XPO | pallet jacks on the dock???

linehaul

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i have a question for anyone working a night fac. it used to be that if you arrived and there were no jeeps available, you would run bills for someone untill they cut someone and a jeep opened up. Now it seems they want you to start breaking a trailer with a pallet jack untill a jeep opens up. If you have a dock with 150 doors it seems stupid to start breaking a trailer with a pallet jack. There is only one supervisor who wants this to happen. I was wandering if this is becoming normal or if this is just one of his ideas?? I was asked to start breaking a trailer with a pallet jack and had to pallet jack 5 2,500 pound skids, through a maze of staged frieght and moving jeeps, down 13 doors. I dont mind pallet jacking a 2,500 pound skid in a trailer on a route because it is the only way, but moving them down the dock seems stupid. Two of the pallets were turned side by side so I had to flag down a jeep to pull one out so i could get the jack in. He asked what i need to jeep for and i explained, he said moving 2,500 pound skids around the dock should be no problem and i had to explain again that i need to get one pulled off so i could get the pallet jack underneath. I dont know if he is really that stupid as to not understand you cant get a jack under 2 side by side skids or what the deal is. Back, to the question, is anyone else breaking trailers with pallet jacks at fac's or running bills untill a jeep opens up?
 
well, what is the alternative?

Obviously having more jeeps would work if your terminal can maintain a clean dock. IF it can, then its a safety issue. But I cant stand to listen to guys complain about using a pallet jack (when city drivers do all darn day) and then these are the guys that usually stand around and talk, find their ways to the break room, or repeated bathroom breaks. It is pretty simple, either work or punch out and go home.
 
Ha ha ha! Thats the dumbest thing I've heard in my short LTL career. Sounds like the guy has no clue. Try digging out a skid way up high that got tilted! If I was told to use a pallet jack I would simply waste time until a motor opened up and when the breakers are done someone would probably help you finish it up quick. You'll probably still get done with the trailer around the same time anyway. It's their show, I get paid the same either way.

BTW bigwave, You and I posted at the same time and I just read your post. Mine has nothing to do with your's and I don't want you to think it was directed at you, I'm just "talking out loud".
 
dumb?

If a skid is tilted or the freight is stacked, someone can easily bring down the skids with a forklift, can tthey? How long does that take smart guy? Meanwhile, after the stuff is floor loaded/brought out, etc.... then the person can use the pallet jack and read the bills and move the freight. If there isnt enough fork lifts to equal the number for dockworkers, that is a management of staffing issue. LIke i said though, if they maintain a clean dock, then getting more forklifts would be smart to accomadate the number of dock workers. I agree that using a fricking pallet jack is time consuming and not efficient, but it is sure more efficient than a guy doing absolutely nothing? isnt it?
 
bigwavemilw said:
If a skid is tilted or the freight is stacked, someone can easily bring down the skids with a forklift, can tthey? How long does that take smart guy? Meanwhile, after the stuff is floor loaded/brought out, etc.... then the person can use the pallet jack and read the bills and move the freight. If there isnt enough fork lifts to equal the number for dockworkers, that is a management of staffing issue. LIke i said though, if they maintain a clean dock, then getting more forklifts would be smart to accomadate the number of dock workers. I agree that using a fricking pallet jack is time consuming and not efficient, but it is sure more efficient than a guy doing absolutely nothing? isnt it?

doh! too late, read my previous post again friend!
 
oh, sorry man

And i come from the supervisory/management side of things....I did work at Conway briefly as a supervisor and from my experience, they are sloppy. But that was just my experience. I hate it when we (management) dont give the guys on the dock enough tools to succeed, b/c if we do then we can hold them all accountable. Breaking a trailer with a pallet jack does suck, but then gain in the afternoons they do get the city return freight back/outbound freight, which is floor loaded...in that case, do you necessarily need a forklift if it is floor loaded? it would be nice, yes, but not necessarily needed.



ANywya, sorry about that...i thought it was directed at me.
 
It's just my opinion that two guys and 1 motor working together are faster than 2 guys and 1 motor and 1 pallet jack working seperately.
 
bigwavemilw said:
And i come from the supervisory/management side of things....I did work at Conway briefly as a supervisor and from my experience, they are sloppy. But that was just my experience. I hate it when we (management) dont give the guys on the dock enough tools to succeed, b/c if we do then we can hold them all accountable. Breaking a trailer with a pallet jack does suck, but then gain in the afternoons they do get the city return freight back/outbound freight, which is floor loaded...in that case, do you necessarily need a forklift if it is floor loaded? it would be nice, yes, but not necessarily needed.



ANywya, sorry about that...i thought it was directed at me.

No problem bro, it was actually pretty funny! Breaking city trailers at a small dock maybe, but the post referred to a linehaul trailer at a large dock.
 
then i would have to agree

Some of those trailers coming in from over the road are a beast....a leaker or two, damaged this and damaged that, and so on........no place for a pallet jack...




just a photo camera, thats all!
 
you must be talking about xin.
but as far as me using a pallet jack the question no way.with a bad ankle and two bad knees i will not use a pallet jack.and I'll tell the fos the same thing and if he/she tell he to use it or punch out I'll just punch out and sit in the break room for my loads.
 
RevItUp said:
It's just my opinion that two guys and 1 motor working together are faster than 2 guys and 1 motor and 1 pallet jack working seperately.

That is my point. If there is an extra man, it will make things go faster to have him be a bill ***** rather that mess with a pallet jack on a 150 door dock.
 
RevItUp said:
It's just my opinion that two guys and 1 motor working together are faster than 2 guys and 1 motor and 1 pallet jack working seperately.
this has been proven time after time.
 
well let me get my 2 cents in here..city drivers may pallet jack a skid from one side of trailer to the other or maybe take a skid of the trailer once in a while BUT they don't drag a 5000 lb skid from 10 door to 155 door at the XIN dock per say. I retired due to a bad back after 17 years with CCX. now go figure !!!!
 
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