Continental Cartage

[pfk182]

This is the second time I run into a prob with Continental Cartage and wanted to warn you guys about dealing with them. First time I lost 22k$ but that's for another time.

But this time, I get a phone call from the ever popular Linda from the Milton branch, on a Friday afternoon, practically begging for me to find her a driver and a flatbed 3axle for a rush rush rush shipment. It just so happened I have one standing next to me, who's load was going to Toronto for Monday.

I decide to help her out, and I send the driver. But wait, the fun part is that the pickup is 880 miles from Montreal, about 200 miles from Sault Ste Marie, ON. So everything is forecasted for Sunday AM a 9. I sent the guy empty to there, he gets there the evening before.

I get told I must not be late because there is a crane on site to load a 49,000lb machine.

So we keep our end of the contract, we're there in time. I get a phonecall on Sunday around 10:30am. Driver tells me that it's not going well, that they just damaged the trailer while rolling the machine onto the deck. Apparently, there was no crane, and they never load with cranes. They rolled the machine onto the deck, and when the ass-end of the machine got on, it went thru the floor and bended 5-6 crossmembers.

So now I've got a damaged trailer on site, 880 miles away, and cannot take the risk to reload it in case I get the attention of any D.O.T Agent. I need to wait the next morning to advise Continental, and I figure he's most probably going to come back home empty.

I advise their offices and those responsible, and it stays like that.

I then try to talk about claiming the damages, and the empty miles caused and that's where the crap hit the fan. I get transfered to other authorities and everything.


To make the conclusion short and sweet. They tell me this:

" Continental Cartage will not hold themselves responsible for damages caused to the trailer because you did not send in the right equipment. And as for the empty miles - same reason. The driver should have called you when there was no crane on site".

So basically, blaming the driver for listening to the customer. And is now washing his hands, like it's my fault I sent in a tridem flatbed like they asked.

So this is going into legal hands, and the insurance company has enough on these guys to have a case.

It's really surprising, and disappointing at the same time, because for all the rest that I've done for Continental in the past, that is how they repay their carriers.

So remember, carriers, for Continental Cartage, your nothing. Be warned!

 

[lowmiler88]

How does the saying go "fool me once shame on you......" any company that I lost 22K on would not even get the time of day from after that. Sounds to me you knew what kind of company you where dealing with before you agreed to work with them again.

 

[Nawk]

You got beat for 22 K and you went back for more?? Really ???

Fool me once shame on you... fool me twice...

 

[pfk182]

Unfortunately, we lost 22k$ indirectly with them and couldn't hold them responsible for it. They were using a Quebec carrier, who sold their loads without their consent, and used a third party payable company to get paid quicker and scrammed off with the $$$.

As for the rest, Continental always paid in good terms with good rates.

But to treat their carriers this way, which they never had any bumps with, is just disgraceful.

 

[ralphthetrucker]

I'm still trying to figure out why 49,000 lbs would need a tridem/tri-axle trailer...Quebec bound and thaw/degel would be the only logical reason imho.

You should be grateful that it went through the floor when it was being loaded. If that had happened while enroute it would not have been pretty.

 

[Navigator]

The last thing I would want to do is take sides when I don't know all the facts, but I would like to make comment. That is the purpose of this forum.

A similar scenario could happen with any piece of equipment. For example, lets say it's a Reefer Van. The customer tells me that they are going to load and unload a trailer of flowers with a pallet-jack, so I decide I'm going to send a trailer with a floor in questionable condition, because it's the only one left in the yard. However, when the driver arrives at the consignee they begin unloading the trailer with an 8000lbs tow motor, and you guessed it, the tow motor decides to go through the floor.

Should I blame the customer who told me that they were supposed to be unloading with a pallet jack?

Should I blame the consignee who's tow motor operator should have inspected the floor and x-members of the trailer before unloading?

Should I blame the driver, who I informed that the trailer was to be unloaded by pallet jack?

Or should I blame myself for sending a trailer that I knew was in questionable condition?

If I didn't know it was in questionable condition, then should I be blaming my company's maintenance practices?

I think there are too many people who could accept at least partial blame, I'm not surprised that the customer doesn't want to accept all of it.

If you did expect the customer to accept some of the blame, then I think you would at least need proof that the trailer was in good condition. I'm not exactly sure how you could prove this, would a recent annual safety suffice? A recent MTO/DOT roadside inspection?

 

[chica123]

This is just a small contribution to the debate, but I would have likely been VERY hesitant to run someone 880 miles empty to pick up any load without carefully examining the details of the load. And I certainly would have placed a phone call to the shipper and spoken with them first before sending the truck all that distance empty. Good communication and being proactive often minimizes loss. Just my two cents...
(Just want to add that I still do feel whole the situation is very unfortunate for you)

 

[Activet]

Driver's responsibility

Regardless of any of the circumstances, agreements, and distance traveled to get the load, what if any, are the driver's responsibilities in this matter? Is the driver the ultimate captain of his ship, or isn't he? And to what extent?

In my way of thinking, and what I believe is the law, an operator who chooses to operate any vehicle, whether it be a car, truck, boat, or airplane, is absolutely responsible for any illegalities or deficiencies regarding the cargo and means of conveyance. They will be the ones that have the fines and related monetary, or in the extreme, jail penalties imposed on them. So, it's up to the driver to maintain absolute control and directly supervise the loading/unloading of the truck they're responsible for, or intend to operate. Even if it means being in opposition to their dispatcher. It has happened to me, where I refused to load a truck I was operating due to the unsafe method of loading and potential damage to the trailer. My dispatcher disagreed, but he was not in control of the vehicle at the time, I was. He had to accept the fact that I was there and had a better understanding of all of the conditions, and trust my judgment, or take whatever other steps he felt was necessary. It ended well for myself and the company I worked for, but did raise heated discussions and raised eyebrows, that I would have the temerity to disobey a dispatcher. This was in the day before cell phones and digital cameras. My rational is, if there's a potential legal or monetary penalty in store for me, the decision whether or not I operate said vehicle is ultimately mine alone, regardless of the wishes of others. My belief is that the driver is responsible for allowing the shipper to make a mess of this load, and trailer damage.

If your a carrier or dispatcher, do you have any opposition if a driver does what I did? I expect, there will be many differing opinions.

 

[alx]

Activet

You are spot on.

I cannot agree with you more.

The driver is the captain of his ship and will make the ultimate decision.

I still do local deliveries every Monday (LtL overload) with one of the highway trucks. I also drove OTR for 10 years before settling down.

I would never let anyone dictate what I was to do, manangement and I agreed 99% of the time. Although I had final word, I was responsible for the equipment as welll as the cargo.

I remember an occasion in Montreal a few years ago when I was consulting for a large LTL carrier that had tight schedules with heavy penalties for late deliveries.

There was a real nasty snow storm, with several road closures. The terminal manager was screaming at the local drivers to keep on going with their deliveries, threatening them with expulsion if his directives were not met.
No need to say that one of the more than dozen drivers had an accident that was clearly costly.

The manager had years of experience in the industry but had never driven a truck, therefore had really no grasp on what he was expecting his employees to do.

 

[flatbeder007]

Just talked to Linda at Continental Cartage.

They have been good to me so I told her to register and give her side of the story.

Canadian Specialized Carriers.

 

[fechner]

Me too

Just talked to Linda at Continental Cartage.

They have been good to me so I told her to register and give her side of the story.

Canadian Specialized Carriers.

I have been hauling freight for Continental Cartage for over 3 years and never had any issues, Linda has helped me many of times when I have had space on my truck's.
And in turn I have given up doing LTL and moving full loads for them when they have needed me.
Will continue to work with all their branches.

 

[pfk182]

Yes Fetcher, so did I. I always enjoyed working with them at all times. And I've always helped when they asked me to put out fires that they were stuck with. I have sent guys registered at the port on busy days to load their trailers and etc.. I've always bended in half just to know that I've helped them because they've always returned the favor.

But like I said, I was called on a Friday afternoon, with a driver that just came back from the maritimes with a load going to Toronto for the following Monday.

Linda called, asked for a hand, she needed a truck absolutely for the next day near Sault Sainte Marie. Asked if I had a straightshooter ready to go right now. I thought of sending this guy over, as he was looking to roll rightaway if needed as well.

I was told, " it's a peice a machinery, 49 000lbs, they need to know when you are going to be there to set up a crane for loading. I need a flatbed for this load, and etc etc etc setup the loading. "

Everything was done according to their needs. They should have asked for a Double Drop trailer - like what was required. I would have said "I can't, I don't have" - end of story.

When the driver was there on Sunday morning @ 9 am like asked for, and the customer told him, " oh no we don't load these with cranes, just backup to the dock and we will just roll the machine on" - the driver thinks that this is not their first rodeo, and trusts the call made by the customer.

He then guides the operator onto his trailer, the machine is 3/4 on the trailer and then the set of wheels on the back of the machine itself climbs onto the trailer to then bends the crossmember on one side of the trailer. Then everything stops, back it up...

So okay, from there, who's to blame? Miss-information from the buyer onto the transporter onto the sub-contracted transporter. Now we have a damaged trailer 800 miles away, and of course, to our experience, we have to notify the insurance and make certain arrangements.

*When a reputable company like Continental asks you for a flatbed for a load, you don't have to bombard them with the dimensions to the very inch, you are convinced that they know what they need.

BUT to be told that, I should not of sent in a flatbed, or to be told that from there WE have to contact their customer for the damages and then be told 2 weeks later by email NOT to call their customer...

You can give all the information to Linda about this website. She will not deny any of what was said. The mistake was done by the buyer I'm guessing - who just needed a truck. Linda executed thinking there wasn't anything to be weary of, and I ended up paying for someone else's mistake. Linda is a pearl, but her management team treats their helpful carriers like dirt.

I've carried 60,000pds valve on 10 feet of trailer without ever damaging my equipment. This machine damaged the equipment for 1 because the wrong equipment was ordered, and secondly not loaded by a crane like fortold.

Blaiming the driver in this matter is just the simplest escape route and all of you know it.

 

[trucksafetyguy]

The Rest of the Story

As the late Paul Harvey Sr. would say, "And now you know....the rest of the story."

This industry is often quick to blame the driver. In this case, I can easily see an experienced, trained driver trying to follow through on a "See what you can do" (not saying that was said in this situation).

If you are a carrier and a driver messes up...ask yourself if the driver was tested or taught how to deal with a given situation (whether it is splitting a log or spotting vehicle defects etc etc). If you have not had a driver prove their knowledge, then who is really at fault?

An AZ/Class 1 licence only means that the driver has proven that they can hook up a trailer, back up 100 feet in a straight line and drive around the block. (and don't blame it on "truck school wonders", I've tested plenty of 10 year drivers that were sorely lacking in knowledge).

Just food for thought.
Bob Cole