Liftgate Service Fee

[Hexa Fox]

I have seen this asked here once or twice before, but they are old and do not answer my question.

I just ordered a two hundred pound Ingersoll Rand air compressor from Northern Tool. They now make you select whether or not you are going to unload yourself or need liftgate service during checkout. I wanted to go ahead and checkout and get it on the way so I opted to not have the service and have it shipped free via freight.

I do not have access to any kind of front end loader or skid steer right now. Therefore, can you tell me what my options are?

I watched a video and a guy said they will let you back your truck up to the truck it is being delivered from. This sounds like a great idea to me because I happen to have a nice collection of ramps of all kinds. I was thinking if worst came to worst I could back my truck up to the delivery truck, set my ramps up, then used a hand truck to unload it onto the back of my truck.

However, I have been told that some truck drivers expect you to have a skid steer ready to get it off the back of the truck or something. Then get upset if you do not. I figure as long as I have the ramps ready to go it will only take an extra two minutes right?

 

[Muzzy]

Welcome to the forum.

Last week I had a 3 point hitch snowblower delivered from Northern Tool. I did not select the lift gate option during checkout. When the freight company called to setup the delivery, I asked about lift gate service. I was told that the driver would be responsible for getting it off the truck, which he did, using a liftgate.

Long story short, it came with lift gate delivery regardless.
You also usually have the option of picking it up at the freight yard, where they will load it into your pickup or trailer for you.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Ramps of all kinds, including some that will sit flush with the truck? I'm not sure what the driver would think about that. Many places require the lift gate if it isn't a business, even a farm with a fork lift and plenty of room for the truck doesn't count.

 

[OccupantRJ]

LTL truck drivers have seen it all as far as residential deliveries, and all the drivers I deal with on a daily basis are good guys. As long as the methods are nothing dangerous or bizarre, I think most would work with you. I get a thank you from every driver every time I place or remove something on a truck. Their biggest grumble seems to be with people who are clueless about what has to happen to get something off a truck, or those that are not home to receive the freight, causing the driver delays.

 

[CSRPenFab]

It's amazing what a nice 20 or 40 tip will do when you're getting deliveries. I always tip the guys, and in return they go the extra mile.

 

[mattblast]

You can contact the local freight depot and pick it up yourself at the dock. I did this for a shipment that would have taken too long for them to deliver. If you are in a big city it should be fairly close by and they can load you up with a forklift.

Each carrier has a different depot. Once you get freight PRO number you can contact the carrier to find where depot is and arrange pickup.

 

[Thumper68]

I always try and pick up at the depot, just easier all around for me and them, there is no way to get a truck into the shop, even roll backs seem to have a hard time with it.

The one time I didn't get an advanced call about a delivery the driver showed up and it would not have made a difference if he had a lift gate or not, the load he was supposed to drop off before me refused delivery and there was a huge pallet we had to lift my dust collector over, thank god it was in several boxes and light.

 

[Hexa Fox]

It's amazing what a nice 20 or 40 tip will do when you're getting deliveries. I always tip the guys, and in return they go the extra mile.

Yeah same here. We realize the value of a dollar. We tip in just about every scenario. When we had carpet installed, furniture delivered, go out to eat, have firewood delivered and much more. For example, the guys we buy firewood off of do not have dump trucks/trailers.

So they always deliver an assortment of really, really nice wood. Then they help us unload and try to help us neatly stack it. They get tipped every visit.

If he arrives and turns out to have and uses a liftgate for us $20.00-$40.00 will definitely be going in his direction.

 

[Hexa Fox]

Welcome to the forum.

Last week I had a 3 point hitch snowblower delivered from Northern Tool. I did not select the lift gate option during checkout. When the freight company called to setup the delivery, I asked about lift gate service. I was told that the driver would be responsible for getting it off the truck, which he did, using a liftgate.

Long story short, it came with lift gate delivery regardless.
You also usually have the option of picking it up at the freight yard, where they will load it into your pickup or trailer for you.

Thanks!

This is very funny that you mentioned this. Because a couple years ago I bought a $2,000 Toro Snowblower. I used my ramps (worked really well) to get it onto my truck from the store, and off my truck when I got home.

I have also used ramps to help my neighbor get his half ton motorcycle in the back of my truck. To be honest we got lucky in this situation though. Because there was a bank I backed my truck up to and there was only about a foot or so difference between the tailgate and ground. The ramps took care of the rest.

 

[Hexa Fox]

You can contact the local freight depot and pick it up yourself at the dock. I did this for a shipment that would have taken too long for them to deliver. If you are in a big city it should be fairly close by and they can load you up with a forklift.

Each carrier has a different depot. Once you get freight PRO number you can contact the carrier to find where depot is and arrange pickup.

I will have to check to see where the nearest one is. I heard the ones near me are all in Virginia. I live about five minutes from crossing over into Virginia, but sometimes when I must venture into another state, it can quickly turn into a nice little trip.

I will look into it though.

 

[Stuey]

It's amazing what a nice 20 or 40 tip will do when you're getting deliveries. I always tip the guys, and in return they go the extra mile.

Me too. $10 to $20 each, depending on what's being delivered.

I'm also willing to help out. I've helped several drivers push tool box pallets up the drive. Wasn't too much effort, even when I had my achilles issues, but every little bit helps. Once I was asked to steer.

A bottle of water or two in the summer is usually appreciated too.

But not all trucks have lift gates. If you don't select it, and they arrive with a truck that's not equipped with one, there's sometimes no way to otherwise get something off the truck, which at the least means having to reschedule.

I once had to drive to a main street and unload a shipment of Akro Mils storage containers I had ordered. I think I had to make 2 trips with my car.

 

[pop pop]

I will have to check to see where the nearest one is. I heard the ones near me are all in Virginia. I live about five minutes from crossing over into Virginia, but sometimes when I must venture into another state, it can quickly turn into a nice little trip.

I will look into it though.

Suggest you fill out your profile. That way we know where you are and you might get help.

 

[Hexa Fox]

Ramps of all kinds, including some that will sit flush with the truck? I'm not sure what the driver would think about that. Many places require the lift gate if it isn't a business, even a farm with a fork lift and plenty of room for the truck doesn't count.

I know people use front end loaders of tractors and skid steers. If I was a truck driver I would probably love to see them. I do not know the exact details though. Because you can literally pull right up to the truck and put the FEL or forks right where they need to be. Then a strap if needed. Then you both go about your business.

Because like a previous user said, they try to make the driver responsible no matter what. If they pull up and decline delivery because of conditions, Northern Tool loses a transaction over five hundred bucks. I just want to avoid any headache.

Also yes, I have an assortment of ramps that work for all kinds of scenarios. Anything from snowblowers, all terrain vehicles, lawn mowers, and believe me... I have had to load stuff in some awkward ways before. One of which I mentioned above about my neighbors motorcycle. I was glad to help him out, but man what a night!

 

[Hexa Fox]

Suggest you fill out your profile. That way we know where you are and you might get help.

I will do that right now sir! I usually do that first thing, but kind of busy tonight.

 

[James-W]

I could be wrong on this, but I had always been under the impression that when a heavy/large item is delivered to a residence, the delivery truck has a liftgate and a pallet jack. Without a pallet jack how would the driver get the item to the back of the truck? Additionally, they have to know most homeowners don't have a forklift so a liftgate is essential to get the item down to the ground with wrecking it. At least every time I have gotten something delivered that was heavy/large the delivery truck always had a liftgate and a pallet jack.

 

[Jawn]

I could be wrong on this, but I had always been under the impression that when a heavy/large item is delivered to a residence, the delivery truck has a liftgate and a pallet jack. Without a pallet jack how would the driver get the item to the back of the truck? Additionally, they have to know most homeowners don't have a forklift so a liftgate is essential to get the item down to the ground with wrecking it. At least every time I have gotten something delivered that was heavy/large the delivery truck always had a liftgate and a pallet jack.

That's not always the case, even if the shipper says it has a liftgate.

I ordered a mill/drill from HF, freight company called to schedule delivery and I asked to confirm they would send it on a truck with a liftgate... truck that showed up did not have a liftgate. They said I could reschedule at my expense (about $150) or pick it up at the freight terminal. I chose the latter, and used an engine hoist to remove it from the bed of the pickup truck once I got home.

But when I ordered a lathe from Grizzly, I requested (and paid extra for) liftgate service, the shipper they chose was properly equipped and the driver wheeled the crate right into my garage.

 

[James-W]

That's not always the case, even if the shipper says it has a liftgate.

I ordered a mill/drill from HF, freight company called to schedule delivery and I asked to confirm they would send it on a truck with a liftgate... truck that showed up did not have a liftgate. They said I could reschedule at my expense (about $150) or pick it up at the freight terminal. I chose the latter, and used an engine hoist to remove it from the bed of the pickup truck once I got home.

But when I ordered a lathe from Grizzly, I requested (and paid extra for) liftgate service, the shipper they chose was properly equipped and the driver wheeled the crate right into my garage.

Must be different in different areas of the country. For example, when I ordered Racedeck tiles they came to my house on a pallet in a semi. The driver had a liftgate and a pallet jack and he unloaded the tiles and put them in my garage. There was no extra charge for it. Every time I have ordered something large/heavy it has been that way. It must work differently with different freight companies.

 

[TheOtherChris]

I could be wrong on this, but I had always been under the impression that when a heavy/large item is delivered to a residence, the delivery truck has a liftgate and a pallet jack. Without a pallet jack how would the driver get the item to the back of the truck?

I had some playground equipment delivered by truck. I have fork tines for my front end loader so I was not overly concerned about getting it off the back of the truck.
When the truck arrived, Driver says: "You will need to give me a hand moving this to the back of the trailer". There were 3 x 150+ pound boxes in the nose of the trailer and this guy had NO pallet jack. I am nowhere near as young as I used to be but I had no choice but to help this guy schlep everything to the tail and then off offload with my tractor.

 

[James-W]

I had some playground equipment delivered by truck. I have fork tines for my front end loader so I was not overly concerned about getting it off the back of the truck.
When the truck arrived, Driver says: "You will need to give me a hand moving this to the back of the trailer". There were 3 x 150+ pound boxes in the nose of the trailer and this guy had NO pallet jack. I am nowhere near as young as I used to be but I had no choice but to help this guy schlep everything to the tail and then off offload with my tractor.

Like I said, it must be different with different freight companies. Around here the driver is responsible for getting the load to the back of the truck if the load is being delivered to a business, and to the ground if it is a residential delivery.

When I worked at an appliance/electronics store we got loads of appliances and electronic equipment delivered to us. It was ALWAYS the responsibility of the driver to get the merchandise to the back of the truck. Being a business we had to unload the merchandise from the back of the truck and put it into the warehouse. Residential deliveries the driver gets the item off the truck and on the ground. It is the customer's responsibility to get the item from the ground to the location it is going. But that is how it works around here and apparently it is different in other parts of the country.

 

[James-W]

Hopefully there will be a truck driver along soon who can fill us in on how it is supposed to work. I do know from talking to many of the drivers who have delivered to the store where I used to work, over-the-road drivers just back up to the loading dock and pick up a load, or they drop off a load. But drivers that deliver stuff to a business or to a residence have more to do that just pick up or drop off.

 

[RWorth]

I drive truck, I don't care how you get it off as long as you don't make an all day project out of it. Depending on what trailer he has will change the hight, but most boxes are around 4 feet high, make sure you can deal with that and you wont have a problem.

 

[mmb617]

I bought a used 351 from a scrapyard and it arrived on a pallet but the truck had no liftgate. I had my cherry picker in the bed of my pickup and backed my truck up to the delivery truck and transferred it quite easily. If you have a cherry picker I'm sure the same deal would work with your compressor. Then again I don't see why your ramp idea wouldn't work also.

 

[maxpower_hd]

It definitely depends on the trucking company. I work for one doing maintenance. They have multiple lift gate trailers but not all of them have lift gates. When there are one or two down for repairs then all of a sudden deliveries are getting made without them.

 

[Jonboy1974]

It all depends on the trucking companys policy on liftgate and residential deliveries. Residential just means getting it to your house, Liftgate means getting it to the ground, nothing more nothing less. It is all driver descretion. Not saying a driver won't go above and beyond to help someone out and roll it into their garage or help them out moving it to their house. Just depends on the company and driver you get. I've been a LTL delivery driver for 23 years and have seen all types of customers. If they are friendly and nice i'll help them out, but if they are an *** from the start the get their freight left in the driveway. Being nice and helpful goes a long way with us delivery drivers.

 

[vettex2]

pennywise, pound foolish comes to mind

 

[Viper98912]

I'm not going to go through the hassle of the chance of it delivering on a liftgate truck or not. The scenario I've been described is a lot of these delivery trucks also deliver to businesses that have docks. I'm not going to risk having a shipment that I and a driver can't take down off the back of the truck because it's too heavy.

I pay the fee up front and if they show up without a way to unload it's not my problem on the rescheduling fee.