A question about freight deliveries to a home:

[ret5hd]

Mods: if this question is unsuitable for GD i apologize. Could it please stay in GD for a couple of hours?

For ex-truck drivers and/or those that have had freight delivered to their homes:

I am expecting a sofa to be delivered via freight line this week. I have been told not to expect the driver to help me unload it. With crating it weighs about 300 lbs. I was informed that i might be called on short notice that the truck is near my home.

My questions are:
1) How much time is reasonable to ask a driver to wait while i drive home from work?
2) If, when the driver calls, i offer to reimburse him for a lunch of his choice while he waits for me to get home, would that be acceptable?
3) Would an extra $20 be enough to convince a driver to help unload the sofa?
4) What is the likelihood of a driver just leaving if i am not there exactly when i need to be, and what are my options at that point?

thnx.

[elleng]

1. Delivered by freight line retained by you or other?

Answers depend generally on what's on the drivers schedule; if the truck has stuff to deliver elsewhere, if it has to return to be reloaded, etc. Can you contact store? Who told you driver won't help you unload?

[ret5hd]

5. Delivered from North Carolina to Texas...

so i can't see him returning, since it's not local delivery. Bought it on ebay, and he arranged the shipping. Seller said he probably won't help unload.

[elleng]

9. Seller is the manufacturer?

He may have other deliveries; 'probably' does, I think. Do you know name of trucking co? Can you handle w/o driver's help? Friends etc?

Will you be able to reach driver to let him know how long it will take you to get home? I suspect that he'd agree to wait for you; he's certainly not going to turn back to NC. BUT without knowing his day's plans, we can only guess. AND seller may be incorrect about help unloading.

[ohheckyeah]

2. We had a television

delivered by freight but they made an appointment for delivery. The driver helped unload the television and he helped to set it up which we weren't expecting so we tipped him $20. He seemed happy with $20 for 15 minutes of his time. A lot of what you are asking will just depend on the individual driver.

[NV Whino]

3. I do this all the time for my clients

1. Drivers do not wait. Your best bet is to call and talk to the dispatcher--not the office--and request a call from dispatcher or driver 1/2 hour (or whatever) out. If you're lucky they will do it.

2. Don't offer lunch. These guys are on a schedule.

3. Most deliveries are curbside (literally) unless you pay for in-house delivery. Being a 5'2" female, I have found drivers to be as helpful as they can be to drop the delivery at a more convenient place--in a garage or sometimes actually in the house. If the driver accomodates you to that extent, an extra $20 would be acceptable.

4. If the delivery has to be signed for and you are not there, the driver will leave. More than likely he will not be back that day. I have had drivers who will return, but it's a rarity, and it's only because they deliver to me on a regular basis.


See if you have a neighbor who could accept delivery for you if you cannot be there. Same with uncrating. Lots of teenagers out of school right now.

Sorry to be a downer, but trucking companies deliver. Period. They only make money if a.) they fill the trucks every day, and b.) the trucks come back empty and on schedule. They don't care that you work or can't lift a 300# package.

[MineralMan]

4. That's a tough nut.

Where do you work? Does it have a loading dock? If so, see if you can divert the shipment there. Most freight trucks don't have things like lift gates or ramps. They're designed to deliver to loading docks.

A 300-lb crated sofa is going to be a bear to handle from a dock-height truck. It can be done, but you're going to need some help.

If you can get it unloaded onto a loading dock, you can then move it, with help, by renting a Uhaul truck. Otherwise, you're going to have difficulties when the truck shows up.

[Historic NY]

6. On three different time the drivers brought large items to my house..

I have not had a problem. One driver delivered a car interior on a pallet right to my rear garage. I had a piece of furniture delivered on a pallet also to my front steps. The biggest problem was unpacking it, things was shrink wrapped and packed so tightly in cardboard it took about 40 minutes to get to the furniture. Most of the time the truck company called to see what times I would be there.

[Ikonoklast]

7. You cannot expect a driver to wait on you, not one minute.

If it's a delivery to a residence, there are laws against blocking traffic over a certain length of time. The driver will not be expected to eat a ticket on your behalf, if he is told to move by local authorities, move he will.

The delivery is most likely being made by a city P&D guy, and he will not be expected to screw up all his other deliveries in order to fit your schedule.

If there is no lift gate on the trailer, or dock to deliver to, the driver's responsibility for both the delivery and the integrity of the product delivered ends at his tail-gate, unless specifically written out in the delivery contract.

Any other financial considerations for a driver's help in unloading are between you and the driver. Many companies expressly prohibit drivers from helping in these situations because of liability issues, and will fire a driver if he gets hurt doing something he is not supposed to be doing.

I get a minimum of $75 for a driver unload or driver assist, that gets my help for one hour. Doesn't matter if it takes thirty seconds, I still charge the full $75.

[Joe the Revelator]

10. Seriously, if it only take 30 seconds you expect to be tipped 75 bills?

Glad you're not my delivery guy.

[Ikonoklast]

11. It's not a 'tip'.

Do you have any clue as to the amount of money it takes to operate a tractor/trailer, and pay all the expenses on a daily basis? The dollar amounts stupify most people, as they have no clue.

I need to gross six hundred dollars a day before I start to make one cent in profit. No profit, no paycheck at the end of the month.

If those wheels aren't turning, I make *zero*. Sitting still is a dead loss.

But those bills for fuel, maintenance, insurance, road use taxes, etc., still find a way to my mailbox each month.

Glad you expect me to work for free.

[Joe the Revelator]

14. I expect you not to gouge your customers

Charging 75 dollars for "30 seconds of work" is robbery.

[Ikonoklast]

15. That's less than the going rate, pal.

You have no clue as to what freight rates, detention, and demurrage rates are in this industry.

Don't like it?

Hire your own truck and driver, then get back to me on the price.

[Joe the Revelator]

16. I actually know quite a bit about demmurrage,detention, and frieght rates...probably more then you..

"pal"...but then again I didn't feel the need to swing my dick around to prove how big of a man I was.

I'll say it again, if you charge a flat $75 for stopping your truck an extra 30 seconds or even 5 minutes you're taking advantage of your customers and I'm surprised that anyone is willing to use you. I surely wouldn't

[Ikonoklast]

17. Really.

If you know so much, you know that a residential freight delivery, with no lift gate or dock and a driver assist pays at least $100 or more to the truck.

I'm not talking about two crackheads in a straight truck, but that must be who you are used to dealing with.

And I don't deal with bottom-feeders that refuse to pay what my service is worth.

Cheap brokers and freight haulers are going out of business by the thousands, every week.

I, however, am not. I set my rates for the lanes I use and the extra services required. If you don't want to pay me for that service, fine, hang up the phone and find someone cheaper. I do not care.

My customers include the Federal Government and Fortune 500. They are more than satisfied to use my services, and pay accordingly.

[lithiumbomb]

8. yeah you're on your own

Freight delivery is not UPS Or FedEx. You can't assume they'll do anything but drive the truck to your house and open the door to the trailer. Better get some friends/neighbors/kids on standby.

[Berry Cool]

13. UPS technically doesn't have to move furniture for you either.

I recently ordered two boxes with unassembled furniture in them that were delivered UPS. The delivery guy was kind enough to help me move them up a flight of stairs to my apartment. I made sure to write UPS a letter to let them know he went "above and beyond" in service that day.

I think pretty much the only people you get "free delivery" from for furniture is local furniture stores.

[NV Whino]

12. A further note on deliveries of large items

Cross country deliveries are generally dropped at a distribution center that handles local deliveries. You will be dealing with the local guys. In my area (rural) they run a route once a week. Different companies on different days, but once a week. If you miss your delivery, you will have to wait a week unless you hire your own truck and pick up at the local distribution center. And sometimes "local" isn't all that local.

P.S. This is why my clients hire me to do this stuff. As you are finding out, it's a P.I.A.