How to Avoid being rejected….

Well for spoiled or damaged loads anyway.

  We all know that there is a risk of spoilage and rejection of refrigerated loads. There are different elements that can lead to this happening.  That means that there are steps that can be taken to avoid your load from spoiling or being rejected. Let’s dive in and look at these.

  Is your equipment working properly? This may seem simple, however if your trailer checks are not done you may not know. Is your trailer clean, free of smells and debris? You’ll want to check your fuel, oil, antifreeze levels and belts. Is your temperature in your trailer set correctly? Have you looked at your air chutes and ducts and the current shape that they are in. Does your load require you to pre-cool or pre-warm? Are your load locks in place? These may seem tedious and no brainers, however these steps are all required for successful transportation.

  Before leaving a shipper, the cargo should always be checked. If the shipper has placed load locks use the vent door to check if the product is wrapped or secured in a way to ensure proper transportation of that particular product. Is it even wrapped at all? Did they put load locks in or is cargo just free as a bird? This is a simple check that can stop the hassle of rejection when delivering.

  Now that we have gone through the task of getting the load on the trailer, let’s check a few points on how to keep the load from being rejected. Loads can be rejected due to damage in transit. This damage can be caused by aggressive driving. Meaning taking corners too fast, hard braking, driving on or off curbs, driving too fast through traffic, rough parking lots, rough road conditions, and watching out for potholes. Your load may shift in any of these conditions.

 Other rejections may include not monitoring your temperature correctly. This means paying attention to your light bar. Making sure your light bar on the trailer is green not orange. If your light is orange, you need to contact your maintenance to resolve the problem quickly.

 Another reason that a load can be rejected is for being late. There are many reasons this can happen. Including weather conditions in the winter months. Having breakdowns from not addressing tires or maintenance needs. Whatever the reason this can be costly for you and your employer.

  There are so many elements that make up a truck drivers’ job. These are just a simple few. Making sure these steps are taken will help anyone to make sure your load is not rejected or spoiled. While not everything is covered these are a highlighted important few steps that need to be taken.