On 2006-08-08 12:10:52 -0700, "James E. Cannon" said:

I've decided that this is on-topic for this NG since many of us order
large tools that have to be delivered freight.

When a truck driver drops a pallet in your garage, is he expecting a
tip? How much? What do you think?

It's never a question with the UPS guy since he is already gone before
I can even answer the door, but the freight guy is a different story.

This is why the whole concept of tipping sucks.

I've been thinking about how to respond to this post. I come at this
from a little bit different angle though. I am a driver with ABF
Freight systems. I drive a local route where 60% of my deliveries are
residential. We have a couple of National accounts that ship
woodworking tools. I don't want to bore you with facts but I'll try to
give you a few. Here are the tariffs which we apply to a residential
freight delivery that requires a lift-gate or fork lift.





Item 758 : Lift-gate Service







When ABF is required or requested to employ mechanical loading or
unloading devices to accomplish pickup or delivery of freight, an
additional charge of $2.95 per 100 pounds of actual weight will be
assessed, but not less than $109.90 nor more than $232.35 per shipment
per trailer.
The charges for this service shall be paid by the party for whom the
service is performed. On single line shipments, the charges may be
guaranteed by the shipper.
At locations where ABF does not maintain suitable equipment and elects
to outsource lifting or lowering devices to accomplish pickup or
delivery, additional equipment charges incurred by ABF will be
collected from the party requesting this service.
ABF is not obligated to perform this service where suitable equipment
or operators are unavailable, nor at locations inaccessible to our
vehicles, or where the safety of our vehicles or personnel is
jeopardized.
Item 751 : Pickup or Delivery at Private Residences







Provisions of this item will apply to residential locations, including
the entire premise on which a dwelling is located, including but not
limited to:
Â*Â*Â*Â*· private residencesÂ*€¨Â*Â*Â*Â*· apartments and dormitories€¨Â*Â*Â*Â*·
rectories and parsonages
Shipments picked up at, consigned to or delivered to such locations
will be assessed a charge per service of $5.45 per cwt, but not less
than $68.40, nor more than $213.70 per shipment, in addition to all
other charges applicable to the shipment.Â* If the service is performed
at a location in the zip code range of 70001 through 70499, inclusive,
the above charges will apply subject to a minimum of $116.25.
Item 566 : Handling Freight at Positions Not Immediately Adjacent to Vehicle







When requested by the Customer, and ABF's operating conditions permit,
ABF may move shipments from or to positions beyond the immediately
adjacent loading or unloading positions available to carrier's vehicle.
The provisions of this item include service at Shopping Malls when the
actual pickup or delivery site within the mall complex is not
immediately adjacent to the loading or unloading positions available to
carrier's vehicle.
Service under this item will be provided to floors above or below the
level accessible to ABF's vehicle only when elevator or escalator
service is available and labor, when necessary to operate same, is
provided without cost to ABF.
Charges for points other than the Borough of Manhattan, NY:
Service provided under this item will be assessed a charge of $5.90 per
100 pounds, but not less than $57.70 per shipment per trailer, nor more
than $695.70 per shipment per trailer. When shipments are accorded
split pickup, split delivery or stopped in transit for partial loading
or unloading, the minimum and maximum charges will apply to each stop
separately wherever the service is performed.

When I deliver to a residence, the freight bill will specify whether
residence, inside, ground delivery
have been paid for. My responsibility for the delivery of the freight
is to the back of the trailer, if ground or inside is not specified. I
have a lift-gate trailer. Not all routes do. My personal policy is that
if I can back to the garage, I will get the freight of with the
lift-gate and put it in their garage even if its not stated. 90% of the
time this can be accomplished. Believe me, its a lot less of a hassle
than arguing or calling in to have charges authorized by the shipper.
you can see that at a minimum, the charges to get a large (crate, box
pallet, lathe, table saw, planer,etc) would be about $236.00. Some or
all might be paid for by the shipper.
Now all that said.........

If you have paid for any or all of these charges, or not.. You are
under now obligation what so ever to tip the driver, and for most of
the drivers I work with, none is expected.

By the way if you think living in Northern California on $20.86 an hour
is being paid well, then think again