When you arrive at the shipper in Omaha, you shut off your truck at the guard shack and give your pickup number for your assigned load. Next you sign a carboned paper that has your name, truck number, trailer number and company name. This is stamped with the time and you get the top copy to keep while on the grounds. You must give it back on the way out. The guard will then get in your trailer to inspect it for cleanliness and no daylight showing anywhere. Does not matter that the product is on pallets and in plastic. The trailers must be clean and no daylight showing via holes in floor, wall or roof.
At this point if you look to the left, that is the empty trailer lot. Loaded lot is straightahead and to the left across some railroad tracks. To the right is where you go to live load, which I have done before. There are also camera's everywhere watching you. This is done almost everywhere you go in today's world and you don't have to be a trucker to see this.
When the guard is thru with inspection you will then proceedto the empty lot or the live load according to your pickup instructions. You may also be required to move to the "sweep out trailer area" which is by the guard shack on way to empty lot. You will do as instructed as everyone is just doing their job. I drop in the empty lot and go out the same way and head to the loaded lot. I find my trailer and do my inspection of it–tires are NOT FLAT and in proper condition, doors are shut and sealed and no tampering that I can detect, seal number matches the paperwork.
I enter all my info into the Qualcomm (truck computer) I have 1632 cases or 27,744 pounds of Special K Red Berry. What a treat for me as I had been getting Fruit Loops (24,908 pounds/1332 cases on one load)and was wondering if someone was trying to tell me something! HA! I head back to the guard shack and give back the paper given to me and the trailer is checked again to make sure the doors are shut and not been tampered with. When that is done you will get clocked out and now you are on your way to Chicago area to drop off at the warehouse.
When you arrive there for your scheduled appointment time, you again sign in at the guard shack. Depending on your load and other factors you may drop in the lot at slot #_____ or be asked to put the trailer in dock #______. I am told to droptrailer 614 in slot 167 and get trailer 677 (one time my empty was in slot 300 something). Again you do as instructed. Your company may have more empty trailers next to or near the one just assigned to you. You do not take them just because you feel your assigned trailer is a piece of crap. You take what the guard assigned you.My employer has nice trailers so this is not a problem.
I find slot 167 and drop the trailer in it. I get my empty and leave the doors open, or just one door. It will be inspected by the guard on your way out. When this is completed I leave to go get my next load in the Chicago area.
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
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