Freight company destroyed my shipment - what do you think happened

vwparts · #1 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 09:52 PM

I ship engines and transmission a few times a month. I've rarely had anything damage. Maybe one time before this.

It was an auto trans from a VW Passat. Set on a small tire on a standard pallet. The trans was strapped down with around 8 metal zip ties and stretch wrapped to the pallet very tight.

The customer got the trans with large chunks broken off. The pallet was completely missing and the trans was delivered with nothing else on it.

Anyone have any idea what could have happened? If I truck is wrecked does the company still deliver the damaged freight? Wouldn't I have some kind of notifcation?

grocery thrower · #2 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwparts

I ship engines and transmission a few times a month. I've rarely had anything damage. Maybe one time before this.

It was an auto trans from a VW Passat. Set on a small tire on a standard pallet. The trans was strapped down with around 8 metal zip ties and stretch wrapped to the pallet very tight.

The customer got the trans with large chunks broken off. The pallet was completely missing and the trans was delivered with nothing else on it.

Anyone have any idea what could have happened? If I truck is wrecked does the company still deliver the damaged freight? Wouldn't I have some kind of notifcation?

Probably someone on the dock that couldn't get his forks in the pallet and was to lazy to get off the lift and move the forks in/out, got pissed and tore the crap out of it, I have seen it a hundred times. I need to buy a new hood for my turck, thats the very reason I won't buy it, it will have to ship truck freight, in 7 years in LTL, I'm not sure I ever saw a hood shipped that didn't have some sort of damage at the end of the line.
I will never ship anything LTL unless its crated in wood thick enough that forks can't destroy it, even then if the right guy comes along it will still get destroyed, some of those guys could tear up an anvil with a tack hammer.

vwparts · #3 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 11:43 PM

I ship hoods regularly with greyhound. It is the only carrier I have found that won't damage a hood. It runs about 80 bucks.

I filed a claim on the damaged trans, but I have a good feeling I am going to get the shaft. Bad part is the buyer doesn't speak english and filed a chargeback before even contacting me about the damage. I would have just sent him another trans.

pro1driver · #4 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwparts

I ship engines and transmission a few times a month. I've rarely had anything damage. Maybe one time before this.

It was an auto trans from a VW Passat. Set on a small tire on a standard pallet. The trans was strapped down with around 8 metal zip ties and stretch wrapped to the pallet very tight.

The customer got the trans with large chunks broken off. The pallet was completely missing and the trans was delivered with nothing else on it.

Anyone have any idea what could have happened? If I truck is wrecked does the company still deliver the damaged freight? Wouldn't I have some kind of notifcation?

well not knowing who you used for this shipment, all i can say is that i too worked for an LTL company and the dock guys can be and are, animals. they will push, shove, slide, jam, butt, whatever it takes to get the freight into the trailer. and if something doesn't fit right, they jam it some more....

i too have seen hoods come out of my former employer's trailers.......cracked, broken, useless. i too have seen engines, transmissions, doors, trunks, you name it, they were always damaged...

yes, a fully crated boxed shipped would be more expensive, but in the end, worth every dollar spent.

you know, you could also make a "tee-pee" of sorts to make your next shipment. the flat one on the ground, then one on each side, like a tee-pee. first, secure the part to the bottom pallet. then attach the sides securely. shrink wrap all of it, even including the shrink wrap you did on the part itself to the ground pallet.......this is not any guarantee, but it at least makes sure nothing can be placed on top of your parts either....

that's what could have happened as well. they "double stacked" on top of your pallet...remember, dock workers are animals. they do not care. they get yelled at if the freight stays on the docks, and not in the trailers....

grocery thrower · #5 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 12:47 AM

Thats a good idea pro1, making sure that its odd shaped enough where they can't stack on top, and heavy enough where they cant manhandle it to easy. I have often wondered why customers shipped things the way they do, especially those expensive aircraft parts, a little foam paper and cardboard, then wonder how it got damaged.

vwparts, thanks for the greyhound tip, the place I want to buy my hood from is in southeast missouri, if it goes by freight it could go through a minimum of 1 hub, possibly 2 hubs, that means it will have to be handled and put in a proper trailer for the end of line destination. I am going to call them and ask them if they can ship it greyhound, shipping is the only thing holding me back, I would pay double if I could be assured it wouldn't arrive damaged, thats not possible though.

vwparts · #6 (**permalink**) 08-25-2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grocery thrower

Thats a good idea pro1, making sure that its odd shaped enough where they can't stack on top, and heavy enough where they cant manhandle it to easy. I have often wondered why customers shipped things the way they do, especially those expensive aircraft parts, a little foam paper and cardboard, then wonder how it got damaged.

vwparts, thanks for the greyhound tip, the place I want to buy my hood from is in southeast missouri, if it goes by freight it could go through a minimum of 1 hub, possibly 2 hubs, that means it will have to be handled and put in a proper trailer for the end of line destination. I am going to call them and ask them if they can ship it greyhound, shipping is the only thing holding me back, I would pay double if I could be assured it wouldn't arrive damaged, thats not possible though.

That is a good idea with the TP. you would only need two boards. Although I have rarely had an engine or trans damaged, so I am not sure if I want to go to that extent. I do have a lot of used tires that I have to pay to get rid of. Maybe I should try stretch wrapping those in a TP shape over the part.

The company was dayton freight. I called them a couple times, but they disconnected me 4 times in a row when I get transferred to claims dept.

grocery thrower - what type of hood are you wanting? when we ship them with greyhound we put the hood in two bicycle boxes with some padding and they never get damaged. We also stick labels on the boxes that say Do Not Drop, Do Not Crush