XPO | Re-Training on how to load trailers

[radman]

Increase the numbers of pures. Load pups to the farthest point possible. Reduce the amount of handling and like magic, the damages and claims will to. We load and unload 3 and 4 times, sometimes more, between pickup and delivery. It boggles my mind.

 

[DSR86]

I'm a DWT(dock worker trainer). It's a five to ten minute conversation where you confirm that you understand OB53, the SWI for loading a safestack trailer. They told us the accountability part of this is coming hard and fast. Will it be perfect? Probably not but it's better than doing nothing, there's always room for improvement. In order to do it right people have to have three things. The Knowledge, the skill, and the will. This simply verifies the knowledge part. Knowledge and skill can be trained. Will is a different matter and its my understanding those people will be identified. The bigger part of this program is actually about standardizing the process of onboarding new hires. Dock workers and drivers alike. A problem has been that some terminals were doing 2 days of training, others were doing a week. Some kept you with someone others threw ya to the wolves so to speak. It's now standard, 3 days with the driver trainer doing videos, paperwork, and power points. Then 6 days on the dock with the dock worker trainer, regardless of whether your a dock worker or driver. First 2 days are no freight handling, trainee runs the handheld, learns about and assists with dropping decks, and freight securement with focus on proper procedure and WHY. Next 2 days trainee operates the forklift and handles the freight while the trainer operates the handheld, trainee still helps and learns about decks, dunnage, securement, etc. Last 2 days trainne does both freight handling and handheld with supervision of trainer. Towards the end of this training the trainee is asked to teach information back to the trainer to test knowledge and increase retention. The last day of the second week if the new hire is a dock worker they spend that day out with a p&d driver. The goal is to reduce damages by 9 million.

The only thing I totally agree with is the ride along with a p&d driver. Dock workers NEED to see the end result of the freights journey...especially when it's damaged.

 

[BIG R GUY]

I Iike your point NF relative freight being damaged while still on the dock. And this issue certainly needs to be addressed if damages are going to be curtailed in a more extensive way...for sure. I haven't had the mandatory loading briefing yet, and I'll bet that the dock guys,(non drivers),were not called out specifically on the following point: That is, management should come right out and tell dock guys..."load p&D runs as if you were the driver who had to present these shipments, that you loaded, to the customers at their docks." Why would this kind of admonition help overall production, improvement on claims, and overall profitability? Let me take a swing at just a few obvious ways of potential improvement. 1) P&D loads should be loaded in order, not just putting freight into a truck any old which way just to hurry up and get another MM to one's credit. There is nothing more frustrating for a P&D guy to show up at a consignee's dock and have multiple shipments on board for a customer only to learn that one shipment is on the tail and one buried in the nose. 2) narrow plts. should be put on good plts that would receiver a normal plt jack. Not all DSR's have narrow jacks.3) Recouping: Shipments that are torn up , falling over, ripped open need to be fixed by however means ,( tape, shrink wrap, etc.), so that when presenting shipments to consignees, there will be a greater chance that that customer will accept their freight . 4) Securing shipments: Just the other day I had a two swps that were decked up and not secured w/ no plywood between them. When I got to the consignee's dock...the top swp had fallen down w/ newspaper advertisement inserts scattered all over the floor. It took about half an hour to recoup this mess and of course the consignee refused that plt. And management wonders why we have excessive 'dwell times' at certain stops.

Bottom line...dock guys need to get the big picture as what we are and do as a delivery company. They should be educated that their reason for working the dock at XPO is not just to make a pay check.

As far as o/b loading goes...I can't speak about it cause I go home after my P&D run , but I'll bet that there is a ton of improvement that can be had there too.

Why doesn't corporate set up some kind of training, extensive training school, on the how to and why freight must be loaded properly? I just don't get why not!!!

Just a question Vet. Do you guys get to look at your load before you leave if it was loaded for you? Newspaper inserts, double stacked? If that is what you mean, then yes, no common sense loading freight = damage.

 

[micshol]

The only thing I totally agree with is the ride along with a p&d driver. Dock workers NEED to see the end result of the freights journey...especially when it's damaged.

Exactly, the people that came up with the training program took input from all over. They don't want them out with a gravy volume run either. Supposed to be with someone with several stops and possibly some wrecked freight so they can see the customers reaction.

 

[vetran peddleman]

It's funny how there are two camps.

One is, we are all invincible. Drivers are a commodity. Do nothing and get paid for it.

The other is, numbers are everything to this guy. Either pull your weight or you are gone.

I wonder who will be right ?

Hey HS ... I agree w/ you on this issue. I have always maintained that our company runs on a 'I look after me 1st' philosophy. The end result of this philosophy is that everybody only cares about covering their own backsides...it's every man for himself. Bottom line...there is no sense of actually reaching a targeted goal together as a one well oiled team...namely servicing our customers w/ quality service. Its all hurry up, hurry up and just do what you're told.

 

[vetran peddleman]

Just a question Vet. Do you guys get to look at your load before you leave if it was loaded for you? Newspaper inserts, double stacked? If that is what you mean, then yes, no common sense loading freight = damage.

Yeah BRG...we get to look at our runs before we hit the street, and yes maybe I didn't look at my load as good as I should have. Apparently I'm too trusting of my loader to load my unit right to begin with...(BIG MISTAKE). I guess I've been too brainwashed w/ having too much 'excessive dwell time' before I actually leave our yard. We got chewed on the other day that our dwell times have increased to an unacceptable level after our loads were closed. Sooooooooooo... instead of worrying about EDT, now I'll start worrying about
improperly loaded runs. Going forward, I guess I'll just have to take how ever much time that is needed to ensure that my load is loaded right before
I go out and hook. Next week it will be back to worrying about excessive dwell time after my loads are closed.

Seems to me that being fast is the only thing that this company cares about. Why do I say that? Well if things are going to be done right, then that is just going to require a little more time to make sure that things actually are done right... inspite of the hurry up mentality that's continually heaped upon our backs.

 

[vetran peddleman]

I'm a DWT(dock worker trainer). It's a five to ten minute conversation where you confirm that you understand OB53, the SWI for loading a safestack trailer. They told us the accountability part of this is coming hard and fast. Will it be perfect? Probably not but it's better than doing nothing, there's always room for improvement. In order to do it right people have to have three things. The Knowledge, the skill, and the will. This simply verifies the knowledge part. Knowledge and skill can be trained. Will is a different matter and its my understanding those people will be identified. The bigger part of this program is actually about standardizing the process of onboarding new hires. Dock workers and drivers alike. A problem has been that some terminals were doing 2 days of training, others were doing a week. Some kept you with someone others threw ya to the wolves so to speak. It's now standard, 3 days with the driver trainer doing videos, paperwork, and power points. Then 6 days on the dock with the dock worker trainer, regardless of whether your a dock worker or driver. First 2 days are no freight handling, trainee runs the handheld, learns about and assists with dropping decks, and freight securement with focus on proper procedure and WHY. Next 2 days trainee operates the forklift and handles the freight while the trainer operates the handheld, trainee still helps and learns about decks, dunnage, securement, etc. Last 2 days trainne does both freight handling and handheld with supervision of trainer. Towards the end of this training the trainee is asked to teach information back to the trainer to test knowledge and increase retention. The last day of the second week if the new hire is a dock worker they spend that day out with a p&d driver. The goal is to reduce damages by 9 million.

Thank goodness for your efforts 'Micshol.' Are you just a DWT or both a DWT and a DRS too? The reason that I ask is cause if you are also a driver you can add real value to your DWT classes w/ real delivery experience situations. You can bring real examples of problems that you have had on the street and can use them to teach new guys why we want freight loaded correctly.

Good luck in teaching the new dock guys cause it's really needed... especially if we're going to go after more freight, (economy frt.) in the future.

 

[Fly-by-night]

I'm a DWT(dock worker trainer)

Holy this company has more acronyms then the military. DWT has to be new I never heard that one yet.

Then I must be a DSR/DW/DYJ/DM
You all know the first two
DYJ (driver yard jockey)
DM (driver mechanic)

 

[dalesr]

Holy this company has more acronyms then the military. DWT has to be new I never heard that one yet.

Then I must be a DSR/DW/DYJ/DM
You all know the first two
DYJ (driver yard jockey)
DM (driver mechanic)

Don't forget SME and the good old QCL! I don't know what it stood for, but QCL sounds like DWT to me. What we need, imo, is a ball buster of sorts to walk the outbound and fac dock and take names of non conformers, as well as train. You know who you are! When I did this job on our outbound, it was purely for educational purposes, not discipline. I think it made for better loads, less claims and better overall dock workers. You need the right person in this job. If not, it only makes things worse!

 

[BIG R GUY]

Yeah BRG...we get to look at our runs before we hit the street, and yes maybe I didn't look at my load as good as I should have. Apparently I'm too trusting of my loader to load my unit right to begin with...(BIG MISTAKE). I guess I've been too brainwashed w/ having too much 'excessive dwell time' before I actually leave our yard. We got chewed on the other day that our dwell times have increased to an unacceptable level after our loads were closed. Sooooooooooo... instead of worrying about EDT, now I'll start worrying about
improperly loaded runs. Going forward, I guess I'll just have to take how ever much time that is needed to ensure that my load is loaded right before
I go out and hook. Next week it will be back to worrying about excessive dwell time after my loads are closed.

Seems to me that being fast is the only thing that this company cares about. Why do I say that? Well if things are going to be done right, then that is just going to require a little more time to make sure that things actually are done right... inspite of the hurry up mentality that's continually heaped upon our backs.

I know some of your peddle guys that run your of xls. Their words echo yours on hurry,hurry,hurry. For the most part, I load my own peddle ever morning but sometimes if slow, they have someone load it. When that happens I jump on a jeep and run down and check how it is loaded. If super says anything, I tell him I don't have anyone pre trip my truck or my load. Once I leave the gate I have accepted full responsibility for that freight, just like the truck and trailer. If anything gets dumped over, or shifts, they will be on my rear first, and not accept you trying to say I didn't load it. Cover your self always. Haz mat or not.

 

[catchTHErabbit]

There's only two dock workers that work the fac there, so you must be talking about drivers that run into there right?

yup,and you know the 3 main terminals that work there as well ! our swingset makers pays top dollar to us, those swing sets cost minimum 20k to max of 50k and those yahoos are dragging em on floor with the forks

 

[catchTHErabbit]

but the bad behavior continues and the problem becomes the person that complains about the bad driver , supervisor , or manager

BOY do i have a story for you to hear!!!!!!!!

 

[catchTHErabbit]

Increase the numbers of pures. Load pups to the farthest point possible. Reduce the amount of handling and like magic, the damages and claims will to. We load and unload 3 and 4 times, sometimes more, between pickup and delivery. It boggles my mind.

and i doubt they took the time to see if damages came from safe-stacks vs sub standards

 

[Northern Flash]

Going forward, I guess I'll just have to take how ever much time that is needed to ensure that my load is loaded right before
I go out and hook. Next week it will be back to worrying about excessive dwell time after my loads are closed.

I usually call any "training" or "meetings" the flavor of the month.
What happens is, the big dogs put the hammer down on the terminals for a specific number getting out of whack, so the terminals have meetings or re-training sessions to try to fix the problem. They'll focus on that for a week or two, then the big dogs put the hammer down on some other issue that's out of whack, then the terminals react by more training or meetings to say that "they're addressing the problem". Then the cycle repeats itself........with the new "flavor of the month".
It's often more of a dog and pony show than it is problem solving.

 

[Northern Flash]

Stay out of my way, get out from under my feet, stop telling me to do :::: that you think is better when it's not... if I need you, I'll find you.

This isn't rocket science.

Something that I've always found comical is to hear/watch two know-it-alls try loading (and supposedly help each other) to load the same trailer. They spend more time arguing and debating where to put each piece than they do actually loading the damn trailer.
Over the decades, I been instructed to team up with someone to load a load. (I'm on the forklift) After the know-it-all on foot finally starts getting under my skin and wants to change the plan that I had in my head for each piece, I end up saying "who's running this forklift, me or you"? I've said the same thing to management that was standing over my shoulder.
"There's more than one way to make a perfect load, so shut the hell up".
I don't like being a (Richard), but I'm also not going to sit and debate where to put each piece.

 

[Northern Flash]

Holy this company has more acronyms then the military. DWT has to be new I never heard that one yet.

Then I must be a DSR/DW/DYJ/DM
You all know the first two
DYJ (driver yard jockey)
DM (driver mechanic)

Now you've got my eyes spinning.............

 

[Northern Flash]

yup,and you know the 3 main terminals that work there as well ! our swingset makers pays top dollar to us, those swing sets cost minimum 20k to max of 50k and those yahoos are dragging em on floor with the forks

If the drivers see this, it's safe to assume that supervision has also seen it. WTH?
If supervision is too cowardly to address this problem, they should be flipping burgers instead.

 

[ConwayDSR]

If the drivers see this, it's safe to assume that supervision has also seen it. WTH?
If supervision is too cowardly to address this problem, they should be flipping burgers instead.

How is it that it seems like we all work at the same terminal? I didn't really think this company was the same way I see it all over the country but I'm convinced.

I really don't see how Con-way/XPO LTL is going to continue staying in business at this rate. I mean Con-way was making a profit so I guess people are dealing with all this stuff but I know I wouldn't as a customer.

Trucks and trailers get beat all to hell along with the forklifts and handhelds.

My ear is aching now from the screeching of a newbie dragging the landing gear 10ft and dragging the brakes. I can't imagine how many trailers our mechanics would actually need to adjust the brakes on if they were looked at. An easy extra 20+ minutes everyday if you go have the brakes adjusted manually at the shop! But they are self-adjusting.. I can't imagine dragging them 10ft is easy on emr helps them self-adjust.


Up above whoever said this company is about protecting ones self first is spot on.

 

[Northern Flash]

How is it that it seems like we all work at the same terminal? I didn't really think this company was the same way I see it all over the country but I'm convinced.

It's actually the same at every COMPANY, not just at every terminal at XPO. From what I've gathered from drivers at nearly every other company......it's all the same everywhere.
Just change the company name, and the same stories will fit perfectly.

 

[micshol]

Thank goodness for your efforts 'Micshol.' Are you just a DWT or both a DWT and a DRS too? The reason that I ask is cause if you are also a driver you can add real value to your DWT classes w/ real delivery experience situations. You can bring real examples of problems that you have had on the street and can use them to teach new guys why we want freight loaded correctly.

Good luck in teaching the new dock guys cause it's really needed... especially if we're going to go after more freight, (economy frt.) in the future.

I am actually a Dock Worker myself. Been here 4 years. 3 on outbound and 1 on inbound. I have been out with a driver myself and seen first hand. Had dock pickups refused a few times to.