The real truth about lumper fees.

that makes me angry enough to kick the load in the parking lot ( WOODSTOCK )

 

Really?!
Then you might appreciate this story.
I guess it has more to do with the receiver than it does with lumpers.
And how a GOOD dispatcher and truckin' company owner handles things for their drivers.

We had a Big truck with a load of bottled water goin' to a grocery warehouse in Colorado, with a GUARANTEED delivery time and GUARANTEED empty time three hours later.

This load was to get Big truck in that area to service one of our main accounts, and the truckin' company figured it was better to have a paying load to get there, rather than deadhead. The timing was critical for the main account though, and unloading HAD to be done on time in order to make the schedule. Failure was NOT an option. The Big truck HAD to be available and empty by a certain time.

Upon arrival, the driver checked in early on a Monday morning, and was informed that there weren't any doors available at that time, and probably wouldn't be that day --- it would probably be Tuesday before they could work the load in.

The driver called dispatch and the truckin' company owner answered the phone. After hearing what the driver told him, he suggested waiting 30 minutes, then asking the receiver again --- which the driver did.

When the driver asked the receiver again when there would be a door available, mentioning that there was a GUARANTEED empty time on the load, the receiver informed him that he already told him that it would be the next day at the earliest, but if the driver didn't quit buggin' him, it would be Wednesday, adding "Don't ask me again."

The driver called back to dispatch and informed them what the receiver told him and was told to call dispatch back in 15 minutes for further instructions. During that time the head dispatcher and the owner decided how to handle the situation.

When the driver called back he was asked if there were any lumpers there, and the driver answered "yes". He was then instructed to hire two or three of them --- "throw money at it and make it happen --- throw that load where ever you're parked."
But I'm in the parking area.
"That's fine, git 'er done."
So the driver did just that --- began unloading the bottled water right there in the parking lot as quickly as three lumpers could.

By the time the receiver realized what was happening the load was about 2/3 unloaded and the unloading was in progress when the receiver made a frantic call to the company. The head dispatcher answered his call and asked why the receiver failed to unload the water. He came up with some lame excuse and explained it would be the next day before he could work the load in.
And told the head dispatcher that the driver was unloading the load in the parking area. To which the head dispatcher said, "thanks for the progress report, the driver is doing EXACTLY as I instructed him to do."
Adding, "I GURANTEE he'll be done on time" --- and hung up the phone. By that time, the load was completely unloaded, and the driver was on his way to the next destination.
Feelin' pretty good, I might add.

 

Boy bringing back memories.Back in the late 80's lumpers no different.
We had a load of frozen tv dinners and they wanted my husband to pay $95 i said i would unload it so he could sleep,they said sorry we need it done before the day is over.It takes 2 my guys 4hrs .My husband said trust me she can do it,they still mumbled and i spoke up and said if didn't get it done by lunch(which was 2 1/2 hrs away we will pay the lumper fee.

They bought my husband and i lunch. Boy did i feel good that day. Course the 2 guys did not want to even acknowledge me. No loss.Just gained respect from the dock Foreman.

 

I know a local O/O hubby/wife team with a sweet little racket. They collect full lumper fee whenever its authorized by having her sign the receipts with her maiden name. I know of weeks where they've pulled down an extra $1000 simply from lumper fees they collect. They have a pallet jack and a hand dolly under the trailer just for this reason.

 

Just curious ---- who's Social Security number does she use?

OH!
And welcome to the forums, Keith.

 

Thank you for the welcome

I'd assume hers SSN, never bothered to ask. I think the idea is that the brokers they use don't question full billing because "his" last name isnt on the receipt. My personal feeling is that if a $200 lumper fee is authorized then it should be paid regardless of who actually unloads. You can be sure the broker is pocketing money if someone doesnt claim the full fee.

 

My pleasure, sir.

By golly, as long as she's not using someone else's SS#, you
won't get an argument outta me.
NopE.
In fact, I say MORE power to her, and her hubby.

Not much sizzles my bacon more than to learn that I'm being paid
$35, and spending 8 hours to unload a 53' trailer, and that the shipper
is paying $300 for that unload.

 

I run for a short haul LTL/Expidite company myself, we rarely "have" to worry about messing with handling the freight. The few we do we get well paid... as in $60 to move 8 skids of pizza boxes to the end of the trailer. (no dock at that drop) Sign me up for that run every time. The exception being (more correctly "was") loads we deliver to Sysco. Purchaser orders the load, supplier calls us to deliver to Sysco for storage until the purchaser needs it, I get stuck breaking down skids. "We" drivers have a chat with our boss, he has a chat with the supplier, (an advantage of the boss knowing ALL the local company owners), The supplier calls the purchaser, Sysco is informed in no uncertain terms that Sysco employees will be breaking down the skids or Sysco will be paying a handling fee to the carrier. Appearently the account is important enough that I dont even have to touch the freight with a pallet jack anymore. The Fed-Ex drivers delivering there have their panties in a wad over it too. Can't seem to figure out how a tiny little local LTL company is getting special treatment that Fed-Ex isnt getting.

 

Gawd I love to hear stories like that!

 

Your story had me laughing so hard I couldnt breath. The urgent part about getting unloaded reminded me of something I did at a union warehouse in Petersburg, VA in 95'. I had an hour to get 40,000lbs of canned food loaded before they closed for the weekend and the dock super wanted $175 to do it...mind you the load MUST be in Dayton on Monday NLT 6am. When I said I'd load it myself he wanted to know how I was going to do it in an hour with no pallet jack. "I guess I'm not, enjoy your weekend" and I was on my way. Called dispatch from a truckstop, explained the situation. My dispatcher says to call back in 2 hours she would have something to get me home. (The owner hated having a driver out more than 6 days and I'd been out for 3 weeks.) When I called the owner answered the phone. "Be at that warehouse at 7am saturday, they WILL load you." Far be it from me to ask how I'm going to get loaded at a closed warehouse.

Saturday I get there and before I take 3 steps on the dock a man wearing a tie and looking none to happy is right there appoligizing for the inconvience and for what happened Friday. Um, ok. A total of 20 minutes against the dock and I was loaded.

The story I got Monday from the owner of my company was that this warehouse was part of a company that had warehouses all over the country and corperate was getting reports of drivers getting shaken down for loading fees despite that being against company policy. Turns out I was the 1st driver to refuse to pay and just leave so this time they had the bullet they needed to bust up the dock crew without the union flipping out. To top it off I got paid 12 hours detention time at $20 an hour.