Anyone ever lose a load because they had a pet in the truck with them?

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
LOL I'd be awful on that show.

I actually learned how to cook under the tutelage of a classic French Chef. I can talk about food, foods of other cultures, and food history, all day long.

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There are some wildly complicated dishes out there, and how they came about and how they were done has always been something of interest to me, even though I still perfer to cook simply. But, some of the most complicated and and delicate French pastries were developed amongst the wind-blown ashes and cinders of constantly stoked wood burning stoves for the kings and queens of France.
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Even cooking itself. You have to wonder what exactly it is, and who thought it up. Envision if you will a small band of hunter gatherers wandering around when they come upon a recently extinguished forest fire, still smoldering, still hot. Strewn about are the semi-charred animals of the wild.


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Ogg, the clan clown, approaches a still steaming and popping carcass, rips off a hunk of meat and goes, "Ugh! Watch this!" and proceeds to dine on some prime dik-dik. Then he takes a second bite. And a third. The rest take note. Others dine on waterbuck and warthog.



Pretty soon the clan clown is worshiped for his discovery that cooked meat tastes better than raw meat and is digested much easier. Ogg is a hero! All hail Ogg! Ugh!
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The elders, while appreciating the newly discovered gastronomical delight of cooked food, still think Ogg's a clown.
 

Ecotech2006

Seasoned Expediter
Are you talking about vans only? I hope so, I traveled with my dog and it was never a problem, mostly because I didn't make it one. I was in a straight truck too, If necessary I put her in the sleeper out of sight ( sleeper was off limits to anyone) whats in my truck is none of their business. A van I could sort of understand why, having a crate trained pet would be good their, still whats in the truck is noones business but yours...
 

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
You did not haul any sensitive loads then as the sleeper is also searched. If your are asked if you have a pet in the truck and you lie then I also have to wonder what else do you lie about?

When we go across the border Molly will stay in the back unless we are being x-rayed then Molly will get out.
 

nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
Power plants are starting to get real peculiar as well. I lost at least two loads in one week, and that was the end of the feline companion. (Not literally the end). The cat hair was starting to get on my nerves anyway. A TA waitress was very pleased to get a pet for her child.
So word to the wise, if you do not want a hassle make sure your dispatch knows you have a pet, and then you won't have last minute surprises on site..

Ive been running nuclear loads for over 20 years,and the plants arent much different than they were 20 years ago.Most wont let but one driver in,NO pets,guns, alcohol,drugs.You know the proceedure.The security will search your truck,every inch of it,going in and out.If your just going to a wharehouse,and not going into the restricted areas,then proceedure may be different.This has also been true in many of the military sites Ive been in
 

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
We had heard all of the horror stories of how your truck is searched and trashed and as of yet that has not happened or anything even close to this.

The most any guard searched us was at a maximum security prison and I glad of that one. We have had all kinds of security check with most being open all the boxes and open the truck doors; they poke their heads in and go on. Often they will look in the over head bin where we keep our camera and easy to reach items. Once in one of Bobs boxes one guard saw something that interested him and he had Bob open that box. If we deliver at night we always turn on all the interior lights so they can see easily inside everything and then I take Molly for a short walk. Not once has anyone been rude to us or not shown respect for our items. I am also sure if anyone of them suspected anything odd they would tear our truck apart! I am also sure that if we were to try and hide an animal it would take some of them about two seconds to find the pet.

Personally now when we go onto a base and we are not searched I am a little put out that they are not doing their jobs.
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Most searches of my truck have been as you described, just quickly going through the motions. I did have one that was VERY complete. I picked up at a Marine base in DC for White House Communications. One Marine went through the truck for about 20 minutes while another stood guard with an automatic weapon. I could only assume it was loaded. Before the search I opened everything up, but I forgot to take the cover off my Rigmaster. When he got to it, he looked like he wasn't sure how to take it off. I asked the guard if he wanted me to go take it off. He said yes, so I started to walk over. He started to point the gun at me. I have to be honest, I was intimidated and stopped. He said, "Yes sir, we know these trucks very well. He'll get it off." I wish he'd completed the statement at first.
 

pelicn

Veteran Expediter
Personally now when we go onto a base and we are not searched I am a little put out that they are not doing their jobs.

I have the same opinion. We've had one inspection where the guard opened every cabinet inside the truck. No problem, we've got nothing to hide.
 

Tempest

Seasoned Expediter
Pulling up to a nuke plant in the middle of the night got us a half dozen armed soldiers pointing guns at the truck. I was about to need fresh boxers, But when one walked over and asked for our paperwork he was the nicest fellow in the world. Quick glance in the sleeper and boxes was our search and after asking for our camera and camera phones, we were let in. Barely a second glance in the sleeper on the way out and we were done.
Piece of cake.
 

x06col

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Army
I started driving working for my brother and he knew when I started that Taco and Paco would be with me. Panther also was aware of the boys in the truck. About 3 months after I started I was in Rocket City at the Ammo Depot and they wouldnt let me in to get the load. Panther had neglected to tell me about the "No Pet" rule the shipper had. When my brother found out I lost the load, he "suggested" that I leave the boys at home. I asked where exactly he would like me to leave is truck. That was 3 years ago and my furry sons have seen every state in the lower 48 since then. I now have my own trucks and a pet policy of my own. It is simple and to the point. If I have to have truck cleaned or replace carpet seats ect. when you leave it comes out of your last check. Otherwise, if shipper doesnt want to let you in and panther didnt tell you up front, proceed to closest truckstop, walk your babies and wait for next load. Panther and the shipper WILL get over it.

On the question of where to leave the truck, seems you doged the bullet with your Bro. Seems to me the school book answer to a challenge like that would be "depends".

Depends, on how far ya wanna walk home.

Depends, on how much you wana pay me to retrieve it.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
That's really more of a text book thought process than a text book answer. Since the question was very specific, "Where exactly you would like me to leave your truck", then the answer could be as simple as "In my driveway."

If the answer is, "Depends on how far you wanna walk home,' then the result is likely be that he drives it to his home rather than yours. :D
 

vitaminchik

Seasoned Expediter
I did... lose the load... it was going from frit lay Phoenix AZ area to CA. I had an empty fuel can in the box, straight truck. Once they saw the can they went wild, nothing helped. At that time around 2013 I worked with Brighton transportation, that guy made French fries out of me for losing the load... Now owner operator at least this less headache, as few not just one company loads me and I am no longer strings attached like with Brighton. That was the only occasion to lose a load due to my bad so far for what I remember in these 4 years I am in expediting.
 

tknight

Veteran Expediter
Most searches of my truck have been as you described, just quickly going through the motions. I did have one that was VERY complete. I picked up at a Marine base in DC for White House Communications. One Marine went through the truck for about 20 minutes while another stood guard with an automatic weapon. I could only assume it was loaded. Before the search I opened everything up, but I forgot to take the cover off my Rigmaster. When he got to it, he looked like he wasn't sure how to take it off. I asked the guard if he wanted me to go take it off. He said yes, so I started to walk over. He started to point the gun at me. I have to be honest, I was intimidated and stopped. He said, "Yes sir, we know these trucks very well. He'll get it off." I wish he'd completed the statement at first.

Yes wacca at boling af base can be a little anal , they took every electronic gizmo out I my truck including the face plate of my stereo, told me they put bugs everywhere and if they could do it they'd take the engine ECM as well I've done many a delivery and pick up there for mr. Odrama, and many guys there know me because of the shinny black truck, it also helps as my gf's son wa stationed there and is a sniper!
 

bubblehead

Veteran Expediter
Old thread resurrected but a timely topic. We have lost several loads do to pets. Not our pets, but others. One customer we had on a regular basis minimized their loads to our carrier because of issues of pets in the vehicle(bulkhead or not, sleeper or not) when they had a clear policy against it. That customer was good for $12,000+
a year for us. Times that by how many other trucks lost a reliable load. I a reminded of that every time I am sitting in that area waiting on a load when it was usually a pre-dispatched deal. I thought it was insane when our company announced that "effective immediately pets would be allowed..." and later came to realize it was an effective way to minimize events of contractors not disclosing the fact they have pets. I hope it works.
 
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