What you might expect to happen when you arrive at the shipping and receiving office. Even though the departments are different they are often run out of the same office and depending on the size of the company one person may be in charge of both shipping and receiving.

Back in and rest

Upon arrival to both your pick up or delivery go to the proper department and check in with the clerk so they know you are there. They are not going to go out into the lot to see if so and so showed up for their appointment. Every now and then the offices are pretty far from where they have you park and therefore make sure you carry all of your information about this load with you.

Pick up numbers are almost always necessary even though brokers, driver managers and dispatchers sometimes will tell you just say you’re getting the load for this place or that. If at all possible get the pickup number because people do drop the ball thinking it is okay not to have the numbers and all too often the driver is the one put in a bind. If it just happens to be that your office staff has gone home for the day then you may not be able to get the load until the next morning. That is an exception not the rule.

Once you’re inside the shipping/receiving office they will want your pickup number and probably any other information that you should have pertaining to the load. A lot of times they may even want to make a copy of your driver’s license so it is a good idea to carry your wallet with you.

The people working in the warehouses sometimes are not the nicest people. It is a fact of life for drivers that you will have to learn how to deal with them. Often they see truck drivers as the same animal and view you as, well let’s just say they are human and they have ups and downs. Try to treat them like you would want to be treated and then everything will go smoothly. Most of the people are great and it is great to meet all the different characters out there all around the country.

So they have given you your assigned door. Even though it is probably an easy number there is a chance that you will forget what they said and end up backing into the wrong door. Again like most things it probably wouldn’t matter by a door or two, but make sure someone knows because similar items on different trucks will make for a very bad day for the guys unloading.

Lumpers or Humpers, whatever names you may know them as are a group of people who work in some warehouses. They are usually independent contractors that you can hire to unload your truck. Some loads are what they call “drivers unload”. It does absolutely mean that you have to unload the trailer yourself but it does mean that you have to either do it yourself or hire someone to do it. If you are going to a food warehouse you will more than likely have a driver unloadfull article. Find out how much you’ll need to pay and make sure you carry that much in to the warehouse with you.

Once you are backed into the door the next thing to do is wait until the green and red flashing light changes and then it lets you know that they should be done loading or unloading your trailer. NEVER pull away from the door until you go in and get your paperwork so everyone knows for sure no more forklifts will go in and out of your trailer.

When you are done pull up and drive to the security gate usually with your doors open because the sentry will look inside or look at the seal that was placed on the door. After the gate inspection close everything up and drive away. Make sure to give dispatch a call to let them know you have completed that part of the job and are either driving or waiting for your next assignment.

I have been truck over the road for the past 10+ years. I have drove as a company driver an owner operator and even attended a brokers school. I hope that you learned a little more about the trucking industry.