The Lumper “experience” from my perspective, what's yours?

I just don’t understand why they can’t stamp “subject to count” and send me on my way. If they are short a box after counting and putting product away for 8 hours what do they expect me to actually do about it while I’m there docked that I (or broker or dispatcher) can’t do over the phone. The whole system is so messed up I cannot believe it’s actually in practice.

 

The only other person I've heard slip sheets from is my dad. He was happy as hell when it was a straight pull off instead of big wood to small. Back then if you were a local driver you were more of a warehouse guy than a driver

 

And this conversation is one reason I pull a flatbed

 

Me too.

Reefer is a torture of waiting

 

Pulling in average $2250 a week $1800 after the government takes it cut, so I don’t mind. But yeah, lots of long waiting at crappy refrigerated distribution centers. Long load times, lots of disrespect, long unload times and lots of flipping your schedule around. I’ve been awake for almost 24 hours where I sit right now. Been off the clock but had to move the truck several times for other trucks finally got a dock I’ll get about two hours of sleep then my clock will reset and I’ll have to drive all night. Fun!

Super hot loads most of them as well. But hey, for $2000 plus a week, I’m good to go!

 

I hope that $2000 is as a company driver and not owner operator or flease.

Even still with experience you can make around that doing other than reefer. Like a good LTL company.

What good is the money if you get a stroke?
If quality of life working is hell.

How safe is it to be up 24 hours and your health?

No real sleep schedule either.

You should be paid double that to endure that torture and hell.

 

That's when you finally get your paperwork back and you pull 18" away from the dock. Set your brakes and turn off the truck. When they complain, tell them they took so long, you're going to finish your 10hr break.

 

Also why I do tankers and will never switch back to vans or reefer. Of course I've been on other forums where being told to "get an OTR reefer job" might be a sign of disrespect.

As far as lumpers go, this seems to be one of those few jobs staffed by persons with records. It's either this, digging through the trash, or begging to be rehired at the last fast food place they had a meltdown at.

 

Seems like I only encounter lumpers at certain receivers, though I still don't completely understand why the driver is even involved in the company paying for unloading. Why isn't it baked in to the overall rate like it is at a lot of other receivers?

They do make it easy to pay them with the text message and using the fuel card etc, but I think it seems like an inefficient system overall.

 

A lot of places now are doing pre paid lumpers that's how it should be in today's age