everypoint
New Member
2
Along the I-94, in Ann Arbor, MI. on Oct 19 of this year, a truck loaded with structural steel beams is cut off by another vehicle and is forced to brake abruptly; as he comes to a clean safe stop, he is very lucky not to get killed as part of his cargo flies through the cab. Please see the pics below.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2016/10/eastbound_i-94_closed_west_of.html
Upon investigation at the scene, all tie-down straps seem to be tight and properly placed. The driver narrowly escapes death and is happy to be alive.
The parts of steel were then picked up off highway and brought to the tow truck operation center. The tow truck operator, the insurance adjuster, and others at the scene were of the opinion that the cargo was not safely loaded onto flatbed trailer;
The shipper, a steel mill in Waterloo, IN. is responsible for the proper loading at their facility. The driver then straps down the entire load, unable to look inside the steel bundles.
The unaffected freight which never moved from the truck and was not touched in any way is returned to the shipper along with a 2nd truck with the damaged steel recovered from the roadway.
The shipper then proceeds to submit a freight claim (I know, crazy!!!) for the entire load, including the perfectly good freight not having been manipulated or touched. I guess they need the extra sales.
Is this a joke? A shipper who likely causes a problem, and then tries to throw the little guy under the bus to cover up the near fatal mistake(s). Hmmm, sounds like a David and Goliath story.
The Carrier’s insurance company will have none of it and tells shipper that it must prove cargo damages for it to be taken seriously. An freight claim invoice for the whole load doesn’t do it.
It gets worse!!! In the freight claim invoice, the shipper puts a freight charge equivalent to nearly 3 times what we WOULD have charged for the load but did not. We didn’t bill them any freight charges. In other words, they're padding the already bogus freight claim with a fraudulent freight charge amount they never incurred.
You be the judge, would you haul freight for these guys? The word scoundrel comes to mind.
http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2016/10/eastbound_i-94_closed_west_of.html
Upon investigation at the scene, all tie-down straps seem to be tight and properly placed. The driver narrowly escapes death and is happy to be alive.
The parts of steel were then picked up off highway and brought to the tow truck operation center. The tow truck operator, the insurance adjuster, and others at the scene were of the opinion that the cargo was not safely loaded onto flatbed trailer;
The shipper, a steel mill in Waterloo, IN. is responsible for the proper loading at their facility. The driver then straps down the entire load, unable to look inside the steel bundles.
The unaffected freight which never moved from the truck and was not touched in any way is returned to the shipper along with a 2nd truck with the damaged steel recovered from the roadway.
The shipper then proceeds to submit a freight claim (I know, crazy!!!) for the entire load, including the perfectly good freight not having been manipulated or touched. I guess they need the extra sales.
Is this a joke? A shipper who likely causes a problem, and then tries to throw the little guy under the bus to cover up the near fatal mistake(s). Hmmm, sounds like a David and Goliath story.
The Carrier’s insurance company will have none of it and tells shipper that it must prove cargo damages for it to be taken seriously. An freight claim invoice for the whole load doesn’t do it.
It gets worse!!! In the freight claim invoice, the shipper puts a freight charge equivalent to nearly 3 times what we WOULD have charged for the load but did not. We didn’t bill them any freight charges. In other words, they're padding the already bogus freight claim with a fraudulent freight charge amount they never incurred.
You be the judge, would you haul freight for these guys? The word scoundrel comes to mind.