Why are you using the standard sized 1200 x 1200 pallet for such a small parcel?

I have been driving trucks for a company that picks up and delivers what are called "hotshot" deliveries to destinations all over Australia.
These are short notice deliveries, usually of parts needed for breakdown repairs on minesites etc.

A small carton like the one you show should be on a much smaller pallet- as long as the tines of the forklift can fit underneath its ok, and since the tines can be closed together so they are around 300mm width in total, that means you can have a miniature pallet with a width of around 400mm [allowing for 50mm for each side member of the pallet]

If you are being told to use standard size industrial pallets for such small sized loads, you should find another carrier.

I would be finding a bunch of better sized pallets if I was you, and keeping them handy for jobs like this.

However,

A tall and unbalanced load like your second photo may need the larger pallet so it can be strapped down for stability during transport.
You are also being charged for the height of the load- as it will occupy more space in the truck carrying it.

If a driver suspects the load may be improperly packaged, he is not supposed to accept it- as once he signs for it, any damage caused by improper packaging and subsequent injuries, insurance claims and paperwork will cause him [and his boss] no end of strife.

I have often taken single item loads [many smaller than your carton] from Perth to Kalgoorlie, Leonora, Dampier, Newman, Bunbury, Broome etc- with a 6 or 8 tonne truck to carry it.
One of our 8 tonners took an envelope with 2 fuses from Jandakot airport..........to Darwin airport! I wouldnt want to know what the bill was for that trip [2 drivers, going non stop]

stephen

Macroscien said..

This is possibly answer why now 8 tones trucks are going on empty carrying envelope only.

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Almost all our deliveries are emergency breakdown related- and there is no expense spared to get the items delivered on time.

A 6 tonner with 2 drivers can go non stop from pick up to delivery point [my truck could get from Perth to Port Augusta in S.A. before refuelling]

Travelling at the speed limit, mostly of 110KPH [but slower if road conditions and stray animals dictate] only pausing for dunny breaks and swapping drivers.
A 6 tonner does not need to keep federal transport log books- only our own company logs which the various police and transport inspectors have no need to inspect.

If the truck is any larger than ours, it has to comply with lower speed limits and keep very accurate federal log books for the drivers.

Being smaller/ faster we can get to distant sites much quicker than the big fellas.
When a mining company or industrial concern are unable to fullfill mandatory contracts worth millions of dollars, because for example, a part the size of your fist has failed - they dont care about the cost of freight.

I once took an 80kg hydraulic ram to Dampier at a cost of over $6500 in freight- driving through the night in a ruddy awefull storm, but without the ram, they would have lost a huge contract and have to pay rather nasty penalties.

However- on the way home, its usually all pressure off and take it easier.

Every now and then I can find a backload on the way home to Perth for the boss- which makes him very happy!

stephen

sn said..

I once took an 80kg hydraulic ram to Dampier at a cost of over $6500 in freight- driving through the night in a ruddy awefull storm, but without the ram, they would have lost a huge contract and have to pay rather nasty penalties.

If the weather is fine , and the load small you could ask company for nice 600-900 cc bike. Twice as quick and more fun to ride.


80 kg ram on should fit also on your bike

landyacht said...
drove 600kms with a relay on a sunday night. they stuck in the compressor,hit the start button, blew it and said "well thats not the problem.'
i then had to drive back due to not being inducted for the mine!!!
on the way home at 3.00am hit a wild donkey on a bridge. about $6000 damage. customer wouldnt pay the bill as it was not the part they needed.

Obviously it was repair via NPF ( New Parts Fit) until they resolved issue. Bloody p1sses me off big time when trades use that process.
Be intersting to see what the minesite policy was to say "nar ya cant stay mate, no induction" then let you head back dog tired, end result accident, which could have resulted in a tragedy.
Worksafe WA would be very impressed "NOT" if they found out the site cared little for your well being.[V

There could be good opportunity for somebody to create online database - reverse auction for services.
For example shipping across Australia.
I will post my add on similar to EBay site: Looking for shipping Gold Coast - Sydney 350 kg item dimension xxx, picture.
Shippers could review and pickup
Automated screening by couriers also could just allow to automate whole process in order to fill in tracks on specific route.
For example they have truck going Brisbane to Melbourne and 10 m3 free -then they could fill in space, get extra income.
Another example : You are going from Adelaide to Perth and have some room left in your van or ute. You could find item waiting for shipping online, agree condition , get extra income.
And the last example: You need to get some cash fast . You search for few orders online, hire a track, get all packs together and deliver, cash in for your work.
Obviously each such drivers has track record in feedback so fly by night crooks could be eliminated.

I saw similar web site in Europe working very well. When I decided to renovate grandpa bathroom I just posted specs of job required, location and next day have several offers from local tilers with prices, few plumbers to do installation, some others could organize all work A to Z.

Want your grass moved ? Just post online add, local tradies review and post access to do the job. You don't have to choose also base on the lower prices but on review and feedback track of jobs done. You don't want in fact to rip and redo plumber or tilers job screwed up.

Anyone read the article in Saturdays West about the freight company that just custom fit a van, big Mercedes Sprinter type thing for two-up express driving of critical parts statewide. It addressed the issues mentioned above about sending a 6 or 8 ton truck to deliver a 60 kg part. It seemed pretty generous with maybe half the load space given over to amenities for the second driver. Some of the mines must pay a bloody fortune to keep production downtime to a minimum.

There used to be a policy where the seatbelt on the second driver wasn't enforced if he was in the bunk resting, I think it's still in place? The logic being fatigue management for that scenario is better at avoiding crashes than a seatbelt is at minimising injury during a crash.

regarding "two-up driving"

The relevant ADR is written something along the lines of this:

The sleeping area must be designed and constructed so as to prevent the occupant from being dislodged during sudden decelleration.
The ADR also dictates minimum standards for length, width, height, ventilation, access etc of the sleeping compartment.
Some trucks have the sleeping area fitted with a pair of seatbelts- as a rule of thumb, one passes across your knees, the other across your chest.

The main reason the company I work for use 6 tonners instead of smaller vans is survivability if [when] you hit kangaroos.
For example, one stretch of bitumen prior to turning off towards Innaminka, my co-driver hit over 30 roos in a few hours. Try that in a tarted up Sprinter!
Once we were off the bitumen and on the dirt road, it was that rough we ended up snapping the straps holding a fuel tank in place- easy fix using ratchet straps to get us to the oil drilling site where they fixed the truck, but a Sprinter or van would never have made it through.
There are similar roads all over W.A. that dictate big and sturdy to survive the trip there and back- not cheaper to run, so the beancounter gets a bigger bonus.

Recently, one of our crews were fined for failing to wear a seatbelt, the co-driver refused to wear a belt- sleeping in the passenger seat.
The driver copped the fine, and double demerits [public holiday] as he is responsible for the actions of the passenger.
not sure if the co-driver was fined or not.

stephen.