I'm curious about how some of you might handle a certain situation. Wednesday afternoon, about 4 P.M. , i picked up a load in lapeer mi. It was a heavy load, about 10,000 lbs. and although the load was awkward, (large steel plates that hung from racks by large cables thereby letting them swing back and forth an inch or two at a time), I did'nt notice until i was two or three miles down the road that the rear end of my truck seemed a little squirrelly. So i pulled over and ah-hah , a flat tire, (inside rear), I called dispatch and asked advice, they had no one in the area to cover the load, and after trying to find a local tire shop that i could drive to, i finnally had to call road service,(expensive), Finnally got rolling again, and even though the truck felt heavy and squirrelly, the pressure was on.....you all know the drill...7 A.M. delivery...plant closing importance...and i'm running behind. Anyhow, i get down to the turnpike, yellow lights start flashing and toll booth guy comes out..."sorry sir, you're over weight, can't let you enter" Ok...so off to the truck-stop i go...weigh ticket...i'm overloaded by 10,000 lbs. needless to say, i'm highly irritated, its late at night, i'm running behind, now this. So i call dispatch, they want me to drive 100 miles back to shipper, have them off-load half, then hot foot it out to york PA. (556 miles from shipper) Now mind you, i'm tired and irratated and basically doing the run for free after deducting the cost of the tire. So i tell him, listen, by the time i get back to lapeer i'll be out of hours. he starts screaming about how my tire repair time should have been logged as off duty and how i'm screwing him, and i'm trying to stay calm and i'm telling him , look, this is'nt my fault, and it's not your fault...it's the customers...whether it was an accident or they we're trying to get away with something, i can't say, but, i'm thinking they should be paying for cross dock services or partial load recovery ...and my tire for that matter...but there is no way i should be driving an over loaded truck over a hundred miles back to the shipper...what if i get in an accident...i don't partiularly care to go to prison. besides which, am i supossed to drive around the scale in monroe? Anyway...i think i'm just writing this to blow off steam...but am i wrong? I'm wondering how some of you would handle this situation? I told dispatch that i'm dropping the load at the customers sight, then i'm going out of service , i wan't the pay for miles driven and i want to be re-imbursed the cost of the tire.
Tire troubles
- Thread starter grog111
- Start date
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
1st i would blame the flat tire on the heavy load,and actually,if you were 10000 over weight on a straight truck,you should have known that as soon as you tried to leave the dock,2nd,the customer is responsible for having your weights right,when he signed the shipping papers ,he is saying the weights are right
they arent responsible for axle weights,but they are for actual weight you have in your trailer
good luck in getting all your pay,if it is with a good compny,you should get it
they arent responsible for axle weights,but they are for actual weight you have in your trailer
good luck in getting all your pay,if it is with a good compny,you should get it
What did the BOL give as total weight? Did you pull onto a scale and get a ticket to show truck weight? I'd say you should be paid at least full rate for all miles driven plus the tire if you have a way to substantiate the overweight condition. Without that you may have a harder time getting the tire paid for. Good luck.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I really don’t know how to say this other than you should not trust the shipper or the company that you work for and it really is your own fault (don’t take that personal). I do agree with both Leo and nightcreacher but you got to do due diligenece to CYA regaurdless.
If the shipper puts something on your truck that seems heavy, get the truck weighed loaded ASAP. If they have a scale, get a ticket or something in writing from them and do what I do, take a picture with my phone of the scale readout. BUT if everyone is in a hurry, screw them; it is your truck and a safety issue (beside a financial issue for you as a driver). If you find yourself overwieght, go back and tell them to take it off. I have seen some shippers wiegh things without the transport packaging, and that packaging can be as much as a few hundred pounds. they think that they get a lower rate with less wieght.
As for driving all the way back to Lapeer, I would have told dispatch the truck ain’t moving an inch until they find another truck to split the load and a place to do it at and than I would have parked it. That is too bad, again a safety issue and a violation of state and federal laws. Not only is it against the law, but it is a serious safety hazard.
The person who told you how to log is an idiot (my favorite word of the day), I would tell him to remind him that there is something about falsifying a log by the company’s demands and it is a breech of contract to do so.
Got to ask, who is the company you work for?
If the shipper puts something on your truck that seems heavy, get the truck weighed loaded ASAP. If they have a scale, get a ticket or something in writing from them and do what I do, take a picture with my phone of the scale readout. BUT if everyone is in a hurry, screw them; it is your truck and a safety issue (beside a financial issue for you as a driver). If you find yourself overwieght, go back and tell them to take it off. I have seen some shippers wiegh things without the transport packaging, and that packaging can be as much as a few hundred pounds. they think that they get a lower rate with less wieght.
As for driving all the way back to Lapeer, I would have told dispatch the truck ain’t moving an inch until they find another truck to split the load and a place to do it at and than I would have parked it. That is too bad, again a safety issue and a violation of state and federal laws. Not only is it against the law, but it is a serious safety hazard.
The person who told you how to log is an idiot (my favorite word of the day), I would tell him to remind him that there is something about falsifying a log by the company’s demands and it is a breech of contract to do so.
Got to ask, who is the company you work for?
I am really perplexed by your tire troubles, I guess. Let me understand this? You were ten K overweight? Your truck must have been grossing somewhere 40K plus? Didn't you get a clue when the truck severely bounced with the forklift and the freight on/off the truck? Didn't you get a clue when the supports were way more than difficule to retract? Didn't you get a clue when you read the BOL? Did you even get outa the truck at pickup? Did you think your truck lost a lot of power whle setting at that dock? Did you hear a loud bang, or, did you forget to check your tires during the PTI. Please help me understand how this wasted time and resources could be the fault of dispatch and the shipper? Do you think you might be able to shoulder at least some responsibility for your misfortune? Yes/No/ Maybe? Thats how I would handle it - look in the mirror.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
Most of us can tell if the truck is a couple hundred over on one axle or the other. I don't know how you could leave a shipper with 20,000 lbs on and not know you're overweight.
First thing the shipper usually asks me is "How do you want this?" My answer is always "Depends on how much it weighs." Even if they don't ask, I do. By the time you get your first two or three heavy loads, you'll know how you want the truck loaded.
Neglegence by the shipper... yes. Ditto on dispatch for wanting you to run 100 miles with that much weight. However, everything could've been remedied by you knowing your truck and how it's supposed to feel. If I were you, I'd feel dammed lucky all I got was a blown tire.
"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas
First thing the shipper usually asks me is "How do you want this?" My answer is always "Depends on how much it weighs." Even if they don't ask, I do. By the time you get your first two or three heavy loads, you'll know how you want the truck loaded.
Neglegence by the shipper... yes. Ditto on dispatch for wanting you to run 100 miles with that much weight. However, everything could've been remedied by you knowing your truck and how it's supposed to feel. If I were you, I'd feel dammed lucky all I got was a blown tire.
"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas
Honestly...i do share some blame. It was 5 pallets of equal proportion placed down the middle so that the truck balanced out side to side and front to rear, but, when i left the dock the dolly's were stuck in the ground,(first clue, i know), but, the dock was one of those weird ones that the well is flat and the same level as the parking lot so you're not pulling up and out, just straight out. Also the truck is fairly new to me and it has one and a half times the power and twice the gears of my old FL70 and i'm always amazed how smoothly it pulls up and down mountains so i was a little concerned when i pulled out on the highway and did'nt zoom right up to speed like usual, but the weight was swinging so it sort of felt like i was hauling those big paint totes and everything sloshes around. Anyway, like i say, after two or three miles i'm thinking, something does'nt "feel" right, so, i pull over and see the flat tire...of course i'm thinking i picked up a nail or something and thats why it did'nt "feel" right. Then after that i'm still thinking "man...this does'nt feel right" so, silly me,i'm thinking the guy sold me a bad tire...cause all he had in my size was a "retread" . nevertheless though, i've never hauled more than 4000 lbs. in the new truck and the B.O.L. said 10,200 lbs. ( when asked later the guy who did the paper work said that he was told they were shipping half-racks, which he "interpeted as half full racks"). But when the gal at the truck stop handed me the weigh ticket and it read 40,340 lbs. my jaw hit the floor! I thought " that can't be right" so i ran it across again and knowing that the empty weight ticket i have in my permits note book and on file with my company says 22,170 lbs. i knew i had a big problem and everything kinda snapped into focus.
whoops....i just noticed that i put 22,170 as the empty weight...i meant 20,170. back in my day they offered typing as an elective class, but as i had no secraterial asperations, i declined the offer. little did i know what the future was to hold. anyway, the gvw is 32,000 lbs.
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Not sticking up for the guy, Rookie mistake and ##### poor training. I had to learn the hard way myself. Luckily not 10K over.
Rookies, look at your tires when you get a 10K load. How much are they bulging? How many inches is that flat spot on the ground? How hard is it to pull away from the dock? If any of these appear your most likely over loaded.
This happened to me once in Chicago, I get loaded at 11:55AM EVERYONE dissipears to lunch. I pull out and its like WOW, than I go to close my doors and notice the Rears are bulging. So I now call in to Disptach tell them I know the BOL says 9K but NO WAY. The load aint moving until I can confirm whats on this BOL. Sure enough 13.5K they loaded me with. Did not loose the load, but did take a 4K pallet off.
Not a disshonest mistake, but someone wanted to get 4 pallets on to my truck instead of the orginal 3.
Know your truck, and if in doubt, CALL A MENTOR......And ask questions at the shipper, but be friendly yet firm. Happiness is a 3K load and wind at your tail.
Rookies, look at your tires when you get a 10K load. How much are they bulging? How many inches is that flat spot on the ground? How hard is it to pull away from the dock? If any of these appear your most likely over loaded.
This happened to me once in Chicago, I get loaded at 11:55AM EVERYONE dissipears to lunch. I pull out and its like WOW, than I go to close my doors and notice the Rears are bulging. So I now call in to Disptach tell them I know the BOL says 9K but NO WAY. The load aint moving until I can confirm whats on this BOL. Sure enough 13.5K they loaded me with. Did not loose the load, but did take a 4K pallet off.
Not a disshonest mistake, but someone wanted to get 4 pallets on to my truck instead of the orginal 3.
Know your truck, and if in doubt, CALL A MENTOR......And ask questions at the shipper, but be friendly yet firm. Happiness is a 3K load and wind at your tail.
Thats refreshing GROG. Thanks for taking ownership for your problems. I noticed tho, a couple responders to this thread were really quick to jump on your bandwagon and placing blame where it shouldn't have been. Lets nick the Company, or the shipper, or....
Need to be really careful what we internalize as Gospel from some typers here.
Need to be really careful what we internalize as Gospel from some typers here.
Well, i can't say that i'm not irratated by the way the dispatcher chose to handle the situation, but hey, with humility comes wisdom , right? Oh! By the way, i forgot to answer gregs question "what company?", i think it's relevent to say, it was landstar, whom, for those that don't know , have a series of "independent agents" across the U.S. And it was the "independent agent" who thought it more productive to agitate the situation than to work together towards a solution. After speaking to corporate later that morning the issue went to arbitration. Landstar has a VERY strict safety policy and i think we're both heading for a butt chewing.
In reality, you gotta understand the dispatcher isn't there, you are. And, most dispatchers have not even touched a truck, let alone have some windshield time. Bottom line is, that load should have never left the dock. That would have eliminated your tire and distance problems. Happy you got thru it, a little wiser.
I think it's significant that Landstar was involved. Ther wasn't a dispatcher involved. The broker was more concerned about his relationship with the customer than he was with your well being. A real dispatcher may have responded differently.
>he starts screaming about how my tire repair time should have been >logged as off duty and how i'm screwing him
Cant believe this guy doesn`t know that logging OFF DUTY for a tire repair will not stop the clock. Off duty, or on duty makes no difference until 10 hours have elapsed.
Sounds like he is still in a time warp with the OLD rules.
Cant believe this guy doesn`t know that logging OFF DUTY for a tire repair will not stop the clock. Off duty, or on duty makes no difference until 10 hours have elapsed.
Sounds like he is still in a time warp with the OLD rules.
panther_art
Expert Expediter
I remember picking up a load at a shipper about a year ago,was suppose to be 1 skid but it ended up being 3 of those big steel tubs when they put the 2nd one on my tires went almost flat and I told them to get that off my van and they went to get the 3rd one but I closed my doors and called dispatch and they got hold of the third party and called shipper and had them take it off and make the load what it was suppose to be 1900 lbs they took it off and only put the 1900 lbs on believe me the shipper was not to happy because now they had to get someone else to deliver the rest of the load.
So from now on I stand back and watch my back tires when being loaded.
That was one time the shipper had no regard for the van they just wanted to get more delivered then what they paid for. And Panther dispatch was on my side.
And by the way they started to load me 6hrs late they had the original load ready when I arrived.
Panther Art
So from now on I stand back and watch my back tires when being loaded.
That was one time the shipper had no regard for the van they just wanted to get more delivered then what they paid for. And Panther dispatch was on my side.
And by the way they started to load me 6hrs late they had the original load ready when I arrived.
Panther Art
Again, i want to thank you guys, i mean, with varying degrees of...um...passion, you all reminded me the we as drivers are the first line of defense against mishaps. I gotta tell ya, generally speaking, i'm the "nice guy" and being so, well, lets just say, you can be taken advantage of. The first person i talked to about this was a cousin of mine , and he's a self proffessed hot-head! He really started to get me wound up about this. He said he'd make them pay for the tire and an alignment and shocks. He felt the customer was being dishonest and should be set straight in no uncertain terms and the dispatcher should be fired , if not for his lack in knowledge then for his lack of integrety. He said the frame could be bent or any other number of problems that may not even show up right away. Then he alluded to the fact that if i did'nt stand up for myself that i was letting them get away with something and if my buisness fails it's because i let people take advantage of me. I think thats the kind of attitude that "x06col" was talking about. I mean, the whole thing bums me out ,but, trying to point the finger at everyone but myself is'nt right. I feel better about how i handled it now. I mean , i don't feel good about any of it, but, i don't feel as though i've been taken advantage of somehow.