15 Years In A WAL-MART Central Receiving Office Here

I've been working in a Wal-Mart grocery receiving office for almost 15 years now (I know, I know -you grocery drivers probably hate us lol) I check in 60 to 70 drivers a day and have a question. At least 40% of the drivers I check in do not speak or write in English. And can tell you, that if I did not have google translate on my computer, I would not be able to communicate with them in anyway. Majority are from India and speak Pinjab, others from Slavic countries and many from China that can't read or speak or write in English. Question is, how does someone that cannot read or write in English get a CDL? Are these trucking companies bringing them over on a visa or something and just blindly passing them? (We have lots of trailer pullouts and damage here at our facilities, overwhelmingly from Chinese drivers) Are they by-passing CDL training somehow? ( As many of them cannot even pull into our docks let alone reading the dock number they are supposed to be even getting into)

Also, If any of you guys have deliveries to Wal-Mart grocery DC's and have questions feel free to ask!

Also, If any of you guys have deliveries to Wal-Mart grocery DC's and have questions feel free to ask!

Why are you guys such a royal pain in the ass?

Oh you poor thing. When I've gone into a Walmart DC the clerks look like someone has stomped on their last nerve.. multiple times.

I try to be as patient and pleasant as possible. That has to be a really tough job that doesn't pay nearly enough for the bs you have to put up with. I've seen drivers cuss them like dogs because it took too long for the dock workers to get them unloaded because they were short staffed.

I try to be as patient and pleasant as possible.

Unlike Daniel B, who although he speaks pretty good English, let his mouth open up before he engages his brain!

Most if not all of the Walmart clerks that your dealing with have never driven a truck and are ignorant and clueless to what you drivers do and this reflects on how many drivers are being treated like crap from Walmart employees. I hear alot of complaints from the DC's in New Mexico as well as alot of the North Eastern USA DC's have customer service problems with drivers. Wal-Mart is a very robotic company to work for. It's how fast we can check you in, but Walmart for the most part, fails at getting you unloaded in a timely manner most of the time. Half of my shift is arguing with drivers and dispatchers as to why we are taking so long to unload.

Also, If any of you guys have deliveries to Wal-Mart grocery DC's and have questions feel free to ask!

Why are you guys such a royal pain in the ass?

Luckily the DCs we deliver to are only drop n hook so we're in and out quickly. I'm grateful for non refrigerated food products. CapNCrunch anyone?

I have seen small trucking schools that use the people who can't read and write English. I think they charge a bunch of money and do what they have to do to get them a CDL. There have been some stories lately of some of these companies getting these people into leases they can never get out of and using them like indentured servants. There are some real A holes who don't care what they have to do to make money.

I have missed countless pickup appointments, had a handful of loads cancelled on me, and ruined many clocks because walmart took 6+ hours to unload.

Now this isn't all DCs but the great majority of them operate like this. And there really is no excuse. Costco is just as busy but you're in and out in under an hour.

If your delivery is a Walmart DC and you're not getting a preplan just know dispatch is playing it safe due to the slow nature of a walmart DC.

Mr. Old School, you should thank Walmart for they have single handedly converted millions of reefer drivers into flatbedders.

Yes Susan, Wal-Mart is ALWAYS short staffed and its a disservice to you drivers for sure . They seem to like operating on the bare minimum of employees. We are starting to change though. There are a few DC's that unload you, then you leave and we just fax or email the BOL's to your company so your only there for less than an hour. Also, within the next year or so we are going paperless and doing away with lumper fees like what the regional DC's have been doing for awhile now. The vendor sends the BOL in electronically and then we sign the BOL electronically then scan it back to the carrier and vendor.

Yes Susan, Wal-Mart is ALWAYS short staffed and its a disservice to you drivers for sure . They seem to like operating on the bare minimum of employees. We are starting to change though. There are a few DC's that unload you, then you leave and we just fax or email the BOL's to your company so your only there for less than an hour. Also, within the next year or so we are going paperless and doing away with lumper fees like what the regional DC's have been doing for awhile now. The vendor sends the BOL in electronically and then we sign the BOL electronically then scan it back to the carrier and vendor.

Thats good to hear. I used to work at Sams Club (walmart owned) and they too operated with the bare minimum of employees. Its not your fault or anyone else in the office. But boy am I glad I don't have to deal with walmart anymore.