Considering whether you make a delivery on time or not is largely out of your control due to traffic, how understanding are transport managers with regards to arriving to a customer late? For example I was watching a trucking vlog where the guy was getting unloaded for nearly 2 hours as he had to wait for the guy in front of him to be unloaded and reloaded, then it was his turn. He expected to be in and out in 30 minutes but instead took nearly 2 hours, as a result he wasn’t able to deliver to his customer as they closed at 5pm and he wasn’t going to arrive there until 6pm.
Would this be seen as your fault?
In most jobs employers don’t care if the bus was late or delays with trains etc, it’s up to you to plan ahead and to just not be late… Unless of course there’s a crash or something which literally is completely out of your control.
Iv’e watched dozens of vlogs where the drivers are behind schedule, often times over an hour and they don’t seem phased, like they know it’s not their fault. How can a transport manager determine if you being behind schedule is due to something out of your control or if you’re just “slow” at tarping / strapping down / handballing etc?
The job takes as long as it takes. Rather than getting stressed trying to make up lost time, once you become aware that delivery slots are going to be missed (or that you are likely to run out of working or driving time) call the office and hand the problem over to those whose job is supposed to be sorting out these issues. Let them make the decision as to how to proceed. The last thing they will want is to find out at the end of the day that X,Y and Z didn’t get delivered when it’s too late to do anything about it.
Generally if you turn up early you’re told to come back closer to booking time, turn up on time they haven’t got any space, and if you turn up late they’ll moan and complain that they will have to fit you in where they can.
Basically it’s a very simple pass the buck, which transport managers and planners are masters at by the way, IF your going to be late, get delayed or just want to annoy the ■■■■ and have fun with office wallers, call and let them know then ask what THEY want you to do !
You’ll be surprised how it confuses them and you’ll get the longest pause thinking phones gone dead whilst they think.
Or worse they HOPE your going to come up with a solution for them.
I used to say well we could do this that etc to claw time back till they then blamed me for a failed delivery that had to be done. At time I didn’t know that or else I’d have prioritised it.
Since then it’s a call and leave it with them to ■■■■ it up further.
Oh and get used to the ‘ I’ll call you back’ crap when they never do and it automatically becomes your fault again because you didn’t ring THEM back to see why they didn’t ring you back !
Can be quite good fun on a bad day screwing with them [emoji16]
Time slots are the planners concern !
My concern as a driver is to get load there intact and to drive safely and keep my licence clean
If I’m late I’m late ! End off and no driving like dukes of hazard to get there
Have a look at the times, do they seem reasonable? if you have, like I had one day a delivery in Norwich then Winsford then Howdens whilst starting at Immingham all in one day then just forget about getting there on time.
or possibly what happened to a friend of mine who was in Northampton and got a call from his office we have an issue could as your in Northampton could you possibly nip over to Southampton and pick a trailer up asap. He had to point out they weren’t next to each other
cooper1203:
or possibly what happened to a friend of mine who was in Northampton and got a call from his office we have an issue could as your in Northampton could you possibly nip over to Southampton and pick a trailer up asap. He had to point out they weren’t next to each other
I think everyone has met the guy and the other one that knows the fella that went to the wrong Leeds or Newcastle
cooper1203:
or possibly what happened to a friend of mine who was in Northampton and got a call from his office we have an issue could as your in Northampton could you possibly nip over to Southampton and pick a trailer up asap. He had to point out they weren’t next to each other
I think everyone has met the guy and the other one that knows the fella that went to the wrong Leeds or Newcastle
the worst one I have experienced is the two rochester’s nothing more soul destroying than leaving medway at 5 am and driving all day with accidents and roadworks to see a sign at 8 pm that says Rochester 3 miles.
I helped one guy out in Spain one day by pointing out that I knew two Bruges.The one in belgium that he knew about and the one in Bordeaux that he didn’t.
Star down under.:
You reckon you’ve got problems? We’ve got two Maryboroughs, there’s 1,850 kilometres between them, Yep, it happened.
Only 1850 kilometres? Amateurs! It was only a few years ago that a Syrian driver turned up at Gibraltar Point, near Skegness when he was supposed to be delivering cars to Gibraltar, almost 2000km away…
Star down under.:
You reckon you’ve got problems? We’ve got two Maryboroughs, there’s 1,850 kilometres between them, Yep, it happened.
Only 1850 kilometres? Amateurs! It was only a few years ago that a Syrian driver turned up at Gibraltar Point, near Skegness when he was supposed to be delivering cars to Gibraltar, almost 2000km away…
I remember that one. I found out there were 2 Cowleys in the UK, One near Oxford, car factory etc, the other is near to Hayes,where I just tipped, gues which one I went to and spent ages trying to find a non existent street?
As for the OP’s question, some TM’s and Planners might give you the odd expletive when you tell them you’re still waiting at a delivery point or stuck on traffic and aren’t going to make the delivery, but my experience its not personal, just another problem to add to that days list.
The main thing as has been covered is as soon as you know it not going to plan, inform the office, same as running out of hours, then its easier to change plans.
I know somebody said don’t give them options, but that really depends on who you’re talking too, far to many operations seem to be drivers vs office, but if I think of a solution I will give them that option, but its their call.
As for knowing whether its genuine or a driver taking the ■■■■, I’ve also worked in the office, and you soon work out which drivers just get on with it, minimum fuss and those that need checking on and those the are just incompetent and respond accordingly, might be even easier with trackers.
