Lumpers and Humpers: who are they and what do they do?
The dictionary defines a lumper as a worker who handles cargo or cargo. In the trucking industry, that’s exactly what a lumper does. Unload trailers for others. They are independent of the warehouse where the driver makes his delivery. The term humper is most often used when talking about household items. Seems appropriate, doesn’t it? A person hits boxes or furniture on the back.
How much do Lumpers / Humpers cost?
How do you find one?
Why should you hire a lumper?
Lumpers, who are independent in most cases, can charge whatever they want. They are usually reasonable. Probably a normal range is between $ 60.00 and $ 150.00. The product and the place where you deliver it will make the final difference in how much it will cost you.
Let’s use a paddle full of frozen cheese sticks and the paddle stacks 8 high and 12 wide. The warehouse you are delivering will only allow 6 high and 12 wide and you will have to break up the pallet to fit your requirements. Multiply that by 22 or 24 popsicles and it becomes a lot of work.
The next load can be floor-to-ceiling toilet paper and has to go on 4X6 pallets. Believe me it makes for a tough job. It has to be done and this is a real live example of some of the work that is done in warehouses every day. Lumpers are there for drivers for a number of reasons.
Lumping provides a livelihood for their families.
Drivers are required to drive less to unload their trucks
Warehouse convenience
There are many warehouses across the country and not all of them are allowed to hire or should we say they will not hire the extra help and pay the salaries of the Lumpers. Most jobs do not require full-time employees and therefore it would be too expensive to have to pay a person a full day’s salary.
If a driver spends several hours unloading his truck, that takes away his driving time during the week. If they are people who drive OTR every day, then they don’t have enough time in the log book to pull the dump from the truck. There is absolutely no rule that says you can’t make extra money unloading your truck, but the company and / or broker pay the highest rates on the money they receive from customers. You could also let the Lumpers support their families and get some rest.
Warehouses like Lumpers because it makes warehouse work so much easier because they don’t have to waste time teaching drivers how to stack items the way that particular warehouse wants them stacked. They can continue working and complete their work.
Many humpers work from truck stops, especially in metropolitan areas where a lot of movements are made every day. Some can be found at local moving companies. Drivers typically find someone in an area of the country that they frequent and will try to use the same people over and over again. If you are new to the job, you may need to call your local company representative and they will help you locate good workers. There are also always the work centers located in the cities.
