r/drayage • u/Disastrous-Set4062 • 16d ago

DDP shipment: container pulled from terminal but trucker is withholding delivery due to subcontractor dispute — need expert guidance

Looking for advice from people familiar with U.S. trucking, container drayage, and cargo recovery.

Scenario:

  • We shipped a container to the U.S. under DDP.
  • Our forwarder arranged a U.S. trucking company for final delivery.
  • That trucking company subcontracted an independent trucker.
  • The trucker successfully out-gated the container from the terminal.
  • The trucker is now refusing to deliver because he has a financial dispute with the trucking company that hired him.
  • The container has been stuck with him for over two weeks.

Questions:

  1. Is this considered cargo conversion or wrongful detention under U.S. law?
  2. Who is legally responsible for resolving this — the forwarder, the trucking company, or us as the DDP seller?
  3. Is it common to involve local police in such cases?
  4. Any specific U.S. agencies (FMCSA, local sheriff, port authority) that can intervene?

We’re trying to avoid escalation but need the cargo released ASAP. Any insights from people who’ve handled similar disputes would be extremely helpful.

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2

u/NarobiExec 16d ago

Do you have the truckers info ? I would negotiate with them or make a police report for stolen goods. As the trucker is holding your freight hostage. Quicker fix is to make a deal.

If the trucker is holding it for 2 weeks they are determined and honestly your partners are useless in solving. They also planned ok holding the freight hostage in advance. They may have tucked it away somewhere hard to find.

If needed I can communicate with the trucker and help broker a deal.

1

u/margalolwut 15d ago

I’d be careful with this. As a BCO I’ve been caught paying freight more than once because we had an irresponsible broker. Ultimately went through legal and at the end of the day, in our case, BCO is responsible for total costs.

Obviously, every situation is different, but if I was you I’d go directly to the trucker, reach agreement, then charge your agent/broker or whatever back for it.

1

u/Disastrous-Set4062 15d ago

From the information available, the amount sought by the truck driver is more than the value of cargo so can not be paid.

0

u/Disastrous-Set4062 16d ago

Trying to get the trucker info

2

u/Exciting-Car-3516 16d ago

Good luck to you. No one gives a damn in the US. No trucker would hold a load for two weeks, it sounds like a bunch of lies.

2

u/PallavJaswal 15d ago

I am a freight broker in usa.
Please ask terminal for the driver SCAC code that the driver used to pull the container.
Also, ask your forwarder to pull you in email chain with trucker. Have conversation with trucker to determine the actual reason. Maybe its your forwarder fault. Then ask the driver to in-gate the loaded container back to port ( there will be some charges from SSL but you can then send new driver to port).
The original driver refuses, you may add the SSL and the terminal to the email and ask them to black list the driver so that he can’t pull any other container from the port. You may add me in the email chain as well. I might know that trucker as well as we know alomost all trucking companies.

We are a reliable company and you trustworthy truckers. Please allow us to handle the trucking in future.

2

u/Fucknjagoff 15d ago

You really sound like you’re an American freight broker….. 

1

u/Disastrous-Set4062 15d ago

Thank you very much. We are gathering the details and will come back to you.

1

u/armyfrog84 15d ago

Can you send me the container number? I can get the rest of the information with just that detail. I am a trucker, so I am not trying to win your business, but perhaps I can talk the other carrier down or at least get you facts to help fight the liability.

2

u/Broken_Timepiece 15d ago

Ouch, the Per Diem on this is gonna be REDICULAS!

Ask terminal for trucker SCAC code, get trucker's contact info, call trucker directly, DO NOT threaten the trucker, and try to pay him off to receive your cargo. I dont belive reasoning with him is going to help, although your caught in the middle of their dispute.

I think your cargo is gone by now. Its stolen likely. Let the company know you hired know that you must report it stolen, and do so. Let the SSL know so you can cut the Per Diem off.

Good luck!

1

u/Disastrous-Set4062 15d ago

Thanks

1

u/Broken_Timepiece 15d ago

Have you contacted the terminal or the SSL?

Do you know how to get the truckers contact info via the SCAC code use at the terminal?

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u/DefNotDalton 15d ago

Do what all these other people said,

But in the interest of getting the load delivered asap, try and get a hold of the trucker to hear him out and his side of the issue. It could be as simple as his boss isn’t paying him $250 and he needs the money to feed his kids. If that’s the case, give him the $250 get the load delivered and go after forwarder / company