ABF | Sleds Used At Customer Docks

stpinindy

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This idea of loading a sled and then being able to push a trailer load of freight into a trailer in a couple minutes could mean not needing trailers left at customer locations. Has it been tried? I assume not because they could add danger to an untrained dock worker.
 
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This idea of loading a sled and then being able to push a trailer load of freight into a trailer in a couple minutes could mean not needing trailers left at customer locations. Has it been tried? I assume not because they could add danger to an untrained dock worker.
The customer would need the forklift attachment to unload the sled wouldn’t they? They don’t just slide on with a forklift.
 
The benefit as some of us see it, would be to take a trailer with a sled on it to a customer that has extremely "ugly" freight and let them load them so we could pull them out on our dock to unload it. Coverstar who makes pool covers that are 20' long, Draper Shade who makes movie screens and such. I'm sure all around the system there are such shippers but we have been told these can't go to customers because they don't want our competition to see them and steal our idea "lol" Even though they are posted on the web
 
Sac75 yes they would need that to unload them but you can put a dock plate on them and drive right on. So they wouldn't remove it to unload the trailer.
 
Sac75 yes they would need that to unload them but you can put a dock plate on them and drive right on. So they wouldn't remove it to unload the trailer.
I’ve never even seen one in real life so I definitely don’t know how they work. Was just guessing.
 
The benefit as some of us see it, would be to take a trailer with a sled on it to a customer that has extremely "ugly" freight and let them load them so we could pull them out on our dock to unload it. Coverstar who makes pool covers that are 20' long, Draper Shade who makes movie screens and such. I'm sure all around the system there are such shippers but we have been told these can't go to customers because they don't want our competition to see them and steal our idea "lol" Even though they are posted on the web
We used to send LJ to Drapper every day. And pull @ least a set or more out of there. Sometimes LJ would have them load a trailer direct to Dayton, bringing back all their hand freight to 050 so the evening shift could handle it. Not a fun job. von.
 
In a case as Drapper , it would be in the companies best interest to take a loading machine and teach and qualify at least 2 of their loaders to use them. The money ABF would save in damages and handling time through delivery would more then pay for the machine. Just this lowly retired driver/dock man's HO. Of course you would need to ask someone from the p/u center if they have the room to use and load from the side.
 
In a case as Drapper , it would be in the companies best interest to take a loading machine and teach and qualify at least 2 of their loaders to use them. The money ABF would save in damages and handling time through delivery would more then pay for the machine. Just this lowly retired driver/dock man's HO. Of course you would need to ask someone from the p/u center if they have the room to use and load from the side.
Of course that presumes a "willing" customer. We are here to serve their needs and care must be taken to not seem like we are too needy. From the customer perspective: I pay you to haul the freight, why do you want to put all this crap on my already crowded dock. It would have to be a pretty diplomatic undertaking to get this done.
 
Of course that presumes a "willing" customer. We are here to serve their needs and care must be taken to not seem like we are too needy. From the customer perspective: I pay you to haul the freight, why do you want to put all this crap on my already crowded dock. It would have to be a pretty diplomatic undertaking to get this done.
I am sure our ArcBest sales reps are being trained in the right procedure....and also working on drone delivery..
 
Of course that presumes a "willing" customer. We are here to serve their needs and care must be taken to not seem like we are too needy. From the customer perspective: I pay you to haul the freight, why do you want to put all this crap on my already crowded dock. It would have to be a pretty diplomatic undertaking to get this done.
That is where the salesman needs to do his job. Selling what we do , or were known to do, handle freight damage free and show the customer a better way. They used to have a team, who would come to your center, see your problem freight and come up with a better way to package or handle then go to the customer and sell it. Did they always sell it, No but at least they tried. They no longer try
 
Sac75 yes they would need that to unload them but you can put a dock plate on them and drive right on. So they wouldn't remove it to unload the trailer.
What about docks that don’t have the hydraulic cylinders underneath that helps the flat dock plate just flip out to meet the trailer floor? A lot of docks I’ve bumped just have the ones you physically move to bridge the gap between the dock and the trailer, and they usually have a ‘high wall’ on the sides which would make pushing the sled into the trailer a real problem. This sled thing just gets better and better!
 
That is where the salesman needs to do his job. Selling what we do , or were known to do, handle freight damage free and show the customer a better way. They used to have a team, who would come to your center, see your problem freight and come up with a better way to package or handle then go to the customer and sell it. Did they always sell it, No but at least they tried. They no longer try
Seems they haven’t been ‘trying’ for years. We handled some ridiculous freight at my old terminal...NEVER saw this ‘team’ you’re referring to. The results? You guessed it...damage claims up the wazoo for this account! WE were the ones trying to come up with different ways to handle it. Finally, the account gave up on us! We partied for days after that announcement.
 
050 used to haul Carrier furnaces out of Indy. Highest revenue freight to ABF. But the claims were so high they finally stopped hauling it. Carrier loaded it right, but we had to break it back @ the terminal & that is when the damage happened or on the other end. von.
 
050 used to haul Carrier furnaces out of Indy. Highest revenue freight to ABF. But the claims were so high they finally stopped hauling it. Carrier loaded it right, but we had to break it back @ the terminal & that is when the damage happened or on the other end. von.

There are some guys on TB who brag about how they deliberately damage freight because they are annoyed at something or another.
 
That is where the salesman needs to do his job. Selling what we do , or were known to do, handle freight damage free and show the customer a better way. They used to have a team, who would come to your center, see your problem freight and come up with a better way to package or handle then go to the customer and sell it. Did they always sell it, No but at least they tried. They no longer try
what about the "saleswoman doing her job?" my,my, my...better use the "gender neutral"--account rep, acct representative, account manager (my bad--can't use MANager anymore)...oh well...can't offend anyone...any other terms that are politically correct??
 
I would never suggest a customer remove a sled from a trailer. If a sled is in the trailer a regular dock plate lands right on top of it. In which case you can drive a forklift on it or hand load freight on it just like Draper does. In the case of Draper if they load it on the sleds and we unload the sled at our dock, we could move it from the side and cause less damage.

Trucker 206... I could never see an example where a sled would ever be moved unless at an ABF terminal.
 
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