Quick question about unloading your own truck

As far as I'm concerned, if we're not being paid to load or unload, why work for free? I'm sure all the mega carriers love it when their drivers volunteer to work off the clock.

 

my company doesn't allow "driver assist"

the insurance company states ,"we are insured as drivers and not as warehouse workers".

the liability rates would go up if we were a driver unload type.

I got in trouble for injuring myself helping to unload.

that's how I found out.

suits me fine as I've got COPD now and am getting a little old. lol

made lots when I was a machine rigger and hauler.

 

I know with Swift you get paid to help unload or if your on an account where its driver unload. One time I had a tire load and they told me I might possibly have to help unload at the final but I would get $75 to do it and it normally takes less than 2 hours. The load ended up turning into a drop though so i didnt have to unload. In almost 400 loads though I have not had to handle any freight at all so far. I dont mind palletized loads with a pellet jack but I wont do hand unload or breaking down of pallets.

 

Why is everyone afraid of driver unload? I do it everyday! Keeps me in good shape and I get paid for unloading.

Slinging 600-1200 tires off the back of a trailer 5 days a week is a great workout and breaks up the day so your aren't just sitting in the drivers seat 11 hours a day.

 

well with me its because I have a bad back, it was injured as a teenager and I had problems on and off my whole life because of it, a couple years ago I ended up getting a herniated disk on my L5 bulging on both sides which put me out of work for a bit and the doctors told me not to do anything extreme for now on or it could return.

I am not afraid to work, i just have to be very careful in what I do so unloading pallets is the most I will do.

 

I can understand the physical limitations if you have back issues or some other issues that prevent you from unloading......I just get a sense that most drivers hear "driver unload" and say that is for the birds!

I talk to plenty of drivers from my company, when they see me get out of my day cab at the end of the day they ask me what account I am on and what I do, because they want a day cab job and to be home every day, once I tell them(some of them are strapping young bucks!) they give me this look like I am crazy and tell me they are a truck driver not a lumper LOL.

 

im a fairly young buck myself being 30 but I have my limitations, not too long ago I talked to my wife about doing an unload gig that paid more, she got mad and asked if it was worth making more money for a bit then possibly injuring myself and being out for awhile again and making nothing. Sometimes I have to listen to that woman

 

I know exactly what you mean, I saw a guy who couldn't even stand up long enough to pay for his cigarettes, kept one elbow on the counter at all times, just walking back to his truck was a chore for this guy

 

If I ever decide to buy my own truck again, if I was to start unloading my own trailer, Id get a power pallet jack, I've been on some trailer with frozen load, and the floor can get pretty slippery

 

I thought "driver unload" was something the lizards do!!! Hahahhaha.....sorry couldnt help it...