Looking for opinions

PackRat

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May 26, 2008
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Looking for opinions here.....gave an expedited load to a carrier for pickup Tuesday and deliver Friday. Carrier committed to Team service and signed the confirmation back that a service failure would result in non payment. ETA was late Thursday night/early Friday morning. On Friday the carrier revised the ETA to 3pm Delivery. At 4pm the driver called the consignee and said he was "on the way". (wouldn't say where he was) Consignee told him don't bother as they were closed at 5pm. I suspect that the load moved via a single and not Team, but no way to confirm. Either way, would you consider this a service failure?
 
I wouldn't consider it a service failure but its definetly an issue. I'd just tell them that you paid him to be there on Thursday, and he didn't, so you're going to pay him what he was worth and then negotiate a discount.
 
Legally YOU are not entitled to be judge and jury. If the consignee accepted delivery on Monday then you're best option is to simply pay him off and place him on your do not use list. With no disrespect I am not sure the amount you paid for the job but I suspect you got what you paid for.
Just my opinion...
 
If the team was supposed to deliver on Friday and could possibly still make the time - why would the consignee tell the driver not to bother? He still had an hour to make service. A carrier can still make delivery at the 11th hour if need be. Sounds like the dock guys wanted to call it quits early and head out for the weekend....they should have accepted the delivery as long as the driver wasn't too late.

I view this as not only a carrier but a consignee issue as well. I would pursue all angles before laying blame and deducting the carrier for being "late".
 
I suspect that the carrier couldn't make the service and that's why they called at 4pm to let the customer know "they were on the way". again they wouldn't say where they were coming from or how long it would take them. I believe (operative words here) that they were "fishing" for the customer to tell them not to come and Monday was OK......
 
Everyone is entitled to their opinion TRUCKIT, however in this case your suspicions are wrong...GOOD money (I would even say BIG money) was offered for the service. And since you brought up the part about judge and jury, Since the carrier signed the confirmation back with the conditions of non payment for service failure written on the confirmation, would that not be binding since they didn't make the service?
 
I would figure out what a single rate would be and pay them that amount and never use them again. You are being fair and if it ever went to collection you did what was reasonable. What an industry we work in.
 
3 sides to each story.....

What has not been brought up is did your customer short pay you cause you were late?

If so you may have a case to short pay the carrier the same amount in the form of a claim since they agreed to your terms and conditions.
If not then you should not be trying to increase you profit due to what may have been a legitimate reason for being late.
In transportation law the most important phrase for this sort of thing is "due dispatch" which means that as long as the carrier did everything in their power to get there they can not be held liable. When mechanical breakdowns, weather or sickness come into play, all bets are off.


Good luck.
 
No. My customer has not paid me yet. The issue about legitimate reason is valid ONLY if the carrier had one. I was in constant communication with them and they never once said or implied ANY reason for it being late or delayed. One would think if the carrier HAD a legitimate reason they would be letting me know about it....correct? Again, thanks to all for the imput....that is what I am looking for. I understand that there are always more sides to an issue. Dialogue/communication is the only way to get through situations like this and hopefully sites like this will help!
 
Just curious, "good money/big money" how much per mile did you pay? No offence but I have heard this before and very few carriers/brokers either know or are willing to pay for true expedite. Was it a expedite company or a carrier doing a expedite run?
 
You were originally making a percentage on this move. I would talk to your customer and make a concession for the crappy service and once you come up with a number that makes them happy take the same percentage off of that and forward the remainder to the carrier. It would be nice to know which carrier has failed you? I didn't read that part anywhere. If you're shy pls private msg me.
 
tbirdx.....paid $3300 for less than 1/2 load toronto to edmonton. Pickup Tuesday deliver by Friday.
 
MarkD....didn't post the name as I was/am looking for opinons. Didn't want to start a potential smear campaign of a carrier's reputation based on 1 shipment....do some due dilegence first....you know?
 
Great rate for less then 1/2 a load and I'll assume that's what they asked for? Rate is far from expedite though and if they had issues with their other ltl there wasn't enough money to leave the other stuff behind and service your customer. My guess is they didn't find any other freight until weds before they left.