Driver unload question

[scdigest]

I found this forum while doing some research for an article we are planning on driver unloading. Actually, it started out as an article on lumper services, and led us the driver unload topic as well.

Hope this is Ok, but would love to talk with someone or exchange email thoughts on this driver unload issue. Seems very prevalent in food/grocery but not in that many other sectors. Is that right? Why do consignees require this? How does the driver/carrier get compensated, whether they unload themselves or use a lumper (which sounds like a racket in many places, from what I can see)?

Would love voice of experience. Thanks. Not sure if you can do a private reply on this forum, but would take private or public comments or contact info.

Dan Gilmore
Supply Chain Digest

[crash935]

Originally Posted by scdigest

Seems very prevalent in food/grocery but not in that many other sectors. Its primarily in the grocery industry.Is that right? Why do consignees require this? Its because the shipper my ship 100 cases on a pallet but the wharehouse recivers racking is spaced so that it will only hold 50 cases per pallet or that the entire load was floor loaded and now needs to be palletizedHow does the driver/carrier get compensated, whether they unload themselves or use a lumper (which sounds like a racket in many places, from what I can see)?driver/carrier gets a receipt from lumper service and submits it with the delivery bill (usually to a broker) to get reimbursed

Would love voice of experience. Thanks. Not sure if you can do a private reply on this forum, but would take private or public comments or contact info.

Dan Gilmore
Supply Chain Digest

In this modern age of technology where $$ can be transfered with just a phone call a driver shouldnt even have to negotiate, deal with, or pay a lumper service. As a past O/O we tried not to deal with loads that required a lumper for a couple of reasons. One being, i did my job a drove it to where it was going, i shouldnt have to pay anyone to get the freight off my trailer. Second, even though we get reimbursed and can show it as an expense, we also had to show it as a profit when we got reimbursed and the tax differance between an expense and income meant i lost $$$ every time.

[medic92]

Feel free to contact me. We unload our own trucks at almost every delivery we make, with a few exceptions. I've dealt with lumpers who get mad because we don't use them, receivers who hate us because of how much time and space our loads take up and everything in between. Send me a PM and I'll give you my phone number if you want.

[ranger309]

Originally Posted by medic92

Feel free to contact me. We unload our own trucks at almost every delivery we make, with a few exceptions. I've dealt with lumpers who get mad because we don't use them, receivers who hate us because of how much time and space our loads take up and everything in between. Send me a PM and I'll give you my phone number if you want.

But then food delivery work like yours and P&D drivers almost always unload their own trailers.

Used to tick me off some of the dirty looks I'd get from lumpers (mostly Mexicans) when I told them my company didnt pay for lumpers and I sure a hell wasn't paying them.

Man was I in good shape back then, tie-highing all those pallets of canned and bottled food goods.

[Cerberus_Kelpie]

I don't mind unloading at a grocery warehouse, it's just that they want to take 24 pallets and turn them into 200, so the lumper/unloading service is contracted.
If no lumper service is available then they best find some people to unload and re stack.
Some food warehouses will not allow drivers beyond the check in point.
Some places will not allow drivers to unload but want drivers to watch and count which I refuse to do because it clearly is stated on my BOLs SLC (shipper load count) and I do not work for the shipper or receiver.
At the warehouses that ALLOW drivers to unload, these places usually allow the drivers the crummiest, worn out equipment.

Grocery warehouses are fine for the drivers that WANT TO DO THESE.
For the rest of US, No Thank You!!

P.S.-- whenever I paid for lumpers and was reimbursed, I NEVER saw it as a profit since I had a receipt. It's NOT A PROFIT since it IS AN EXPENSE FOR WORK RELATED NECESSITY. It's ONLY A PROFIT if you didn't personally pay for it.
It's like Gambling; a specified amount lost (10,000.00) and a specified amount won (10,000.00) isn't profit, it's breaking even. It's NOT INCOME nor is it taxable.

[scdigest]

Medic92, I do not have enough post to PM (tried) but if you could PM me I would love to contact you for more insight.

Dan Gilmore