In the Box

[ihamner]

Not to start a major argument but...
We picked up recently and when the dock door opened the guy loading the freight commented on how clean our box is. He said, "Someone from your company recently picked up here and when we opened the door we were shocked at all the junk in their truck. They had a lot of personal stuff in there including bags of trash and soda bottles. They had to empty out all the junk before we could even start loading the freight."
I was embarrassed that it was someone from my company who represented the company like that. We need to stand back and take a look at the inside of that box and make sure it looks clean and represents our companies well. It makes a statement about us as Expeditors but it also makes a statement about our company. Sweeping out the box and keeping the straps and restraining bars neat and organized will give a good appearance when you are ready to load freight.
India Hamner
FedEx CC
Staying alive is nice, but you can't do that forever. It's HOW you live the life you have while you have it.

 

[themagicoen]

I kept my box clean but the front 2 feet of the 22 foot box was filled with cases among cases of pop and watter. Then my 40# bag's of dog food, then lastly my bike. Most dock workers got a kick out of all the pop and water I carried, I got a REALLY good deal and stocked up. It would tick me off though when a renegade forklift driver would smash into all of it, even though I kept a load bar in front of it. I was at Delphi in TN once and the loader riped my straps off the wall like a lot of us keep them and he told me that they ordered a empty box and it wasn't his fault they were broke.

 

[tec1959]

Great post I agree 100%...Keep up the great job...

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Magic... did dispatch tell you they ordered an empty box? Being a forklift driver, chances are he had no idea what was ordered. So, if you had a smaller box than they ordered, would that preclude them from any damage if he put his forks thru your box? Sorry... he was just a BIT neglegent in his driving.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

 

[raceman]

This is a great post and I am glad someone complimented you on being clean and looking good.
As most of you know I am a dedicated truck. I pick up the same places everyday and this allows me to see many other trucks. If the companies knew what some of the trucks that represent them look like, I would hope they would shut them down. The drivers rarely look better.

For Gods sake atleast take some pride in yourselves if not in your truck. When people see these trucks and drivers it really supports their position on trucks and truck drivers. I see some guys that I know live in their trucks and they still manage to keep themselves clean and the truck clean. Rarely do we hear a compliment but I feel you are to be complimented when you look good and when you truck looks good.It will make a difference.

Good job! Keep it clean and be proud who you are and what you do.

Raceman
Dedicated O/O
OOIDA 741748

 

[TeamCaffee]

Great Post! We have often thought when an unkempt truck pulls into a property and an unkempt person comes in to ask about the freight that the shipper has to be concerned about their product being safe. We expect a premium price to expedite freight we should be as professional as possible, including our appearances and also the trucks appearance.

 

[marvinkwagner]

Yupper

A clean organized box makes for good customer relations.

So does a clean truck, Clean clothes in Uniform hat shirt pants shoes and being well groomed.

Being well groomed (doesnt mean you got to have a butch hair cut neither. Hair combed and if long in a poney tail if your a guy.
see I am out of the box type of guy. At least Im rational.)

HA HA HA Hummor or is that all but gone ;-)

The bosses wife Said the Boss at one time had Hair longer than the Wrestler RICK Flair in the 80s.

His Nick Name was Cave Man.

Have a Safe ONE

Kevin

 

[themagicoen]

Lets not also forget we should keep are sleepers/cab in somewhat-neat manner- were professionals, act/show it.

 

[Broompilot]

It does make a difference Raceman. As for the poster, remember life is to short, you are only responsible for yourself not others.

Make a comment to another company driver, well you might have to watch out for a punch in the nose. MYOB but do not do like they do like I said you are only responsible for yourself.

I have recieved several compliments at a dock, but cannot ever remember a second load cause of how clean my box or truck was. It matters to you but not the customer.

 

[themagicoen]

I will add that most docks/truck stops, anywhere OTR drivers go, most people have came to an understanding that we aren't always going to be in the best personal hygiene. Were hired to pu freight and deliver it, I don't think a customer is going to cancel contract nor think think any differnt of you or the company you represent based on a stinky driver (I'm guilty of that one) or a dirty truck. Not that any or this pertains to this post.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

To a point, you represent the shipper when you deliver. He picked your company (we all know this isn't always the case), therefore his business decisions could be viewed partly on our and the truck's appearance. I'm guilty of the stinky pits, especially last month. I think they understand you can't always get to a shower. But at least carry some de-stink-stick in the truck with you, for just such an emergency

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

 

[cheri1122]

Keeping yourself and your vehicle as clean and neat as possible says: "I respect myself and my vehicle, and I will respect your freight as well" Maybe it won't get you another load from that customer, but it may get one for the carrier, which in turn will benefit you, no?
We can either reinforce the stereotype of drivers as slobs, or we can counteract it. As Robert Earl Keen asks: Which way you gonna go?

 

[Prarysun]

IMHO there is NO excuse for a "stinky" driver with all of the mcdonald's, rest areas, truck stops to clean up in....even if you have no time for a shower, the bathrooms have soap, water. A stick of deoderant is cheap. C'mon people, can't cha stock some wet wipes, a bottle of water to rinse the toothpaste outcher mouth? Cleanliness 101...... We not only represent the company, the customer, we represent ourselves and should have just a little pride in how we smell at least. More than once, I've had to leave a line in a truck stop because the driver in front of me stunk so bad I couldn't hold my breath that long. Hoping he was in line for a shower ticket but alas walked back out of the store trailing pepe' le'pue behind him.... Take some pride in yourself and in your surroundings ie your truck, van trailer etc..... no wonder people stereotype truckers negatively.....




















Dianne

 

[Jefferson3000]

Years ago I ran a local route delivering pharmaceuticals. During the Florida summer heat, I could get pretty sticky from loading and unloading those totes. I never had any complaints, but I started carrying a small bottle of Adidas sports cologne with me in the truck. (Adidas is all about sports. They understand sweat.) Real light stuff but it went a long ways. I got many compliments from the ladies on how good I smelled. I was just trying not to make them run away.

Even if your load dictates that you don't have time to stop and shower, a clean shirt and a squirt of cologne can make all the difference.

Oh yeah, and don't forget it all begins with anti-perspirant.


Drive Safe!

Jeff

 

[Coco]

These are the kinds of attitudes I like to see from people in our business. I like to think we as a group are a step above. Too many times we have ran into drivers that look like they should be on a garbage route.

There is no excuse for uncleanliness.

 

[DanJ]

I think it's a sign of pride in my company and respect for the customer that I drop a clean trailer there every day. I would be embarrassed to have my customer see what our trailers look like after they've been unloaded. Little pieces of cardboard, plastic straps, sometimes contents of boxes that have been smashed (we're a courier company and the trailers are loose loaded from the hubs and there's always going to be damages).

It only takes a minute to sweep the thing out, even though I know the contract isn't riding on it. Although, if one of the managers came down to shipping and went into the trailer to see if something was on the skid, and slipped on something laying on the floor of the trailer, that might stick in their mind when negotiations came up.

 

[panthervanman]

Ive switched loads with a bunch of vans that dont have a seperate sleeping compartment and have to stand there while they move all their crap out of the way.I dont mean just a little bit of stuff either I mean stuff in the front and on the sides of the van.I will stand there with the fork lift driver and we both look in the back of his van while he or she slowly moves stuff that should have been moved and waiting to get the second half of the switch.I don't know how they could live like that,but then I've been over peoples houses and didn't want to touch anything and forget drinking or eating anything there. I guess differant stokes for differant folks. :7 :7 :7 ;-) panthervanman

 

[Turtle]

I've seen some pretty nasty boxes, trash and junk floating all over the place, but some of the cargo vans are the absolute worst. You open up the back and it looks like someone is living in there and they will occasionally make room for a skid or two, but only just enough room.

And while it's certainly true that we live in there and sometimes carry freight, the van should look just the opposite, that it's designed to carry freight and we can also live in there.

When I have freight on my van, the entire cargo area needs to look like it's dedicated to safely and securely hauling that freight. I've got a one-foot high wall (9-feet, made from ESB board) running the entire length of either side of the decking, just inside the wheel wells. That not only protects the wheel wells, but it helps guide freight into place, and provides a place to neatly store stuff.

I have a living space (Sprinter) with no bulkhead, so I make sure it's clean, neat and organized, as well. I have a permanent bunk between the living space and the cargo area, and I even make the bed, which is usually mainly just straightening the sleeping bag, before I pickup or deliver. At Wal Mart I get these little 4 gallon trash bags, about the same size bag that you'd get at checkout at Wal Mart or a convenience store, and even those are tossed into the trash before I pickup or deliver. Being in a cargo van in which I live, and especially in a relatively unusual vehicle like a Sprinter, I will often have people want to check out the inside. So while people understand drivers having to give up showers, even if I haven't shaved for 3 days, the van is gonna look clean and professional.

Even if I'm Spic-n-Spanned, if the van looks like Hell, people are gonna worry about their freight. But no matter what condition I'm in, as long as the van looks like it's ready, willing and able to safely carry their freight, that's what they care about.

I need to get some pictures up here, huh.

 

[Dreamer]

You all make excellent points, and I'm glad to see we have the cream of the crop here who knows what professionalism is all about.

I think it's a bit easier for truck drivers to keep the box clean, but my pet peeve has always been the trashy vans.

It takes more time and ingenuity to organize a van, but it can be done. Put shelves on the sides, cabinets, even 5 gallon buckets with lids. Anything is better than looking like a trash bin.

Nothing gives a worse impression than a van opens up, and there goes trash blowing across the lot, empty pop bottles roll out.. or even worse... theres a yellow jug sitting there....



Dreamer
Forums Administrator

 

[BigBuzd1]

>These are the kinds of attitudes I like to see from people
>in our business. I like to think we as a group are a step
>above. Too many times we have ran into drivers that look
>like they should be on a garbage route.
>
>There is no excuse for uncleanliness.



Hey NOW!!! I take offense to that one there!! (not really)It's like those commercials that say..."so easy a caveman can do it" and the caveman gets offended. lol those are funny as hell!!
I drove and slung trash on a route by myself for a year b4 coming out on the road and I would still be invited into my customers homes for a "quick cold drink" or "sit down and let me make you a quick lunch" And I was doing that in FLORIDA.
It's all about taking care of yourself and having PRIDE in what you look like, was I sweaty? YEAH! did I stink? NO, because I know what products work for me to keep me from stinking on a hot day...

But as for the box..I have one of those little iceboxes, a box with packing blankets and straps, a couple fishing poles, AND A BROOM!

But you nailed it right on the head..."There is no excuse for uncleanliness!"