Shipping And Receiving Offices

I’m just posting about a frustration that o know is common in the industry.

Whenever I get an assignment, the customers phone number is always listed. Sometimes it’s not a current number, but I can always get the right number off the internet. Sometimes when I call the number, I get an actual live human being. But more times than not, I get voicemail. If I leave a message, I NEVER get a return call.

Usually my questions are: Can you work in an early delivery? Do you allow overnight parking? If I bring a pizza, can I get loaded/unloaded right away? (Lol)

It could really be helpful to get this basic information, but it’s usually an effort in futility. The facilities I go to depend on truck drivers to keep the freight flowing. Why can’t they answer the D**m phone?

Thank you for letting me vent.

Many places are like this, and some places will never answer the phone at all. Most will never return a call from a voicemail. Whenever I can, I try to get a good contact number for the check in location/guard shack and the shipping or receiving office. I keep these in my index card notes for every place that I visit.

I try to get a good contact number for the check in location/guard shack and the shipping or receiving office. I keep these in my index card notes for every place that I visit.

This is a brilliant idea! Especially if you find yourself going to the same place frequently.

Like so many other aspects of trucking, figuring out the best way to contact a shipping/receiving office is something you have to discover on your own (or through TruckingTruth). You won't find it in any manual, and it's not information you receive in orientation.

New App Helps Truckers With Shipper Locations (Android)

New App Helps Truckers With Shipper Locations (iTunes)

The official app site states that is was designed to let truckers know what to expect at a docking location - so they don't have to "go into stops blind." It details where truckers should go, what door they should enter and whether or not they will have to back into a docking spot. The app also offers details on wait times, weight limits and local procedures, in addition to dock door numbers and backing situations. It can be invaluable for truckers heading to a dock for the first time.

Dock411 also allows truckers to input their own data if the dock at which they arrive is not already in the database. The user can take pictures of the location and enter key details they believe other truckers will find useful. Additionally, truckers are encouraged to rate each location for future visitors. To make the experience even more interactive, users can note points of interest along the route to the dock, and locate road hazards to warn fellow drivers.

Very interesting. Something to check out for sure. Thanks for sharing.

New App Helps Truckers With Shipper Locations (Android)

New App Helps Truckers With Shipper Locations (iTunes)

The official app site states that is was designed to let truckers know what to expect at a docking location - so they don't have to "go into stops blind." It details where truckers should go, what door they should enter and whether or not they will have to back into a docking spot. The app also offers details on wait times, weight limits and local procedures, in addition to dock door numbers and backing situations. It can be invaluable for truckers heading to a dock for the first time.

Dock411 also allows truckers to input their own data if the dock at which they arrive is not already in the database. The user can take pictures of the location and enter key details they believe other truckers will find useful. Additionally, truckers are encouraged to rate each location for future visitors. To make the experience even more interactive, users can note points of interest along the route to the dock, and locate road hazards to warn fellow drivers.

Yes, thanks for sharing that. It'll be a cool tool to use. Like PackRat mentioned and I'm sure a lot of you do, I like to keep notes about places I've been to before so I know where to go, what to watch out for, if they have a bathroom, etc.

Awesome! Thank you for the tip.

New App Helps Truckers With Shipper Locations (Android)

New App Helps Truckers With Shipper Locations (iTunes)

The official app site states that is was designed to let truckers know what to expect at a docking location - so they don't have to "go into stops blind." It details where truckers should go, what door they should enter and whether or not they will have to back into a docking spot. The app also offers details on wait times, weight limits and local procedures, in addition to dock door numbers and backing situations. It can be invaluable for truckers heading to a dock for the first time.

Dock411 also allows truckers to input their own data if the dock at which they arrive is not already in the database. The user can take pictures of the location and enter key details they believe other truckers will find useful. Additionally, truckers are encouraged to rate each location for future visitors. To make the experience even more interactive, users can note points of interest along the route to the dock, and locate road hazards to warn fellow drivers.

That is neat. I made a contribution to the app by listing a new company and filling out the details. Kind of like crowd sourcing, if you will, with oversight. Plenty of details that can be filled out; very nice.

I will try to stay on top of it and look forward to seeing how well it works out for my future stops.