Question:
Can someone explain what lumping is?
thanks
Keith

Answer:
Unloading the wagon. Sometimes you can/will pay "Lumpers" to unload the wagon for you. BOL

Answer:

Lumpers are contracted out by a grocery company to unload trucks. When you check into a grocery warehouse, usually the first question they ask will be "Do you want to hire a lumper?". If you say yes, they will direct you to a lumper (person who does the actual "lumping") who will quote a price to unload and breakdown your truck. Next, you call up your company to get an authorization and depending on their lumper policy, they will load funds onto a Comcheck that you use to pay the lumper.
Different companies have different policies regarding lumpers. Roehl always paid the lumper service. They figured it was better for the driver to hop into the sleeper and take a break and not risk a workers compensation claim. It's best to find out what the lumper policy is at the company you plan to work for.
Be advised that grocery warehouses are the pits. They're dark and dreadful places with that awful cardboard/laundry detergent smell that I don't think I'll ever forget. I've been detained anywhere from two to over ten hours at those places. I've seen several fights and arguments break out between drivers, drivers and lumpers, and drivers and warehouse supervisors. Kind of like that Edgar Allen Poe story The Fall of the House of Usher where the Usher house was so dreary and miserable that it put everybody living there at each other's throats.
Another fun aspect of the trucking "lifestyle" that I'm glad I'll never have to deal with again.
Answer:

Aren't you driving anymore?

Answer:
Don't forget the rats! What's a food warehouse with no rats in it??
Answer:

Are you talking about the "real" 4 legged ones or the lumpers.
Answer:
Lumpers are not restricted to just grocery warehouses. You'll find them in alot of different places. Usually anywhere the driver is expected to unload. I once paid some guy to unload a bunch of machine parts at a welding and fabrication plant. Found out I was suppose to unload when I got there. Luckily one of the employees called his brother who did it for some money.

Answer:

Something you should never do as a driver.
Answer:

Yea..lucky his brother was avalable at that exact moment in time, when you needed him......... LIARS SUKK

Answer:
I think thats probably why he called him. I doubt he would have if he wasn't available.

Answer:
I always unload my own trailer, it's not that big of a deal. We are paid hourly though. Maybe if more drivers unloaded there wouldn't be so many fat drivers.
Or better yet, if you really don't want to unload, why not pull an end dump or bottom dump or tanker? just lift the hoist or open a valve or door and your done.

Answer:

Hourly wage being key. I find it interesting how Drivers dislike
Lumpers for doing what they won't. I'd be willing to bet Lumper income exceeds OTR easily.
Answer:
Rabelam You would probably make a great lumper, go for it, you think it pays better, give it a shot.
Answer:
For someone that gets paid hourly Im sure its not a big deal. But here in the U.S. in OTR trucking that is not the case. We mainly get paid to do one thing. Drive. To get the freight from point A to B safely and on time. IF a driver chooses to unload SOMEBODY ELSE"S freight he might be lucky to get 50 dollars. A lumper service will charge double or triple that amount. Of all the years Ive been driving here's the number of times I had to unload, 0. None. I will absolutely refuse to do such work for that kind of pay and besides,it's NOT even my job. When the receiver asks the driver to hire the lumper the trucking company that pays usually charges back the shipper for it. This is something that should be worked with the company,shipper,or receiver. Its THEIR freight,not the driver's. OF the 3 years Ive been hauling for Marten Ive only had to hire a lumper twice,and I deliver to grocery warehouses once a week. There are other ways to get exercise on the road. Lumping freight should NOT be one of them.Disclaimer:Pick too ugly to post at this time,LOL.

Answer:

I know for a fact in a few situations it does.
I delivered to a "driver unload" dry goods warehouse years ago. There were lumpers available, and I hired one of them to unload the 45K pounds of crap that was floor loaded on my trailer. He went to work and I went to bed.
5 hours later, he was finished, and I was talking to him while waiting for the customer to finish screwing around with the paperwork. This guy used to be the warehouse supervisor at that very warehouse - that is, until he saw what the lumpers there were making.
My company paid him $275 for the job. It took him 5 hours. That is $55/hour. He said that he works 5-6 hours a day, makes his $200-$300, and goes home. Beats the $16/hour he made as the warehouse supervisor working there 10 hours a day 5 1/2 days a week.
Also beat the pittance I was being paid to truck that load there.