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FedEx Freight | $20 Million Claims Reduction

chitownpeddler

chitownpeddler

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So we are supposed to reduce claims by $20 million this year. Well it seems like damages are just getting worse!!

I am so sick of delivering damaged freight. Even if it just the outer packaging that is trashed, the customers still have the same reaction. What will it take to get our dock crew to learn how to properly load and handle the freight???? Something has to change!!!
 
chitownpeddler said:
So we are supposed to reduce claims by $20 million this year. Well it seems like damages are just getting worse!!

I am so sick of delivering damaged freight. Even if it just the outer packaging that is trashed, the customers still have the same reaction. What will it take to get our dock crew to learn how to properly load and handle the freight???? Something has to change!!!
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At our center they actually suspended the "bills per hour" for dockworkers in hopes it would reduce the amount of damages....instead the bill count per hour dropped to a snails pace while damages remained the same. Had heard they were gonna try using "stackers", guys who's responsibility it would be to oversee about 10-15 doors a piece in order to ensure the load factor remained high by using decking, dunnage, etc...while reducing the amount of damages.
Guess we'll see if that works.
 
< ----- Stacker.

I'm an Air Pillow Inflating, Deck Building, Traffic Cop, "Hey Put That Over On The Right", "Just Bay It I'll Get It", Let Me get Some Dunnage Kinda Guy.

It does work. Trailers are tighter than pantyhose two sizes too small, Bills per trailer are up and even though the bill count per hour is down. I've heard from the red shirt I'm chained....er, ummm.. assigned to that the damage numbers have dropped. Not enough to have a parade or cotton candy machines in the breakrooms,,,(yet) but...Even though this is a test program and numbers at other Hubs have been a wash 'tween damage prevention and what the hourly costs to have a "freight lifeguard" standing by are. (I put forklift brake dust on my nose to prevent peeling) It also depends how much the other stackers are into it or even understand it. Having a driver and or an experienced dockhand doing it can be a huge help too. Sent many of 23-24,000 lb pups to the scale with no returns to the doors for reworks..

It all comes down to education, hiring folks who give two flying Fig Newtons, and having the time to do it right the first time. There will always be good Ol' Cap'n Crunch piloting his Propane Powered Bulldozer but their days are numbered. If you're strolling across the dock peeking into the break room to see if the cotton candy machine arrived and you see something amiss...say something or better yet, find someone who can get the problem handled. We know there is no such thing as civilized hourly to hourly paid people conversations between the two that turn into perceived criticism of their performances. That gets loud and ugly.

It ain't gonna happen overnight and it may never get done right in your individual eyes but keep the snipes to yourself. Instead of being proud that you made a negative comment that appeared to make you "Top Dog On the Rabbit Pile, take those calories burned and help out with your thoughts and ideas. If you have zero ideas of your own that might benefit EVERYBODY in the long run....step aside.

Disclaimer: Any use of the words YOU, YOURS, YOU'RE etc. are generalizations that are used to see this post in your terms, not calling out anyone who may have contributed to the post previously.
All observations made while assigned to the CLT (Charlotte NC) dock/shuttle driver CUB

See you in GSP Bishes !!!

ButterCup @ CUB
 
ButterCup9016 said:
< ----- Stacker.

I'm an Air Pillow Inflating, Deck Building, Traffic Cop, "Hey Put That Over On The Right", "Just Bay It I'll Get It", Let Me get Some Dunnage Kinda Guy.

It does work. Trailers are tighter than pantyhose two sizes too small, Bills per trailer are up and even though the bill count per hour is down. I've heard from the red shirt I'm chained....er, ummm.. assigned to that the damage numbers have dropped. Not enough to have a parade or cotton candy machines in the breakrooms,,,(yet) but...Even though this is a test program and numbers at other Hubs have been a wash 'tween damage prevention and what the hourly costs to have a "freight lifeguard" standing by are. (I put forklift brake dust on my nose to prevent peeling) It also depends how much the other stackers are into it or even understand it. Having a driver and or an experienced dockhand doing it can be a huge help too. Sent many of 23-24,000 lb pups to the scale with no returns to the doors for reworks..

It all comes down to education, hiring folks who give two flying Fig Newtons, and having the time to do it right the first time. There will always be good Ol' Cap'n Crunch piloting his Propane Powered Bulldozer but their days are numbered. If you're strolling across the dock peeking into the break room to see if the cotton candy machine arrived and you see something amiss...say something or better yet, find someone who can get the problem handled. We know there is no such thing as civilized hourly to hourly paid people conversations between the two that turn into perceived criticism of their performances. That gets loud and ugly.

It ain't gonna happen overnight and it may never get done right in your individual eyes but keep the snipes to yourself. Instead of being proud that you made a negative comment that appeared to make you "Top Dog On the Rabbit Pile, take those calories burned and help out with your thoughts and ideas. If you have zero ideas of your own that might benefit EVERYBODY in the long run....step aside.

Disclaimer: Any use of the words YOU, YOURS, YOU'RE etc. are generalizations that are used to see this post in your terms, not calling out anyone who may have contributed to the post previously.
All observations made while assigned to the CLT (Charlotte NC) dock/shuttle driver CUB

See you in GSP Bishes !!!

ButterCup @ CUB
Click to expand...
This is one great post !!!
 
It has worked really well at our center . Out stackers all have between 15 to 25 years in freight dock work and care about what they are doing . Bill per trailer up weight up and quality way up . It still comes down to the whole system buying in to what is trying to be accomplished !
 
Our outbound dock does a pretty good job decking, strapping, and air bagging. However the inbound trailers from the hubs look WTF at best. Add to that the inbound not recouping and it becomes the delivering driver's ass that is getting chewed. I tried talking to and reasoning with our inbound crew, but it has turned to anger and me fixing my own trailer. Management just gets pissed when we ask why dock workers aren't doing their job. We were told recouping was a top priority and half of the time it isn't being done. So we ask the brass and basically are told we are complainers.
 
chitownpeddler said:
Our outbound dock does a pretty good job decking, strapping, and air bagging. However the inbound trailers from the hubs look WTF at best. Add to that the inbound not recouping and it becomes the delivering driver's ass that is getting chewed. I tried talking to and reasoning with our inbound crew, but it has turned to anger and me fixing my own trailer. Management just gets pissed when we ask why dock workers aren't doing their job. We were told recouping was a top priority and half of the time it isn't being done. So we ask the brass and basically are told we are complainers.
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty localized or regionalized on your end. You started the thread, with my agreed understanding when I read it. Maybe when the suits at the "Mother Ship" (acknowledgement to DP) do their daily reading of this board they will have an "ah ha" moment and maybe start with your end. Come on you folks in the clean clothes. We've pointed out where it's beginning to work and this gentleman states where it definitely isn't. Time to take a road trip and start tightening the screws. I'm in no way the savior here as well as the other folks who have acknowledge that their ideas and skills are starting to make a difference, but maybe it's a time to incorporate those who can with those who just won't.

Definitely feels to some that they are shooting pool with a rope. It'll never be 100% 'cause things happen but even 10% would make a huge difference.
All I can say from this point on, I'll drive like I'm supposed to, work like I'm expected to and help out where I can.

"Give Peas a Chance"
 
This stacker idea sounds similar to the checker used for outbound Canada freight at TOL. The freight is bayed, the checker checks the PROs and then tells the forklift operator where to load the freight. It works great as long as someone who knows what they're doing is doing the job.

Some guys I've seen cube a trailer floor to ceiling and front to back with no damages. Others I've seen use too few load bars, put heavy freight on bars, etc and the result was a mess. The guy directing the loading of trailers needs to give a ::shit:: and know his stuff, or it doesn't work.

And in case you're wondering why someone checks the freight headed to Canada...unlike when freight gets misloaded domestically, Customs doesn't appreciate it when something is present when it's not supposed to be. The fines are expensive.
 
I'm happy they have quit that bills per hour horseshit. The newbies still fly around the dock trying to prove something. I'm 35 years in this business. Load the stuff right, and secure it. I go to YNG every night and work the dock. No straps. Crap extension forks, junk forklifts and a lot of people who have no clue as to how to load a trailer. I know I'm whining but I'm not the only one.
 
Barney said:
I'm happy they have quit that bills per hour horseshit. The newbies still fly around the dock trying to prove something. I'm 35 years in this business. Load the stuff right, and secure it. I go to YNG every night and work the dock. No straps. Crap extension forks, junk forklifts and a lot of people who have no clue as to how to load a trailer. I know I'm whining but I'm not the only one.
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They have not stopped the BPH at STL, They would rather have Quantity than Quality. If You have not moved a bill in 7 to 8 min they are yelling for you over the intercom.
 
hoobieshaw said:
They have not stopped the BPH at STL, They would rather have Quantity than Quality. If You have not moved a bill in 7 to 8 min they are yelling for you over the intercom.
Click to expand...
Let me also add that it's irritating when you load it correctly. Then see either a dockworker or Redshirt come along and move/or stack it onto something else and tear it up then you get the hit for it being damaged.
 
hoobieshaw said:
They have not stopped the BPH at STL, They would rather have Quantity than Quality. If You have not moved a bill in 7 to 8 min they are yelling for you over the intercom.
Click to expand...
They gave up on me a long time ago. Whats better? A nimrod who boasts about crossdocking 12 bills an hour and loads like ::shit::. Or an old bastard like me with 35 years in and may do 6. And loads it properly and secures it.
 
Inbound here

The main problem is how employees load the freight. I don't know if they are being rushed or undermanned or we just got some lazy sobs on the force, but I am appalled at what I see gets double stacked when deck beams and boards could have been used.

Today I open my trailer to unload freight and I see "a certain airline" freight toppled over. And it didn't just stopped there. It started a domino effect and everything behind it went with it. I had to repalletise hundreds upon hundreds of cans neatly for four hours. The freight didnt even need to be strapped to prevent this....but because they could not fit two of the frieght side by side they left a gap and there was nothing to stop the domino effect. God @%$ it. Just turn the pallet the proper way if they wont fit turned. Stop forcing the freight in or leaving in partially in.

THATS WHERE ALL THE MONEY IS GOING. but no, I have to hear about how i didn't take an exception on one box out of a million on over freight.

And don't get me started on those new forklifts. It's not the speed that bothers me, it is the flat out refusal of it doing what i want when I want it to. The person who ordered this forklifts have probably never driven one in their life.
 
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Hmm your new forklifts remind me of some of my former managers,in my 45 year trucking career.
That never sat in a truck,or lifted a piece of freight.
Yet they were always telling my I didn't know how to drive,or handle freight,even though I started in trucking at a very young age.
Sorry,I just like venting about them know it alls sometimes.

However while I'm at it,when I started in LTL back in the 60's before the invention of shrink wrap.
We used to load trailers with heavy freight on the floor & hand stack the lighter items,we called it high & tight floor to roof.
Took a lot more time loading & unloading but kept the cost of the claims down.
We finished off the outbound loads by stacking empty skids on the tail.

Yes we had claims but nothing like stacking shrink wrapped skids with little to hold them in place.
So when the line haul drivers went rocking & rolling from point (A) to point (B) it was a total mess at the destination.
The time & money saved by shrink wrapping was lost in re-couping & claims.

I like the method of air bags pushing in from the sides & the roof,the tighter the load the better it will ride.
For the one time cost of the air compressor & paper air bags.
A lot of time & money could be saved,along with happier customers.

Yup I like to vent about poor loading methods as well.
 
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I've seen loads where crates full of bolts were decked over fragile freight. I pointed out the problem at TOL once and was asked "What are you doing on the dock?" in response. So I threw up my hands.

By the time the trailer arrived at my barn, the crate of bolts had fallen off the deck bars (it broke one on the way down), crushed the fragile freight and broken open, scattering bolts all over the floor. When the dock asked me what happened, I shrugged and told them to send pictures to TOL or something.
 
I suggested that photos of the line haul loads be taken just before the roll door,or barn doors, whatever the case are closed & sealed.
If the outbound crews are happy with the load they shouldn't object to a photo finish.

My Overnite manager always said that was a good idea.
However the only photos that were ever taken were the ones after the trailer was opened at the destinations.
Even that photo session was short lived.
The thing I always said, photos speak more than any whining over poor loading methods, when the trailers were broken down & freight was messed up.
 
Apostolic said:
I suggested that photos of the line haul loads be taken just before the roll door,or barn doors, whatever the case are closed & sealed.
If the outbound crews are happy with the load they shouldn't object to a photo finish.
Click to expand...

Unquestionably great idea. Practically no "cost" too. :1036316054:
 
Apostolic said:
I suggested that photos of the line haul loads be taken just before the roll door,or barn doors, whatever the case are closed & sealed.
If the outbound crews are happy with the load they shouldn't object to a photo finish.

My Overnite manager always said that was a good idea.
However the only photos that were ever taken were the ones after the trailer was opened at the destinations.
Even that photo session was short lived.
The thing I always said, photos speak more than any whining over poor loading methods, when the trailers were broken down & freight was messed up.
Click to expand...
We have been doing this for several months. Apparently they are supposed to meet a certain percentage of trailers being photographed.
 
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