AMonger
Veteran Expediter
I run a regular shuttle from our customer to one of theirs about 45 minutes away. Live unload, back for another. Another guy from my company runs the overflow on nights when there is any.
I noticed for quite some time that, even if I get to the dock ahead of him, he's almost always unloaded before me. I figured, "Well, maybe they just like him better. We all like who we like, and that's just how it is."
But then one night, when he opened his doors, I saw him put a McDonalds bag in the back of the trailer before backing in. "Oh, a bribe! I see," I thought, but I still refused to take part, even after the dock guys started dropping hints about how a cold Coke would be nice in such a hot day, or how tired they were and how a cup of coffee would be good now. Then there was also hints about donuts. I ignored them for a few weeks.
But then I got to thinking about how busy they were at the dock shortly before Christmas, when they go from just a few trucks a night to a few dozen, and I thought maybe having some favor wouldn't be a bad thing. So now I stop at Dunkin' Donuts on the way in a couple nights a week, or get them some coffee or soda when I stop for fuel. One night, I brought chicken for dinner and have them a couple pieces. Made a huge difference. Now I'm unloaded immediately.
The other guy from my company, they call him Vato Loco. Me, they call Menso, which means silly or goofy. So last night, they told him, "Vato Loco, you're not number one any more. Now Menso is number one! He brought us a whole chicken dinner." Which wasn't quite true, seeing as it was just a couple pieces, but they're trying to parlay coffee & donuts bribery into surf & turf bribery
So now Vato Loco is probably going to bring them a steak, and I have to come up with something to stay ahead of him. Ribs, maybe, home cooked.
I noticed for quite some time that, even if I get to the dock ahead of him, he's almost always unloaded before me. I figured, "Well, maybe they just like him better. We all like who we like, and that's just how it is."
But then one night, when he opened his doors, I saw him put a McDonalds bag in the back of the trailer before backing in. "Oh, a bribe! I see," I thought, but I still refused to take part, even after the dock guys started dropping hints about how a cold Coke would be nice in such a hot day, or how tired they were and how a cup of coffee would be good now. Then there was also hints about donuts. I ignored them for a few weeks.
But then I got to thinking about how busy they were at the dock shortly before Christmas, when they go from just a few trucks a night to a few dozen, and I thought maybe having some favor wouldn't be a bad thing. So now I stop at Dunkin' Donuts on the way in a couple nights a week, or get them some coffee or soda when I stop for fuel. One night, I brought chicken for dinner and have them a couple pieces. Made a huge difference. Now I'm unloaded immediately.
The other guy from my company, they call him Vato Loco. Me, they call Menso, which means silly or goofy. So last night, they told him, "Vato Loco, you're not number one any more. Now Menso is number one! He brought us a whole chicken dinner." Which wasn't quite true, seeing as it was just a couple pieces, but they're trying to parlay coffee & donuts bribery into surf & turf bribery
So now Vato Loco is probably going to bring them a steak, and I have to come up with something to stay ahead of him. Ribs, maybe, home cooked.
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