Tell me about throwing the truck…

Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Messages
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The one thing holding me back from applying for a TL position is the fact that I will have to throw the truck.

I’ve never done it before and work in another department so I’m not familiar with it. TBH, I don’t think I’m even in shape enough to do it.

Please share your thoughts/experience with throwing the truck.

Am I overthinking this?
 
 
Honestly- if you are a TL of it you shouldn’t HAVE to throw truck. Unless you are short handed on the line and need to or truly want to show your team you can do what you ask of them and occasionally help out. With the safety measures in place every thrower is supposed to rotate every 30 minutes anyhow. Running a truck team can be a bit challenging but then there are other GM TL’s so some days you just need to be responsible for the unload and your own DBO’s.
If you are looking at being a TL are you sure it’s even for the position of unload? With multiple GM leads in a store sometimes the SD might just shuffle them around. It does and can happen but most ETL’s would rather not put a new TL over inbound.
 
Throwing a truck really isnt that bad. The first time you do it you are going to use muscles you dont remember you had unless you work out. The second time you get used to it. I enjoy throwing the truck from time to time but if im needed on the truck i usually would do the corner in order to have a better idea on what is going everywhere.
 
I've never thrown the truck, but here's some advice that my store's Inbounds TL gave to her new thrower. (I was helping them clean up a nasty spill so I overheard.)

Keep a steady pace. Don't act like you have to throw the entire truck RIGHT NOW! Just work steadily and maintain proper safe lifting practices. You're better if you pace your self, then if you go too fast and burn yourself out. Take a drink of water when you need it. If anyone on the line bitches, swap places with them.
 
I don't even exercise or lift weights or anything like that, and my TL's still put me on the truck to unload...

Though TBH, I rather unload the truck than be put on the line any day...

If you're a TL, you're 99% guaranteed not to unload... But you might end up using a pallet jack/electric jack or a crown to pull out pallets. You might even do the same for market if they arrive the same time as your unloads
 
It's much easier than it used to be. I was flow TL 5 years ago and had to throw the truck every day. It almost killed me.


Be kind to your throwers. The pace is slower now, but it's usually only one person now.

It wears on you very quickly, but as a TL you shouldn't have to throw the truck.
 
As a Tl you won’t have to throw it , unless of course you don’t have throwers which might happen sometimes .the main thing is to be safe at all times so rushing a truck won’t really help you finish faster if you have to clean afterwards. Going at a steady pace will give your sorters to grab their boxes and clear the line for you. 15-20 seconds a box is a good speed to me .
Also target best practice is to switch throwers every 30 minutes unless your throwers is cool with finishing the truck alone.
 
Also target best practice is to switch throwers every 30 minutes unless your throwers is cool with finishing the truck alone.
Ha! Here you’ll get a CA if you don’t switch every 30 minutes. Must be too many incidents in our district lately and they are taking everything safety related very seriously. As companies should however I also think if a team member prefers to throw truck and wants to do it the entire time then we should let them.
 
Ha! Here you’ll get a CA if you don’t switch every 30 minutes. Must be too many incidents in our district lately and they are taking everything safety related very seriously. As companies should however I also think if a team member prefers to throw truck and wants to do it the entire time then we should let them.
My unloaders prefers to throw two trucks and not do the line
 
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