The day to day ramblings of the LTL business.

Had 11 stops today, 198 miles, 1 canceled pick. Was out of the yard by 8:45 and finished by 18:00, little later today due to inclement weather.

 

$$$$$$$$ that is why.

 

I can relate to all of this I've had many days where all I do is bang my head against the wall.

 

I had a regular customer that was always freight COD. And for a darn good reason. But he would always piss and moan about it. One time, I finally got out of the office with his check in my hand, and saw that the crew already had it unloaded. Pissed me off, but since I did have the check in hand, I let it go.
After that, I'd padlock the trailer before hitting that stop.

 

We used to get axles for PACE trailers. Loaded on pups. Their fork lift "operators" were, er to say the least, less than skillful. Ever see somebody who really wasn't too familiar with the fork lift, try to unload several lifts of axles out of a van?
I don't know what rocket scientist decided it would be better to ship with us, than with a flatbed outfit. Lots of damage to axle grease caps, some damage to every trailer we took in there.
This PACE operation has been closed for several years now. Don't even know if that company is still in business anywhere or not.
But in talking to the folks that worked there, working conditions were terrible, and the pay was worse. Also, (and this is not from me, but from their own employees) their local management was almost brilliant enough to find their way to work every day...

 

Quite often, because my employer does a lot of interline work. We will get driver collect for companies like oh, say MENARDS.....that hasn't done a driver collect since before the old man died. I try to tell my dispatcher that its going to come back, but she just says deal with it.
Or the Amish deliveries that never have enough contact information.
The one I had today is another favorite. When I clear a town, I send a message that I'm leaving that particular location. It never fails that an hour or two later I will get a pick up for that location. Then get a snippy reply when I call to confirm they got my message that I was leaving that town already.