Are Drop And Hooks Really Any Better Than Live Loads? - Article By Rainy

“or find ways to encourage the dock workers to get things done a little more quickly than they might have otherwise”

So what is the trick for this. We just did a live load with a 3pm appt time and we didn’t get unloaded until 4:30 am this morning and next load had a 10 am pick up this morning. Basically took 10hr break at the dock sleeping a few hours here and there.

Reefer or dry van? Either way, sometimes those things happen. After you’ve done this awhile, you’ll get to know which places are slow and which ones are lightning quick. It’s part of this job.

So what is the trick for this.

Well what I used to do is shoot the baloney for a little while with the dock workers. Be super friendly, maybe have a good joke or two in your pocket. Then I'd make up a story and tell them something like:

"Listen, I know you guys are busy as hell and my appointment isn't for a few hours, but my dispatcher has me on a load that picks up in a few hours in [name a town a few hours away]. If I can get out of here by [give them a time about 90 minutes from now] I'll be able to get that load and take off. Otherwise he said there's nothing else around today and I'll lose about $250 off this weeks paycheck, which would kill me. I really need the money. If there's anything at all you can do to get me out of here by [90 minutes from now] I would be thrilled to death. It would be a really, really big deal. If not, I totally get it. I know you guys have a lot going on. But if you can find a way that would make a huge difference for me. I'll be in the truck if you guys need me for anything. I really appreciate it!"

I'd say 75% of the time you'll feel the forklift in the truck within 20 or 30 minutes and you'll be out of there in an hour or so. Nothing works all the time, but being super friendly and showing the dock workers a lot of respect and appreciation for the hard work they do really goes a long way.

Most truck drivers are a bunch of grumpy, miserable jerks when things don't go their way and they'll even threaten the dock workers or shipping clerk. You'll stand out like a shooting star if you'll do the opposite and be super friendly and respectful to them.

Few things are more powerful than being the type of person that people want to do favors for. They don't have to do anything for you. But if they like you they'll feel good about helping you out. Then they'll be far more likely to go out of their way for you.

Be overly helpful, cheerful, and polite. Use bribery, too—candy bars, bottles of water or soda. Use the approach that you know you are a huge inconvenience to the forklift guys, but it’s all something that your dispatcher messed up on. Treat them like they are the most important person in the world, because they are. These are the ones that are loading your trailer so you can get moving.

Be overly helpful, cheerful, and polite. Use bribery, too—candy bars, bottles of water or soda. Use the approach that you know you are a huge inconvenience to the forklift guys, but it’s all something that your dispatcher messed up on. Treat them like they are the most important person in the world, because they are. These are the ones that are loading your trailer so you can get moving.

Beautifully said. I totally agree.

Lot of good points. I still prefer D&H, but there are places like Marshall's in Philly that you've literally got about 6 inches on each side of the trailer. I always slide my tandems all the way back when I go there. I had a live load at a metal recycler in NJ a couple weeks ago that it took me longer to back down the street, blindside and pull inside the building than it took them to load me. 15 minutes loading and I was on the road.

Being nice, sometimes, I think I'm too nice. But it does produce results!

There are places that it just doesn't matter much because there is so little interaction. Even then I'm still kind to those that I speak to.

We do alot of drop and hooks at breweries and paper plants and menards dcs. Menards usually end up great so do paper loads but beer is 50/50. Yard drivers at the breweries seem to relish parking trailers close together. Ive been at this only a few months and ive probably had to crawl under 2 dozen trailers to get to a landing gear. Their other hobby seems to be jacking the trailers up to high so you cant couple. So you crawl under the trailer next to you and sit on the ground and lower it low gear. Sometimes you get the trailer that has the wrong label on the handle and you spend 10 minutes cranking it on low gear only to realize you raised it instead. You look to your left and see a spotter truck slow down and the driver smiling at you as he slowly passes you. God forbid they offer to help pull it out 10 feet.

Did i mention our tailers have skirts? Sometimes you cant crawl under the trailer next you. Sometimes you gotta crawl under the trailer 3 spots away and worm your way around skirts and landing gears to get to yours.

Oddly enough Ive found i prefer our older trailers or our brand new ones. Alot of our 2015 to 2017 ones dog leg to the right for some reason.

Did you realize some of those yard jockeys are Millis contract drivers, too?