What happened to telling the price BEFORE work is done?

It's not my first go-round with hopper.

you don't load wet, snow covered sunflowers in January either.

 

There is no valid reason that a lumper can't tell you what they charge before they unload you. Forcing a carrier to pay for a lumper is nothing short of extortion. We didn't always have to pay consignee's (lumpers) to unload their freight. At least in some cases, lumpers actually work for the shipper or consignee. As much as I detest legislation, this is one issue that congress should address. It should never be the responsibility of any carrier to have to pay a lumper, whiether they are independent or work for the consignee or shipper.

 

I went to a food terminal ONCE with a load of watermelons on my side kit>NEVER AGAIN! My policy is "If it goes in my mouth it doesn't go in/on my wagon".

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting change/a different result>That's what you food haulers do! You keep hauling this crap, you get raped and abused and yet YOU keep going back to those same places for more of the same treatment!

 

An article regarding lumping practices, and the federal law that covers it:

http://www.ooida.com/Education&BusinessTools/Resources/Lumping_regs.shtml

There's a link at the bottom if you want to file an official complaint to launch an investigation.

Most times, I find the lumpers' rates posted somewhere in their office. If they won't quote me a price ahead of time (never had a problem getting a price), then I find the rate sheet and figure it out for myself. I usually lump my own loads when I can, send the broker a professional invoice for services, and get a comchek number. Last load I lumped had 3 stops, and paid $450 total in lumper fees. It wasn't easy, as there were some one-ton pallets of pickle jars but I managed.

 

STOP Hauling Groceries!!!!

Problem Solved!!!

Another of the many reasons, I prefer Open Deck Trailers....

Did I mention, I HATE GROCERY WAREHOUSES.



Thank you, Thank You Very Much !!!!

 

One of the big reasons they don't prequote you a price is they don't know if they need to restack a pallet onto good wood. Some of these places have high standards for pallets. If there's a $5-$10-$20 whatever charge for restacking a pallet, they won't know that in advance.

if you're picking up food, find out how important pallet quality is to the receiver, and make sure you only are loaded with good pallets. If you're not, tell the shipper to restack.

 

I agree, but if they told me I was unloaded and wanted payment, I'd have told them to get paid before the work is done, handed them $100 and got in my truck and left.

 

That should be between the shipper and consignee. The carrier should not even need to become involved.

 

I don't feel abused. As for the paying part, that is collected back and part of the shipper's cost. It does not come out of my pocket. They want me to do it for free, even after a long drive through the night to deliver first thing in the morning. If they have a problem paying for it then they can find another truck to haul it. Once you figure out your customers and their early delivery times, it is easy to use that time for sleep. They will wake you up when they are done unloading - they want their money.