Why You Should Outsource Freight Truck Unloading Services to Professionals

There are many reasons why it is a sound decision to outsource your freight truck unloading services to professionals such as the teams at Labor Loop. Let’s first examine the alternatives that many in the logistics industry try before realizing that, as in many fields, you do get what you pay for. The need to rein in spending while increasing the efficiency of every supply chain has never been more important. Over the past 5 years, consumers’ expectations of our industry have increased exponentially. Overnight delivery used to cost a king’s ransom. Now, due to the proliferation of warehouses across the country, deliveries that used to take several days can be accomplished in one or two. This paradigm shift in the supply chain has been costly, and many try to compensate for these increased operational costs by one of three options. Below we will discuss each and state why these are not the solution.

Diverting Employees

Truck unloading services require a great degree of experience and safety skills. It is not just a task that involves physical labor. There is a need for proper safety procedures to be followed, which require both classroom training followed by a written exam. Few links in the supply chain have the time, resources, or staff available to meet all of these criteria. It is not enough to create a culture where safety procedures are followed. Should this training be implemented, there will additionally be a loss of productivity when designated employees are being trained as well as whenever they are asked to perform a truck unloading service. 

Unloading by Trucker

Once commonplace, thankfully, the practice by transportation carriers to require drivers to load and unload their trailers is becoming a thing of the past. The chief reasons are the requirements to load, palletize, and shore up a variety of freight using equipment ranging from hand trucks, to ramps, trailer restraints, barrier gates, hydraulic dock levelers, and forklifts. Few drivers will have experience using these tools or have many on hand. However, the most important reason not to use this option is driver fatigue. It is known to cause accidents and must be avoided.

Day Labor

Hiring per diem from an agency is seldom efficient or cost-effective. The workers are not OSHA-trained or certified, as are Labor Loop’s teams. Their ignorance of the skills required to work efficiently is well-documented. Unskilled labor takes 300% longer to perform a truck unloading service than the seasoned lumpers provided by Labor Loop. 

Now that expediency is paramount, it is no time to try to cut costs by asking those who are not up to the task of providing truck unloading services to perform it. In addition to providing qualified, seasoned teams on-demand, Labor Loop can also have those same individuals perform additional warehouse duties while on site, therefore increasing your supply chain’s efficiency while reducing overhead costs. Give us a call to discuss partnering with Labor Loop for on-demand freight loading, unloading, and warehousing tasks. Call today!