Etiquette To Other Drivers At Shippers/receivers?

Something I see preached by our Top Tier Drivers is always setting yourself up to be the first loaded/unloaded in the morning. Is there a certain etiquette to follow?

For example, I'm picking up 40k of powdered brownie mix in Grandview MO. I've been to this pickup 5 or 6 times. I started my clock at 11pm for 2 stores in Lee Summit MO and this pickup. I showed up at 530am with 2 trucks ahead of me. The gate opens at 6, shipping window opens at 7 and they start loading at 8. This shipper is FCFS (first come first serve) Typically I'd allow them to be ahead of me to get checked in if they were headed inside right away, I'm not going to run to the door to beat them, however as I walked past it looked like they crawled into the sleeper after pulling through the gate awaiting for the office staff to show up.

How do each of you handle this? Part of me says allow them in front of me but the other half says heck no! In the past I've been loaded around 9 or 10am. It's about a 4 hour drive back home factoring in hitting the cat scale north of KC which usually requires me to use my 16 hour rule as it ends up being about 15 hour day. I want to behave professionally but I also don't want to be stuck sitting here longer than I need to. How would you handle this? Keep in mind I'm in a daycab home daily.

I'll be the first one standing at that check in window.

Admittedly, that's a tough one. The fact that they moved their trucks inside suggests that they know the gate/window times. They should also know this is a competition. If they aren't at that window before 7, they lose. I don't mess around when it comes to that.

In my view, if you have a shipping/receiving window to deal with that's the line that determines your order. At some live-load/unload warehouses, the line is trucks waiting to get a dock (that's the FCFS spot) and the forklift driver will handle the paperwork for the trailer backed in to the door.

I'll be the first one standing at that check in window.

Admittedly, that's a tough one. The fact that they moved their trucks inside suggests that they know the gate/window times. They should also know this is a competition. If they aren't at that window before 7, they lose. I don't mess around when it comes to that.

That's how I handled it. I waited a few minutes before getting out of my truck then stood by the window for a half hour. I was already checked in and opened my doors by the time they started making their way inside. My paperwork is on the top of where the forklift operators grab so I should be first loaded I was watching the news while waiting and it sounds like rush hour traffic will be non existent due to so many people going to superbowl parade so that's even better!

"The early bird gets the worm",or "You snooze, you lose".

RobT, no question etiquette is proper therefore I wont cut in front of of someone's truck going in or cut in line at the window but this is a job so once I am inside the gate I park and go straight to the window. If the other drivers chose to "lollygag" in their truck or go to the bathroom etc before checking in that's on them. By the same token if I'm doing something in my truck and someone else gets to the window before me that got there after me I am good with it.

Crawled in the sleeper equals stepping out of line to me.

Grump Old Man is thinking the same as me:

Crawled in the sleeper equals stepping out of line to me.

If that driver came up to the window and said "hey, I was here before you." I would push back: "you crawled back in the sleeper, so apparently you were not in too much of a hurry."

If he really pushed the issue, I would let him in front of me. But at the same time, I would reiterate that being first in line means getting out of your truck and standing at the window.

Would I be out of line if I did this?

What if the roles were reversed?

Let's say I arrived the night before, and slept on site. I get up at 6 to roll my truck in the gate. Even if I opted not to immediately go and wait at the window, you can bet your bippity bop I'd be in my seat, ready to walk up to the window at the slightest hint of movement from the other drivers.

If I snoozed and someone got in front of me, I'd have to cede the win.

True, but now that you're an Elite Driver Specimen at WalMart, don't you guys get head of the line, and Left Lane at Gate privilege anyway, Turtle?