How far will you go?

Streakn1 · Jan 29, 2008

How far will you go to accommadate a customer's Courier regardless of the length of the run? Do you have a single or double bunk sleeper? What if dispatch said the customer required that the drivers provide a bed for the courier to sleep in, regardless of the driver(s) having a bed availible for their use or not? You would not be allowed to do the run if the courier was not accommadated.

Yes, this was a real customer's requirement that we chose to decline. What about you? Whos in your bed? LOL

LDB · Jan 29, 2008

If it's Christie Brinkley I might accomodate, otherwise forget it. Seriously though, we don't have that situation but it would be marginal for me to even have them in the cab riding along much less anything else.

jaminjim · Jan 29, 2008

You can bet some idiot took the load.

Jefferson3000 · Jan 29, 2008

Throw your sleeping bag into the box w/ the freight and say, "There's your bed."

ATeam · Jan 29, 2008

If a courrier wants a bed for a longer, multi-night or overnight straight-through trip, it would be best for the courrier to rent an RV to be used as an escort vehicle and hire people to drive it. Truck sleeper space belongs to and is needed by the driver and co-driver. The courrier's place is strapped in, in the passenger seat. It is no different for a courrier on overseas flights that take a day or more (with connecting flights). They get a seat on the plane, not a bed. We are not in the motor coach business. Courriers that expect otherwise will be disappointed.

nightcreacher · Jan 29, 2008

as when we talked on the phone,if its a must for the courier to have a bed,and army cot in the trailer,with a sleeping bag should work fine.There is no way you can run over 600 miles,and log with out one of you in the bunk,and i dont think sleeping with a stranger is going to work for either one of you.

Streakn1 · Jan 29, 2008

OK, I know that like us, some of you out there recently traded off your older double bunk sleeper trucks for a new single bunk arrangement. If you were so inclined in the older truck, the extra bunk could be offered up to a courier. I guess single bunk sleepers will not work for some couriers in the future. We don't carry sleeping bags or extra blankets, no need for the extra bulk and weight on-board as I see it.

Fr8 Shaker · Jan 29, 2008

I don't understand, Why is it that you would have this so called courier with you anyway?
If they are a courier why then wouldn't they just take their own vechicle?

greg334 · Jan 29, 2008

Sorry but the courier will have to find his/her own way to the place I am going to. Unless it is a mandated thing, like a government load, there is no way anyone would be in the truck with me - my private space and all that.

There is one exception, if the pay is $10 a mile all miles, I might consider it because I can then get a hotel room and let them sleep in the box of the truck. I will even run the reefer unit for them to keep warm

davekc · Jan 29, 2008

Have to agree. I wouldn't want the responsibility or the potential smelly feet on one of my beds. Not even a option.
If the load paid enough, it should have enough for the courier to rent a car and follow.

Fr8 Shaker · Jan 30, 2008

Ahem, I repeat.

I don't understand, Why is it that you would have this so called courier with you anyway?
If they are a courier why then wouldn't they just take their own vechicle?

Jefferson3000 · Jan 30, 2008

In the case of the art community, a courier may be the handler for the artwork, ie. an employee of the customer.

Fr8 Shaker · Jan 30, 2008

I see, thanks for filling me in.

arkjarhead · Jan 30, 2008

Oh so it had to do with art work. I guess he could picture himself asleep in the passenger seat.

cheri1122 · Jan 30, 2008

If they're gonna provide a 'guest', then they need to provide a guest room, too, cause I don't have one

TeamCaffee · Jan 30, 2008

If you are going to run the high dollar art work then a courier is going to come with it. You make the choice to take the load with the courier. The pay is good on those loads so most people decide to put up with a courier. For most people the pay is to good to just say no. There are horror stories both ways on how the courier acts to how a courier was treated.

nightcreacher · Jan 30, 2008

I told them i would buy a cot,put it in the sleeper part of there truck,theres plenty of room.now the courier has their own bed,and if the load pay was high enough,id even sleep on the cot

Streakn1 · Jan 31, 2008

There's an assumption that I'm talking about a certain commodity in this thread. I'm speaking in general about any commodity that has an on-board courier.

Although I feel for anyone that has to climb into a truck with total strangers and sit for days in a passenger seat, it is NOT my responsibility to provide them a bed, at any price! The idea of a free standing cot could be an option until an accident occurs. Now I see the potentual for a HUGE financial responsibility for the owner if the courier is injured.Is any amount of pay worth taking that risk?

I will provide the courier a comfortable seat with a seatbelt, nothing more. My job is to haul freight safely, not to be an operator of a rolling Bed and Breakfast!

arkjarhead · Jan 31, 2008

I guess you could charge them 50 bucks a night like a motel does.

davekc · Jan 31, 2008

$50 dollar motel would be the least of my worries. I wouldn't want the liability or responsibility of a third party in my truck.
Their isn't a load, art work or otherwise that would even come close to cover that potential liability.
That would only be a fools game.