What happened to telling the price BEFORE work is done?

I'm sure it is much cheaper to have an independent lumper service for these big co's, than to have to hire actual employees. I'm also sure that HEB, Supervalu, etc take a cut of what is charged by that lumper service, it's a win win for them. And I also hate grocery warehouses!

 

The carrier is the one transporting it. You signed from the shipper for x, the receiver expects it to be what they want. If the product was wrong, do you think it would just be between the shipper and consignee?

You're signing for it because that's what the receiver wants. You're making sure you pick up the right items. I've had many times been told by the broker/agent what standard the pallet must be (CHEP, White, no runners, no missing pieces, no nails sticking out, etc). And you do what they want. They're paying for it.

I've had a customer require that the pallets must be put in straight and not sideways for unloading. And if they found pallets sideways, it was an extra charge (because they used an electric pallet jack to unload rather than a forklift).

So, go figure. But, what do I know. I'm just a trucking company.

 

You run a different kind of Trucking Company than I do I guess. I pickup up loads and deliver them safely, and on time. If the shipper sends the wrong product, that is between them and the consignee. Wrong pallets, Same story. Not my problem. Pay Somebody to unload the Shippers product. Nope, Not gonna happen.

If you are willing to take responsibility for the pallets being built with the wrong kind of nails, I can understand why you van,reefer drivers have problems with Grocery Warehouses and Lumpers.

 

It's not that hard to count the number of boxes or pallets you are loading. Now if it is a huge load of mixed everything then yeah its SLC. I bet your customers love the way you treat them. How many regulars do you have?

 

I have customers I have been hauling for for 20 yrs Sir. Good customers, with Good rates. Open Deck flatbed freight.

I am not the one complaining about the way im treated by lumpers and Grocery warehouses....

 

My point is, the reason drivers are treated this way at Grocery warehouses, is because Drivers put up with this nonsense.

 

And as long as drivers show up for these crappy jobs, there is NO incentive for the shippers and receivers to change their ways nor is there any reason for the carriers to demand they change their ways.

 

Seems to me somebody came unprepared and wanted to take the blame on people who don't work the way they want them to work. If they do it a certain way. They are not going to change because you are a big belly big rigger.

Lumper's provide a service in which most of us are thankful. So hey if they want to give us the price before hand or after. It's up to them. Come prepared next time.

 

A question:

What if you work for XYZ Big Major Carrier BFI, Inc. And the company will not authorize a comcheck for the lumper fee until you get a firm price (normally somewhere between "bloody outrageous" and "You have GOT to be freaking kidding me!")? You can't garauntee payment to the lumper unless you know the charge up front, the lumper won't give you a price until the load is unloaded, the company won't authorize the lumper fee without a firm price...

Man o man am I glad I don't deal with grocery warehouses! The lack of logic has made my few brain cells give up and head out for a party. And those buggers didn't invite the rest of me!

 

I was pulling a dry box for an outfit few years back and went to get unloaded and sure enough had lumpers that you had to pay since they wouldn't allow the driver to unload himself. I argued for about 30 minutes with the reciever saying I was not going to pay $130 for a kid to unload my trailer with their product. Old boy wouldn't give an inch so I told him see ya later and I was taking the trailer load back to the shipper and telling them reciever denied the load. He didn't stop me so by golly I took it back and demanded they take it off my trailer. Never heard anything out of that mess. I might be willing to give a $20 if they have to charge but I will not pay an arm or a leg for a service that is not for me.