Why does unloading with reefers take so long?

It's not all bad. Where I work, anything that takes longer [to load or unload] than about 60 minutes past the appointment time is far and away the exception, not the rule.

Last unload reload, both cold storage facilities. Unload in Portland. Have 10:00 appointment. Arrive 09:10, I'm empty and leaving at 10:00.

Next load in Tacoma. Have 11:00 appointment (this place is very tight on beginning at appt time) Arrive 10:30 and staged immediately in front of door. 11:15 the guy comes out to have me open and back in and apologizes for being late. I'm pulling out with bills at 11:45

Mind you, these both were cold storage facilities. No lumper charges. I won't say they're all this efficient or good to deal with, every time, but I just don't have reason to bash them like many others do. We deal with lots of cold storage places across the nation, and the ones you can feel sure you will be delayed are far and few between. With others, it's usually a one-off at a place that typically is very good about prompt service.

I had a fairly complex full frozen load to a Walmart in Mankato last week. I was leaving 2 hours after the appointment. Had a complex dry load (Hormel) to New Braunfels Walmart 45 days ago and they took the full 4 hours.

 

From my many years of pulling reefer to many, many different customers. The issue of detention time is many also.
1) The warehouse has 20 doors, with trucks in each door. The unloaders only have so much space to hold the unloaded freight. Than you have the lumpers there to down stack the product. Thus, taking up more room on the warehouse floor. Than waiting for the workers to put the overcrowded floor product away.

2) This must be done before moving on to other trucks. We cannot forget break time of employees, lunch, and so forth. If the workers/lumpers are unionized than we are screwed for even longer.

Some other drivers have also posted other reasons as to the long lines, wait times to get a dock, and unloading times. Wal Mart D.C's are the worst. I use to deliver to Costco in Ontario, Ca and the wait time for a dock took longer than the unload time.

 

Also stacked all the way to the door, no way to put a load lock on it...And when it gets to IL and you open the doors to back up you lose about 2 pallets worth of boxes... yup, fun experience picking up all them boxes, in the middle of everyone elses way... ask me how i know lol

 

this is all easily solved simply by pulling the load off the truck and counting it. not waiting for breakdown. breakdown should be done after the initial count and driver released with bills signed in hand.

 

The problem with that is if the load is a consolidation from a cold storage warehouse they don’t always put the labels out. I’ve had to breakdown pallets because of 5 cases being on the bottom.

 

I've taken several dry grocery loads to Kroger and Walgreens. Good luck getting live unloaded in a reasonable amount of time... I've taken several toilet paper loads to Costco and they are awesome.. I'm usually in and out within 30 mins... If it's a grocery load anymore I won't even pull it.

 

I’m 90 minutes early at Super Stores right now with a dry grocery load. Appt at 7am. I crawled in my bunk. Time for a nap or Rip Van Winkle.

 

Safeway Tracy CA was a never go to for me. Did it once that was it. Although did get my 10hr break in and then another

 

I've unloaded at places that won't release you until things have been broken down.

 

That particular DC is about the worst I've ever seen, and I refuse loads to and from there after spending a couple 12 hour shifts sitting around and waiting.