As I’ve established, a lumper service is a number of third parties hired to service the docks of shippers and receivers. Ultimately these services are provided by third-party companies specializing in lumper service offerings. What these companies are offering are professionals who understand the puzzle-piece nature of loading trailers.
You’ll find that there are some very common complaints from customers regarding deliveries in the grocery space. Most notably, there are instances of the cargo falling over in transit and being damaged. Here you find one of the top selling points of lumper service companies.
So how do they work? Put simply, the third party works on a regular basis with these docks. A charge for the service then goes to either the carrier or the shipper.
Typically, drivers would and should know when to expect a lumper service before arrival. However, this isn’t always the case. This is another source of driver frustration with lumper services in general.