Waiting for my first live unload…lol

Every customer does things their own way.

 

Most of the time there won’t be a long wait for a loading dock door, but it does happen. More often is the long wait for the actual unloading and/or paperwork. And once in a while I’ve run into the “no appointment” issue, too, usually due to an error by our freight broker.

I try not to let it bother me!

 

Any appointment on a holiday or Mon holiday ALWAYS PERSONALLY CALL CUSTOMER TO CONFIRM THEY WILL BE OPEN. DON'T TAKE ANYONE'S WORD BUT THE CUSTOMER'S. YOU, PERSONALLY CALL & CONFIRM. "Dispatcher already called", NOPE. "Customer already confirmed with someone else", NOPE. When you are assigned the load, confirm with delivery customer same day. You will be the schmuck sitting around for 24 hours if they forget about the holiday, so you make the confirmation call. No excuses.

 

In fact, check with them on the days leading up to holidays! Last year I had a delivery in Laredo scheduled for a Thursday morning delivery. I got there on Wednesday evening just as they were locking up the gate FOR THE WHOLE EASTER WEEKEND! My company had me take the load to our nearest drop lot, 325 miles away, for someone else to take the following week for delivery.

 

Had that happen in Corpus. They were shutting down for a 5 day weekend. I had heavy machinery. I called the receiver and realized that I would be there 2 hours after they lock the gate.

I offered $50/hour for someone to wait, cash. Receiver gave me his cell number and told me to call. He lived 10 minutes away.

 

That happens in Albuquerque too.

 

The Power of a Benjamin is something I learned early in trucking. Three extra Bennies got a driveline yoke replaced in a shipper's parking lot on Friday at 3 pm in Surrey, BC before a three day Canadian holiday once..... Worth every penny.