Hi all, sorry but the camera has totally given in so a new one is now number one priority.
Ok, so got unloaded at Otay Mesa but it wasnt so clear cut, nor was what happened later and hence this post is being written.
I am sure you all know a little about layovers now and that ideally you need a hold up of at least 12hrs to receive some kind of payment. If we go back to the beginning of this trip I sat for around 9hrs at Lakeside packers Brooks, for that I got nothing, not even the $30 for loading as I didnt load it. Customs was easy and fast enough but cost me 30mins, as I didnt have to do meat inspection I got nothing. I unloaded at Otay Mesa, was booked for 0730 and was done by 1300, for that I received the $30 bonus for unloading.
So, up to the present. I loaded bananas out of San Diego and again sat for 3hrs, for that I received the standard $30. Then I had to finish loading the trailer up at Port Hueneme which cost me 2hrs and again received the standard $30. When loaded the airbags for the trailer suspension would not inflate so waited about 3hrs for that to be sorted which again was done for free.
I still have to fax the paperwork to the brokers which thankfully is only 2 sheets and will still take 30 mins, I have done loads before where the time taken for copying and faxing has taken 2.5hrs. For all of this there is no payment made to myself.
The reason that I have written about the time you dont get paid for is that things balance themselves out, I had a good run down into California and will have a good run back but there is aspects of the job which taint it a little and that is wasted time caused by the customers.
4 comments:
I understand how you feel about giving your time and expertise without reward. I no longer do anything for which I don't get paid for. It has meant threats to drop trailers and bobtail home etc but worth it in the long run. If the employer doesn't like it then don't expect me to sit around not getting paid. Anything longer than 1hr wait now pays $16 an hour, happy days.
Hi Dave, good to hear from you again. I suppose with a company this size its trust that spoils things. If half the drivers fiddled say 8hrs a week at $16 an hour I suppose that soon adds up and hence I can see the logic in not paying waiting time. Still stings like a bitch though.
Cheers fella
There does seem to be a lot of time hanging around with H&R. Is this the same for all reefer firms? I did a lot of hanging around with my last job, but now as it's more or less tipped straight away and loading is the same. The most time I spend hanging around now is for containers at the docks. I get paid for it anyway so no skin off my nose.
Hi Andy. Its not so much hanging around because of H&R but because of the customer. Waiting for paperwork for meat loads going south is especially bad.
The unpaid hours soon add up if you get a bad trip.
Cheers,Phil
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