Letter to the Editor: Drayage Reality
From Laszlo Gyenes
I>Operations Manager
IP
I used to dray this type of equipment, and I can certainly attest to the fact that drivers are railroaded into accepting chassis that will not pass DOT specs. Why don’t they get it repaired on the outbound? Here is why:
First off, the driver might have spent 30 to 40 minutes in line to hand in the booking number. Then he is asked to grab a chassis and get into the swing line. You may hook up to as many as four pieces of equipment that has all the lights working. Another 20 to 30 minutes.
Then getting a box put on is another line. There is another line for outbound repairs. Then the checkout line. What if a driver discovers that a brake chamber is not working properly after he had to go through all this? I ask you, would you go back and go through the whole ordeal again, or take your chances that you won’t get stopped?
Take into consideration that the average dray to and from Houston/Barbours Cut is approximately $55 for three hours of work. That’s $18 dollars an hour. An owner-operator cannot survive if he gets too picky, so he blows and goes.
The other problem is that the port employees are union and paid hourly. They get paid whether the work gets done in a timely manner or not. Most drivers work on commission, and to them it does make a difference if they make $55 dollars in two hours or 4 hours.
This letter appears in the June 4 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.
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