Any operations manager, transportation carrier, and supply chain overseer knows the value of quality freight unloading vendors to the success of their supply chain. Finding the right team of lumpers, however, is not as easy as searching online for “lumpers near me” and taking your chances. It is most important to locate and partner with the right team to stay both on schedule and on budget. In this posting, we’ll explore the available options along with our recommendations as the best route to take for an optimal outcome.
Traditionally, there are four types of freight unloading services available. These options include:
Existing staff whose primary duties do not generally involve freight unloading.
Pros:
- These staffers are already on payroll.
Cons:
- Existing employees will likely not have the speed or experience that professional lumpers possess.
- Overall productivity could be impacted if no one is “covering” for them to perform their daily assigned tasks.
- Inexperienced workers are more likely to injure themselves or others.
- Any injuries sustained while performing freight unloading could involve a liability claim.
Transportation carriers may opt to task their driver with lumper duties before and after each trip.
Pros:
- The driver is already on the carrier’s payroll.
Cons:
- The exertion of unloading their trailer prior to driving long distances or unloading before making a return trip can cause driver fatigue, as well as increase the margin for driver error and potential accidents.
- A driver may not be skilled in packing freight correctly or know which products require stacking on pallets and which can stand alone, as well as other important unloading practices. Ignorance of the correct techniques and procedures can cause load shifting in transit, with the potential for damages and losses.
- Increases the possibility of driver injury and a liability claim.
Hiring per diem laborers.
Pros:
- These individuals are hired for a specific task, and when it has been completed, they leave.
- They do not require benefits or company insurance.
Cons:
- Unskilled labor will not be experienced in proper unloading techniques and procedures.
- They will be unfamiliar with the tools involved for this process.
- Untrained workers require in-house supervision, which diverts a manager from their daily tasks.
- Statistically, inexperienced help takes over 300% longer to perform the task than seasoned lumpers.
- They may have been hired by searching for “lumpers near me” with no previous business relationship with the individuals or their agency.
- Any gains in salary costs will be lost due to extended timelines to perform the task.
- Exponentially higher instances of work-related injuries to themselves and others.
Outsourcing these tasks as required to a professional lumper company.
Pros:
- Experienced workers who are also skilled at staying on schedule and therefore on budget.
- They know the tools to use and how to use them properly, such as ramps, pallets, forklifts, and more.
- They employ the proper procedures for shoring up cargo when unloading, assessing for damages, and using the correct unloading techniques when unloading freight.
- They provide cost savings due to faster turnaround times unloading containers and trailers.
- They work quickly and safely.
- They carry their own liability insurance.
- They offer the most cost-effective solution to maintain your supply chain schedule and reduce overhead.
Cons:
- None.
What’s the best solution for your needs? With over one million containers and trailers successfully loaded and unloaded every year, and a solid reputation for reliability and safety nationwide, Express Freight Handlers, Inc. is the provider you’ll want to have in your cell phone contacts list. Our seasoned teams can be swiftly deployed as needed to perform the task at hand, then leave until our services are required at a future time. Additionally, every team is supervised by our staff to maximize our productivity and yours. Consider your available options and the solution is obvious. There is no need to search for “lumpers near me.”
To learn more, contact Express Freight Handlers today!
