There are plenty of misconceptions about lumpers, and most are about lumpers being a scam or even illegal. This isn’t true! One of the biggest misunderstandings about lumpers is that the truck driver pays the lumper fees -- these fees are actually reimbursed by the shipper or broker. Instead of viewing lumpers as an unnecessary evil that may incur out-of-pocket expenses and extended wait times, there are plenty of arguments on why you should acknowledge lumpers and their work -- here are five of the most compelling reasons to appreciate lumpers.
Lumper Services Are Anything But Random
Lumpers and their services may originate from truckers hiring the odd day worker to unload their trucks, but it is a highly specialized industry today. Warehouses have long recognized the advantages of having a lumper service closely tied to their facilities because it improves operational efficiency. Plus, lumpers have continuously implemented systems that streamline the process, including inventory software and optimized payment platforms like Relay Payments.
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Lumper Services Are Not a Scam
It may look and feel like an out-of-pocket expense to pay for a lumper service, but the reality is that lumper companies employ highly skilled workers trained to unload freight quickly and securely. They even offer to restack your load, securing it for the next leg of the delivery journey. Moreover, the lumper fees are reimbursable and should be covered entirely by the shipper or broker. The problem arises when receipts are lost, and drivers end up paying for the lumper out of their own pocket. This is solved by using a digital payment solution like Relay Payments to ensure every expense is reconciled for reimbursement.
You Get to Catch Up On Rest
With even stricter ELD mandates and the tightening of Hours of Service, having a lumper service unload the freight gives drivers the perfect opportunity to get some rest, maybe get a decent meal, and connect with family and friends.
No Heavy Lifting In an Unknown Warehouse
Isn’t it nice to know that the heavy lifting is left to professionals? Avoid unloading the freight yourself and potential injury. Also, lumpers prevent you from needing to navigate through an unknown warehouse or facilitating “floor load conversions to in-house pallet configurations.” Also, you may not have access to the proper tools to unload particularly heavy or fragile loads, so you can end up damaging the goods you have hauled so carefully so far. Instead, the lumpers unload the freight for you while inventorying everything as it leaves the truck and ensuring it is done securely to avoid any damage while saving drivers valuable time on dock.
Lumpers Appreciate Drivers
Drivers may have a love/hate relationship with lumpers, but generally, lumpers appreciate the hard work truck drivers do to keep the wheels of the world turning. Past friction points between drivers and lumpers have been around payments and reimbursements. Still, those have been resolved with an optimized payment solution like Relay Payments, ensuring all parties get paid and reimbursed quickly. Lumpers also know that drivers may already have hours of driving behind and ahead of them, and they recognize their responsibility in upholding a well-oiled supply chain.
If you want to learn more about how Relay can help you streamline your lumper payments, please get started here to schedule your free demo.
