whats a "service failure" ?

Here's an example of how showing up early can screw things up......3 drivers, 3 appt. times, and we were all supposed to call 24 hrs before delivery because we have to be led into the area for delivery (I was the only one who called).

0800 shows up before the guy gets there......1200 shows up at 0830....I show up at 0900 and have to wait until 1030 to get in......fortunately I still had time to get to my next load.

 

>>>>whats a "service failure" ?

No happy ending...

 

In the Tanker industry, a lot of company's have deals with a lot of shippers and receivers that their trucks will be on time -+ 15 to 30 minutes, If your early are late thats considered a service failure and at the end of the year they add them up and rank the carriers, the carrier with the best record wins the trophy, Yes its a real trophy and all the major tank company's go for it, Proud to say Miller transporters wins this award a lot!

 

My company will put a message with the load assig. if a shipper or rec, needs an ontime del. they will say do not arrive early . other than that we can arrive any time and ask to be unloaded or not. i found if they cant take you and they dont have the space to park they tell you, " you cant park here You have to leave the property". lots of times they know where you can park or its out onthe street somewhere with all the other early drivers.

 

Also keep in mind there are also shippers and consignees that CHARGE a carrier for delivering too early. Best idea is to trip plan, and if you realize there's too much (or too little) time to make a delivery, let someone know so they can attempt to adjust the delivery appointment for you. It doesn't do anyone any good on the carrier or driver's side to be sitting under a load for a day waiting on an appointment any more than it does anyone any good if you're late.

 

generally I'll call the receiver / shipper and ask if they can take me early, most of time they'll tell me where to park nearby, or at a staging area in the facility, and take my phone # and call me if they have a no show. i usually do get in early. but some do have their policies, no more than 15 min early regardless

 

Sometimes you get lucky. When I worked for Stevens, I had a 2 drop meat load, one in Staten Island and one in Brooklyn. But they were a day apart. Since I had hours I took my chance with the 2nd drop in Brooklyn. The receiver told me that a Digby truck was late for an appointment. If he didn't show up within the next hour, I could have his spot. He didn't show and I got unloaded a day early.

 

Know where you're going. If its in a a large metro area or the northeast chances are there's going to be limited areas(if any) for you to sit and wait if you cant get unloaded when you get there because they didnt expect you to get there till 'x' time. If they're in a pissy mood they may constitute that a failure especially if you hound them about getting unloaded early. Personally I havent been in trouble for being early, I have had to go and find a place to park and come back, but not been in trouble for it even though it eats up my 14 hr clk.

 

Some shippers schedule their deliveries at specified times; regardless of the importance or unimportance of that time, they want it "on time". Early or late...is not on time.
I very much dislike the "call 24 hrs in advance" notices, because generally I'm picking up 20 or less hours before i drop it...sometimes within 6. Hard to line up a jobsite delivery that noone knows about til you pull in, so they want a phone call heads up. Makes sense...except if you pickup the load at 11pm and it delivers at 6am, who's going to answer said phone call in the empty office?
As was said here: carriers are rated yearly by their respective shippers. That can have positive or negative impact on carriers contract renewals and the rates which they quote.
If someone is never on time as an employee: come raise time you will be sure to see the evidence. Same here: you deliver in your designated appointment window and you are "on time" and your customer/shipper is happy with you.
I do H.D. some are very particular about appt times. Some shippers care more. One shipper you can be as early as you want, but no more than 5 min late... others give you multiple stops...30 or less minutes apart....but 4 hour differences in appt times. Rather frustrating if you are waiting on a reload to get paid