Shipper griped about securement, threatened to remove the load..

I was picking up a load of lumber. I had everything properly secured and tarped. A shipper supervisor came out after the fact and said he didn't approve and I needed it done his way or he wouldn't let me leave until I re-did it all, and if I didn't he would take the load off the trailer. If my load is secured can he legally remove my equipment and take back the lumber or hold my like a hostage?

 

Did you have BOL?

 

I’m not sure if there’s a rule but there’s probably something somewhere either on papers. Contracts. Or a sign on their property saying must be secured XYZ??

 

Why didn't he say something before you finished securing and tarping the whole thing. Instead of coming out after the fact and acting like an arse.

 

Yeah, it's their freight you secure it the way they want. If they don't make sure it's secured properly what's to stop someone from saying "well they let me leave with it like this" when something falls off and kills someone? I'd bet that's been tried on them once already and the reason they care.

 

If it were not properly secured though, he did the right thing but the question is why had he not intervened earlier or advised that they had certain securement standards?

 

Iam gonna play the Devil's Advocate....
If I was the shipping Department Manger .. I would give you every opportunity to secure the load properly.. it's not my job to baby sit you and hold your hand while your suppouse to be doing your job...then when you thought your done and came in for the BLO.. and I went to inspect it and thought it wasn't safe.. well guess what.. Try again MFer.. maybe you will get it right the second time..
And why you ask ???.
Because you were contracted to haul this load.. as a professional driver..
That's not secured like a professional driver would do it.. now get back there and figure it out like a professional would do it
And yeah I'am a F.....ing prick.. but I get paid to be a Manger and it's on me if you F up.. and Iam not take the fall for your wrong doing ..
Get after it son .. cause you ain't leaving it its done right

 

Once I sign the BOL it’s my freight. Seeing as I’m the one that assumes all liability once the taillights cross the curb it goes the way I want it, or it comes off. Pretty simple. “But that’s how they wanted it” is no defence at the scale, or in court. The shipper has NO liability for anything once you sign for the freight. That’s all on the driver.

 

Ayup this sums it up. Besides its entirely posible you missed something. I bet every driver here has at one time or another made a mistake they had to rectify or didnt catch till later. If someone says i didnt do something right i always default to asking what i did wrong and asking them to show me so i can correct it and prevent it happening again.

Most of the time its something as simple as a strap not tightened down enough or part of the load slightly off center. And if you ask politely what mistake you made and if you infact made one then own upto it, its no big deal while reasureing the customer you simply goofed because human. Sure there are the occasional ######## who do it to power trip....but they are the exception not the rule.

 

I would have liked to see pictures of the securement that the shipper didnt like... Maybe it indeed was "Improper Load Securement"... Maybe its just a case of an overly picky shipper. But without pictures we will never know.

As we all know, just cause a driver says its secured correctly... doesnt mean it is. Especially if it's a driver I dont know from Adam.