TRUCKING 101
It's not the logbook, stupid. It's the money.
"Our slogan should be, 'It's the logbook, stupid.' We should log everything legal and see where that takes the trucking industry. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose." (David P. Gaibis, Sr., Land Line Magazine, June 2004, pg. 16)
"Hey, Jerry, my truck is unloaded at Publix Super Markets, Deerfield Beach. Where should I send him?" I said.
Jerry (not his real name) works for a reputable produce broker out of Pompano Beach, Florida, and he is always my first call for a backhaul whenever one of my trucks empty in his state. I call him a couple days before delivery and he sets up my truck for a backhaul. His loads of mixed produce usually require multiple pickups over a day and a half, but have only one destination, which is less than one hundred miles from our home base in upstate New York. Jerry's a tough, no nonsense guy. He expects performance when he hires a truck, but he is fair and his money is good.
"We haven't got your order yet, but send him to the market (Pompano Beach) and we'll go get him when we get it," said Jerry.
"Ok, Jer, but remember, my driver's only got six hours left on his log today," I said.
"That's not my problem!" countered Jerry.
"I know it's not your problem," I said. "But if we could get the order he could start picking up."
"The buyer hasn't given me the order yet!" said Jerry, trying to contain his mounting aggravation. "And I'm damn sure not going to push him for it! We're going to get it today. I just don't know when."
"Ok, but I'm just saying......"
"Listen!" said Jerry. "Do you want the load or not? There's plenty of trucks around and not much to load this time of the year. The truck stops are full. I'll find somebody!"
"No! No!" I said. "I want the load. I can't afford to sit."
"Damn right you don't want to sit!" said Jerry. "Not down here. Not this time of the year."
"I know," I said.
"Ok," said Jerry. "Just send him to the market and we'll get him when were ready to start loading."
"Will do," I said.
"And the buyer said they're on sale with cukes, so once he gets loaded, he's going to have to ride," said Jerry. "He's on ad. You gotta be there."
"We'll do it," I said.
"Straight to the gate," said Jerry. "No rest for the weary."
"We'll get it done," I said.
The truck has to get it done. Because if that truck didn't do it, another one would. And the next time that truck is in Florida that truck would join the other trucks at a truck stop looking for a load. There will always be some owner operator or small fleet owner willing to bend or break the rules to get the load; that is, to make a living. So even though the truck owner does not like it, even though he wants to do it right, let it be him because it's not the logbook, stupid. It's the money. What our industry needs to do is kick up the money so we can legally comply with a shipper's, broker's, and consignee's needs. Let's face it, if a driver shows up on time for his pickup and his load of cukes is still in the field, that driver is going to wait. That's just the way it is. Shippers, brokers, and consignees are not going to change what they can't change, or what they have been doing for decades. And sometimes circumstances dictate that they simply cannot change, even if they want to get it right. If a driver reaches his destination on time and the consignee's warehouse is full and the warehouse is short of help, that driver is going to wait to get unloaded. Simple as that. What our industry has to do is establish accountability; to let shippers, brokers, and consignees not only know, but also truly understand, that there are laws governing the transportation of their products. And we do not want to bend or break those laws because it's dangerous. So if Jerry does not or cannot change how he loads a truck, then Jerry has to give the truck enough money so the owner can legally do it Jerry's way, regardless of how many trucks are in the truck stops.
The Highway Reporter
"Our slogan should be, 'It's the logbook, stupid.' We should log everything legal and see where that takes the trucking industry. We have everything to gain and nothing to lose." (David P. Gaibis, Sr., Land Line Magazine, June 2004, pg. 16)
"Hey, Jerry, my truck is unloaded at Publix Super Markets, Deerfield Beach. Where should I send him?" I said.
Jerry (not his real name) works for a reputable produce broker out of Pompano Beach, Florida, and he is always my first call for a backhaul whenever one of my trucks empty in his state. I call him a couple days before delivery and he sets up my truck for a backhaul. His loads of mixed produce usually require multiple pickups over a day and a half, but have only one destination, which is less than one hundred miles from our home base in upstate New York. Jerry's a tough, no nonsense guy. He expects performance when he hires a truck, but he is fair and his money is good.
"We haven't got your order yet, but send him to the market (Pompano Beach) and we'll go get him when we get it," said Jerry.
"Ok, Jer, but remember, my driver's only got six hours left on his log today," I said.
"That's not my problem!" countered Jerry.
"I know it's not your problem," I said. "But if we could get the order he could start picking up."
"The buyer hasn't given me the order yet!" said Jerry, trying to contain his mounting aggravation. "And I'm damn sure not going to push him for it! We're going to get it today. I just don't know when."
"Ok, but I'm just saying......"
"Listen!" said Jerry. "Do you want the load or not? There's plenty of trucks around and not much to load this time of the year. The truck stops are full. I'll find somebody!"
"No! No!" I said. "I want the load. I can't afford to sit."
"Damn right you don't want to sit!" said Jerry. "Not down here. Not this time of the year."
"I know," I said.
"Ok," said Jerry. "Just send him to the market and we'll get him when were ready to start loading."
"Will do," I said.
"And the buyer said they're on sale with cukes, so once he gets loaded, he's going to have to ride," said Jerry. "He's on ad. You gotta be there."
"We'll do it," I said.
"Straight to the gate," said Jerry. "No rest for the weary."
"We'll get it done," I said.
The truck has to get it done. Because if that truck didn't do it, another one would. And the next time that truck is in Florida that truck would join the other trucks at a truck stop looking for a load. There will always be some owner operator or small fleet owner willing to bend or break the rules to get the load; that is, to make a living. So even though the truck owner does not like it, even though he wants to do it right, let it be him because it's not the logbook, stupid. It's the money. What our industry needs to do is kick up the money so we can legally comply with a shipper's, broker's, and consignee's needs. Let's face it, if a driver shows up on time for his pickup and his load of cukes is still in the field, that driver is going to wait. That's just the way it is. Shippers, brokers, and consignees are not going to change what they can't change, or what they have been doing for decades. And sometimes circumstances dictate that they simply cannot change, even if they want to get it right. If a driver reaches his destination on time and the consignee's warehouse is full and the warehouse is short of help, that driver is going to wait to get unloaded. Simple as that. What our industry has to do is establish accountability; to let shippers, brokers, and consignees not only know, but also truly understand, that there are laws governing the transportation of their products. And we do not want to bend or break those laws because it's dangerous. So if Jerry does not or cannot change how he loads a truck, then Jerry has to give the truck enough money so the owner can legally do it Jerry's way, regardless of how many trucks are in the truck stops.
The Highway Reporter
posted by The Highway Reporter at 4:17 PM
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