BROADCASTS.com

b'Today I thought we\\u2019d talk about another Op\\u2019s position; it can be a great avenue to the transportation departments and even a reboot to our careers in a way! I\\u2019m Marty T Hawkins with Warehouse and Operations as a Career and I appreciate you checking in with us again this week! With the seasons changing I wanted to talk a little on Heat Stress too, I think we\\u2019ve covered it a couple of times already but\\u2026.well, were already approaching those triple digit degrees in a couple of regions I over see so its probably worth mentioning again. Anyway, so I was asked last week if you had to have a CDL or commercial drivers license to be a Spotter. For those of ya\\u2019ll that may of never heard that term, it could be a southern thing I guess as I know up north the position is referred to as a yard mule driver or yard jockey, I\\u2019ve heard it referred too as a Hostler Driver and yard driver too. There all the same thing. Basically, in the distribution world anyway, a spotter is the person that will spot the trailers, backing them into an assigned dock door so the product or load can be loaded by the warehouse and then pulls it away from the dock once loading is complete and stages it for our transportation departments to assign a driver to the load, which will then go out for delivery. The spotter position carries quite a bit of responsibility with it. He or she will have to make certain the right trailer is docked at the correct door so it\\u2019s loaded properly. In the food industry, the trailer may need a refer unit or refrigeration unit on it to aid with keeping the products at the correct temperatures. Or if it\\u2019s a large load of equipment they\\u2019ll need to make sure the trailer has the proper securing equipment on it, like straps and chains. I can share with you that this jobs not going to be for everyone, a spotter is moving 8 to 10 hours a shift at the larger facilities. Think about all inclement weather days or nights too, rain, sleet, snow, whatever those trailers have to get to the docks! I think the hardest thing or skill that\\u2019s required for this position, one that I struggled with, is that you have to be very proficient at backing a trailer. I was ok, and I mean just ok, with backing a 36ft unit, but our job may require us to back 28ft, 36ft, 48ft and 53ft\\u2019s, maybe even throughout a single shift if our industry uses all sizes in their fleets. And any driver will tell you, with the turning radius being different with each of them, that you\\u2019d better know what your doing or you\\u2019ll be there for a while.
\\nTo answer the question, typically No, you will not need to possess a CDL to be a Spotter. Most companies I\\u2019m familiar with, since you will be working in their trailer yard with no street driving only require a clean driving record, that your drug free and of course have regular operators license in good standing. And of course you\\u2019ll need to be able to back a trailer and in a timely manner. Its not uncommon at all that this position is assigned to or filled by the warehouse department. I\\u2019ve used loaders and order selectors that had expressed a desire to one day be a driver even. What a great way to farm a new driver right? I\\u2019d have a delivery driver work with them out in the wide-open yard. Teach them how to operate and drive the tractor or yard spotter truck and teach them how to hook and unhook as well as the mechanics of backing the trailers. Some facilities may use this position to train new drivers, especially those route delivery positions where backing around cars in parking lots or down alleyways can be required. These are great jobs for a driver that may have pointed out their CDL, maybe had too many tickets or infractions and lost his or her commercial license for a while. I know several organizations that prefer an ex-driver if you will. They bring the experience factor with them. Personally, I always liked offering the training to individuals that aspires towards transportation,'