These guidelines are not intended to serve as
industry standards or to create a legal right or responsibility of any party.
However, shippers/receivers and motor carriers/drivers agree that it is in their
mutual interest to subscribe to the following guidelines to govern their
relations.
I. Shippers/Receivers will:
A.
Treat drivers with courtesy and respect.
- Provide drivers access to safe, clean, and well-lit
restrooms, water and other comfort facilities.
- Provide drivers an environment that is free of
harassment and discrimination.
- Encourage and accept drivers' suggestions on
service improvement opportunities.
- Never solicit gifts or favors in return for preferential
treatment.
B. Assure safe practices are followed.
- Cooperate with carrier in establishing reasonable
transit time requirements so carriers can comply with driver hours of
service regulations and speed limits.
- Comply with legal limits of size and weight:
equipment will not knowingly be overloaded.
- Assure that hazardous materials are packed in
proper containers, loaded and stowed, proper shipping documents prepared,
and labels and placards supplied for containers (shippers responsible for
supplying and not applying placards) and vehicles, in conformance with
hazardous materials transportation regulations.
- Tender the cargo at the requisite temperature,
where appropriate, to avert temperature abuse. Clearly inform driver and
carrier of any temperature control requirement.
- Pre-cool trailers to the proper transit
temperature, where appropriate, when the shipper controls the trailer, e.g.
"drop and hook" arrangements.
- Keep parking lots and unloading facilities clear in
order to prevent delays and injuries.
- Communicate to carriers and drivers any
site-specific hazards and/or safety requirements that may be present at
their facility.
- Communicate to carriers the specific type of
materials handling equipment they expect the drivers to operate.
- Cooperate with carriers and drivers in providing
the stability of trucks during loading and unloading via wheel lock, dock
locks, etc.
- Respect the driver's opinion regarding his/her safety and safety
procedures that need to be followed.
C. Foster honesty, fairness and openness in their
dealings with carriers.
- Strive to build a solid business relationship with
carriers and drivers by negotiating honesty with them, and disclosing the
value of cargo being tendered.
- Select carriers and routing decisions based upon
service/price/performance benefits to the shipper and its customers.
- Establish loading/unloading requirements, use and
payment of lumpers (consistent with current law), and responsibility for
used pallets, with the carriers.
- Maintain the lawful confidentiality of carrier
data.
- Never offer or solicit gift or favors in return for preferential
treatment in rates, availability of equipment, delivery of products, or
approval of claims.
D. Expedite the movement of equipment.
- Bear the responsibility for loading and unloading
except where drivers are trained to handle the specific equipment or cargo,
or deliver express packages and LTL freight.
- Provide for prompt loading/unloading of trucks that
arrive within the scheduled time. Do not unreasonably refuse to reschedule
appointments if circumstances change. Cooperate in loading/unloading trucks
that arrive early or late or without appointment.
- Keep docks as clear as possible in order to prevent
driver delays.
- Allow drivers to clean trailers and discard
packaging material that was part of the load being delivered, as log as
disposal facilities are available.
- If dock space is temporarily unavailable, make
arrangements to contact drivers when a space becomes available, without the
necessity for the driver to remain physically in a queue.
- If drop and hook are involved, make reasonable
arrangements for a trailer to be available for pickup.
- Expedite accurate paperwork.
- Provide a mechanism for honest feedback on
performance related issues.
- Maintain reasonable hours for loading and
unloading.
- Offer clear driving instructions to the shipper's and receiver's place
of business.
II. Carrier Drivers will:
A.
Treat shipping and receiving personnel with courtesy and respect:
- Keep scheduled appointments or call ahead to
request a changed appointment.
- Explain the need to unload vehicles promptly,
especially if inconvenient to the shipper/receiver.
- Place vehicles, to the extent safe and feasible, at
the locations requested by the shipper/receiver.
- Keep the area around the vehicle clean;
discard trash, packing, etc. only in available approved containers with the
permission of the shipper/receiver.
- By appropriate dress, look and act as
professionals.
- Never offer gifts or favors in return for preferential treatment in
loading or unloading of equipment.
B. Maintain safe practices
- Inspect hazardous materials; as required by law,
assure that the vehicle bears placards in accordance with hazardous
materials transportation regulations.
- Operate the motor vehicle in accordance with all
DOT rules and regulations, including the commercial motor vehicle safety
rules.
- Observe shipper/receiver restricted areas, safety
practices, and any requirement for wearing protective devices on plant
premises, such as hard hats, safety glasses, etc., provided by
shipper/receiver.
- Cooperate with any reasonable shipper load securing
requirements, inspect all vehicles' cargo and load-securing devices prior to
departure, and periodically during the course of transportation as may be
practical, and cause any evident adjustments to be made that are necessary
to maintain the security of the load unless inspection is impractical.
- Understand and be prepared to meet any unique service requirements
requested by customer, be trained and knowledgeable as reasonably practical
of the products handled and how to act in the event of an
emergency.
III. Carrier Personnel will:
A.
Negotiate honestly with shippers.
- Strive to build a solid business relationship with
shipper/receiver.
- Sell services that are capable of being executed
and will be honored by carrier management.
- Maintain the lawful confidentiality of shipper
data.
- Quote transit times that can clearly be achieved
within driver hours of service regulations and prevailing speed limits.
- Maintain rates in a readily accessible manner, and
respond to rates or conditions of service requests promptly. Clearly
communicate the rates and conditions of service, including any limitations
on cargo liability.
- Provide equipment that is, to the best of the
carriers' knowledge, clean, watertight and in good condition in accordance
with commitments.
- Never offer or solicit gifts or favors in return for preferential
treatment in rates, availability of equipment, delivery of products, or
approval of claims.
B. Provide safe and efficient transportation
services
- Strive to meet all service commitments and to
deliver shipments on timely basis (when loaded on time and within a
reasonable transit time).
- Cooperate with shippers in establishing reasonable
transit time requirements, and assign drivers who can meet the requirements
under reasonable conditions.
- Not incur avoidable expenses to be assessed to
shipper without advance consent of shipper/receiver. "Expenses" do not
include accessorial charges incurred as a result of the service provided.
- Operate company in accordance with DOT safety,
insurance, and other regulations to minimize risk to carrier, shipper,
receiver, driver and public at large.
- Educate dispatchers and drivers on customer
operational guidelines, including actions where customer service is at risk.
- Give clear instructions to drivers as to service
and contract requirements expected by shippers and receivers.
- Provide equipment that will permit shippers to meet all applicable load
limits and safety requirements as described by customer.
8/2000
