What do you think of when you think of unloading or loading? Typically, most would answer by saying that they think of a forklift running in and out of the trailer, or even checking in and out of a shipping/receiving office. These are generally accurate assumptions in describing the typical process. The speed at which the unload progresses at however, is what will differ greatly from person to person and from load to load. This can be especially true in the case of floor-loaded freight, which is actually what one of my dedicated hauls is comprised of that provides me with around 40% of my work at this time.
Why is it that I do not fear floor loads like a lot of drivers out there? What is it that I do as a driver to alleviate some of this wait time associated with them? Why do I often leave many drivers wondering how I get in and out of a shipper like this so quickly, even if they had arrived a great deal of time earlier than I did? The simple answer lies in my willingness to go the extra mile and put in a little “sweat equity”. Rather than sit in my cab or sleeper during most of these loads, I instead try in every way I can to help in the process.
I have managed to do these loads so often that I know the routine of slinging boxes just as well as most of the guys on the lumping crews. Sorting boxes into “Tetris-like” patterns in the receiver’s “Ti-Hi” specifications happens easily now, without much extra thought. Even if not huffing boxes, I can help move pallets or even clean out shrink-wrap in between pallets to help save them time. I am always sure to check with each individual warehouse though, as driver-assist policies differ in every place you go.
I know this sounds like a lot of extra work to most dry van haulers, who might rather sit in their air conditioned cabs and let someone else do the work of offloading. Most times this extra work goes unpaid, since most companies, brokers, and customers do not pay for driver assist if it is voluntary. However, there are other benefits to loading and unloading yourself that are buried under the surface. Loads like these typically average 3-4 hours to load or unload. In helping out in the process, I can usually cut my loading time down to anywhere from 1.5 to 2 hours on average. In an industry where time is money, those extra hours can add up to money in the bank! An extra 4-6 hours saved at the end of the week from doing this can easily add up to an extra load or two.
Not only do I save time, but I also get a good workout that day because you definitely work up quite a sweat loading or unloading a couple thousand cartons of freight! I have also learned a better 
understanding of cargo securement and trailer freight capacity by involving myself in the process. I have many times, even when loading palletized freight, found that I may know my trailer and how to load it better than the guys loading it that do it every day for their living. This 
type of involvement on my end has led to a lot of good relationships within certain warehouses and with lumpers I visit frequently and has earned me a certain level of “priority” for some loads. One thing to remember when helping out is to remain safe in doing so. Never exert yourself more than you are comfortable with, always wear a neon safety vest for visibility, and use a back brace to avoid injury.