911 Help

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The Driver is Ill-Behaved

ISSUE

The truck has arrived, and the driver is ill-behaved.

CAUTION

“Ill-Behaved” is a big descriptor that can cover a wide variety of situations, and can mean quite different things to different people.

“Ill Behaviour” includes being argumentative, being uncooperative, using foul language, being rude, making threats, being inappropriately clothed, being odiferous, not using mandatory safety wear and/or equipment, theft or the threat of theft, or being or appearing to be impaired, including as a result of a medical condition.

But the bottom line when a driver is ill-behaved is that you do not have to speak with the driver, you do not have to load/unload freight on the driver’s truck, and you do not have to allow the driver to remain on your property.

For information on driver behavior than may seem to some to be “ill-behavior”, but actually is not, see “The driver is making requests” and “Driver Assist: Loading / Unloading“.

ACTION

  1. Do not load or unload the truck.
  2. If the driver has arrived impaired, or obviously ill, call 911.
  3. Call us, and we will speak with the carrier. We will ask them to contact their driver and correct the problem immediately.
  4. If the carrier is unwilling to deal with the problem, or is unwilling or unable to correct the problem, you may reject the truck.
  5. If you reject the truck, we will advise the carrier, and we will make arrangements for pick-up or delivery with a different driver as soon as possible.
  6. Do not engage with the driver, unless it is absolutely necessary. If the driver has questions, suggest that he/she call company dispatch. Let the driver’s dispatcher be the one to tell the driver that the truck has been rejected – it is not your responsibility to do so.
  7. If you feel you need immediate on-site intervention, do not hesitate to call for Police assistance.

EXPLANATION

Not every day is a good day for every person, so sometimes you encounter people who are out of sorts, or who lose their civility or sense of respect for others. But no day is a day when anybody, and especially somebody who is supposed to be providing a service, has the right be ill-behaved in a workplace setting. So there is no satisfactory explanation for a driver who is truly ill-behaved.

If you believe the driver is impaired (by drugs or alcohol), then call the police immediately. There are public safety issues to be considered if the driver is incapacitated. Without being physical, attempt to use excuses to delay the driver’s departure (e.g., paperwork not ready, checking that the correct freight has been loaded) until the authorities arrive and can deal with the situation.

IMPACT & TYPICAL RESOLUTION

If the problem cannot be quickly resolved and you reject the truck, we will arrange for a different driver and truck as soon as possible. Depending on the time of day and the availability and proximity of other trucks, this may or may not delay your shipment until the next day. We will let you know.

Usually, the driver calms down, or resolves his/her problem, or returns to the truck cab, the freight is loaded or unloaded quickly, and the matter passes. And we will endeavor to not use that same driver / carrier combination for any of your future shipments.