphones back in and go back to facebook and twittering.

 

@ironpony: Thanks for the advise.

You've missed something there though.

I'm was thinking it may be possible to figure out how to make it more efficient for a driver.

I have never had to ask customer if they want fries with a burger.

I owned a bodyshop for 20 years. We cooked our own burgers (and hotdogs) on the barbecue. Yes those were the days.

We were also extremely efficient. Not really bragging their but I 'kinda know a few things about efficiency.

The bodyshop business is very cut-throat. Guys will work for piddly money. I always paid my guys pretty good. $20-$25 hr and we were always busy.

Why am I not in that business anymore? Read my introductory post.

I was asking a question. Not trying to get anyones blood pressure up.

If there is a more productive way to get something done, I will figure it out. That's just the way it is.

Sorry for whatever I said. It apparently came across the wrong way.

 

@Elendil: No, I don't have the CDL. I would be going to Central to get it.

My plan is, if I follow through with this, to work there for the 1 year requirement and then go local.

Maybe I would like OTR. Don't know yet.

I'm from Seattle. It gets down to about mid 20's normally in winter.

Going to places were it's -20 would be a shock.

Yes, I know, someone is going to chime in and say "Don't be a #####".

When I was painting cars, people sometimes, would come in the shop and run back out because of the fumes.

I could never smell a thing. It was just normal for us guys.