"LATE" delivery?

NTHEWIND · May 30, 2012

I just can't believe that we were 'charged' with a late delivery on a little short run we did on a Friday of this month. The run picked up in Philadelphia (area), PA going to York, PA, 81 miles of 2 lane backroads, bumper to bumper Friday traffic. There was no way we were going to make the original pickup/delivery times when we took the load and was told to do the best we could this was ASAP PU/DEL, the customer would wait on us and get us unloaded. After we got loaded they allowed us 2 (two) hours to do the run, (yea 2 hours, look at the route!). We did the run straight thru without stopping and it took 2.5 hours. BECAUSE I did not CALL in and let them know that we were NOT going to make the delivery (in 2 hours) 15 minutes before the 'delivery' time this would be a late delivery. I told the company there was NO WAY a truck could make this run 'safely' in 2 hours.
SAFETY DRIVES "SOMETHING" but just don't be late, no matter how unsafe you have to be.
And you know what REALLY ticks me off even more. The warehouse where we picked up the shipment took a little over 1 hour to put 5 skids on our truck. ???

layoutshooter · May 30, 2012

I don't know which company you drive for. We drive for FDCC. We make very sure that they always know what is going on when on a run. We always call AND send clink messages regarding late loading, traffic etc. Just to cover our butts.

cannedmeat27 · May 30, 2012

I drive for Fedex. You have to keep them updated. When the original poster said safety drives that usually means Fedex.

LDB · May 30, 2012

When it's iffy like that I usually start the departure call with "I'm going to need more time on this.". Usually I don't get it, just "Well, do your best and let's see how it goes." and I say put in the notes I needed more time. Then a quick QC message "need more time to remain safe and legal". Then it's off to the races. If I make the set time fine and if not I have plenty to refer to to prove I'm not late.

Monty · May 30, 2012

Delivery time starts from the moment you are LOADED, (at most places), so the loading time should not be a factor on the delivery.

As others, I make it plain, and simple, to the agent, (dispatcher), when loaded
I will do my best and update them as time goes by.

beachbum · May 30, 2012

I have found out at Landstar if you tell the agent what time you expect to make a delivery on a Friday afternoon pick up they understand and will change the time for you. If they say the delivery time is set in stone then I guess I wont take the load since the only thing I can offer is service.

davekc · May 30, 2012

I wouldn't have done a 81 mile load on the east coast on a Friday without some high dollar guarantees.

highway star · May 30, 2012

Ditto what's been said here. When I get about a half hour from the original delivery time, I'll call with what I think the actual time will be. Simple CYA...

Turtle · May 30, 2012

Transit times are figured on X-MPH, but anyone who has driven from Philly or Wilmington to York knows that all bets are off when going through Lancaster via 10 or 30. You're lucky if you can average better than 30 MPH. You've got to let dispatch know that right up front when you take the load, as a condition of taking it. CYA

chefdennis · May 30, 2012

I hope that you understand from all the post above that no matter what, you have to call dispatch when you are not going to make the protect time, even if it was discussed before you left the dock...Notes on the QC are the best protection you have..use it...call when you are 10-15 minutes from the protect time, thats all said, on you....

Now, that being Dave is right, I'd have never take that load to begin with without them paying big time and me not having to worry about making the protect time....and iam just in a CV..

mjmsprt40 · May 30, 2012

It's not just the East Coast. I live in Chicago, and even on a short run-- say, from Evanston to South Holland, Illinois-- Friday afternoon rushhour is no picnic. You couldn't guarantee two-hour service on that run if you had an Indy car, much less a heavy straight rig.

Monty · May 30, 2012

Another option might have been up the Schuylkill Exp to the Pa Pike and across, a few miles longer, but a faster route. Though that expressway has been known to have it's own problems!

purgoose10 · May 30, 2012

mjmsprt40 said:
It's not just the East Coast. I live in Chicago, and even on a short run-- say, from Evanston to South Holland, Illinois-- Friday afternoon rushhour is no picnic. You couldn't guarantee two-hour service on that run if you had an Indy car, much less a heavy straight rig.

Don't ya just love I-294 on a Friday evening??? LOL!

chefdennis · May 30, 2012

Yea its not just the East coast and yes Chicago has its issues as do a half a dozen other cities...thats not the point...the point is its on you to make sure you CYA...the carrier for the most part doesn't care...especially if you don't keep them informed....

tknight · May 30, 2012

Worse yet is to bid on a drive at 10 am, sit around wait for the approval, because it's a go, just waiting now, and sit again till 4 pm when someone finally gets it together to approve the hot rush job, sit in over an hour of Philly traffic, all the time getting calls that need an update, get to the pickup point only to be questioned "why did it take so long, the load has been waiting from 11 am for you to get here, beat yourself silly in a torental down pour, all the while getting those "where ya'll at now" calls, then to get to within 30 min of destination, to get the call, the drop has moved to a *****house 30 miles north, and now is for 9 am, so you have to sleep somewhere till they open,get there and get the deer in the headlights look, "what's this stuff"?, and it now sits on this dock for 48 hrs cause the original place isn't ready for it yet............welcome to expediting! Been there don that, didn't get a shirt, it will happen again................................!

Turtle · May 30, 2012

tknight said:
...then to get to within 30 min of destination, to get the call, the drop has moved to a *****house 30 miles north...

A *****house? Really? I don't even want to know what you were hauling. LOL

layoutshooter · May 30, 2012

Turtle said:
A *****house? Really? I don't even want to know what you were hauling. LOL

Maybe donkeys?

Opel2010 · May 30, 2012

NTHEWIND said:
I just can't believe that we were 'charged' with a late delivery

We did the run straight thru without stopping and it took 2.5 hours. BECAUSE I did not CALL in and let them know that we were NOT going to make the delivery (in 2 hours) 15 minutes before the 'delivery' time this would be a late delivery. I told the company there was NO WAY a truck could make this run 'safely' in 2 hours.
???

For one thing, why did you accept a short run on Friday?

Second, yes, you were supposed to let 'em know that you won't make it on time due to the heavy traffic...

davekc · May 30, 2012

Driver should call in or set the parameters before the load is ever picked up or accepted.
With that said, a seasoned dispatcher (not a high schooler) would have identified that time problem before it was ever sent to the truck.
No need to complicate the simple.