Five steps for trucking companies to become more desirable to a shipper. Part 1

1. Please update us when you have arrived at the pickup. WHY? The shipping location might need to direct your driver and truck to a certain location on the property for their safety. This action can save you time, avoid hazards at the site, and get loaded faster. You might accidently be at the wrong gate or yard (I know this never happens). This helps me hold the rest of the supply chain accountable. I can notify our client, and I can alert the crew needed to start loading. This prevents wasting your valuable hours of service.
2. Inform us that your loaded BEFORE you have departed. WHY? To make certain the truck was provided all the correct documents at loading. In case the shipment isn’t loaded legally, safely, or correctly. We can ensure the right items are loaded on your truck. I can now notify the receiver their material is on the way.
3. Let us know when you arrive at the receiver. WHY? The GPS gets you to an address but, sometimes the delivery site is many acres in size. The truck can’t see or figure out where to go to find the unloading location. The staff might be working near loud machinery, or don’t have windows in order to see or hear that you have arrived. I might have someone meet your truck and guide you safely to the exact place to park for unloading.
4. I would love to have an update when you have departed the receiver. WHY? The destination might not understand the amount of time a truck needs to put the tools away after an unload.  I might have a reload for you ready now. I need to inform the client that is not at the jobsite know that the unload is complete.
5. Email us a photo of your truck loaded with this freight. WHY? This could possibly prove that you secured this shipment safely. The new people in the office get more interested in carriers when they see the photo. I have seen employees go out of their way to find work for trucks that send photos. Our office has picked one carrier over another for future shipments just because they emailed to the dispatchers a couple of amazing photos of your truck and the shipment. I have personally seen a shipper spend 10 weeks building a project that took 15 minutes to load and the shipper and the staff is so proud to see their finished work. This is free advertising for you, and no one else will do this.

This is written from a flatbed, step deck, specialized, and heavy haul perspective. But I know some of this is accurate for 53’ dry vans. I am not a shipper, but we have clients that want us to fully act on their behalf for their projects. Chandler Magann