I refuse to lie to the customer and won’t support the excuse the office has given.
“Blow out mate made you late?” Asks the forkie, “nah mate, they couldn’t get their finger out, & organise a pish up in brewery” this banter had usually got me tipped
My previous employer got that used to telling their customers lies that they even started contacting them with the usual bull even when we were on time 
years ago i got to a drop about 10 am…
office bod comes storming out bellowing " you should have been here at 8 oclock "
my reply, " why , what happened ■■? "
I often say that a tractor lost a wheel and I had to reverse out onto a different route.There is no point trying to keep to a schedule that was set by a non driver.
3300John:
Hiya it was the norm many years ago. don’t tell the customer where you,ve loaded from
or don’t say where your taking it so the middle man didn’t lose his cut. one time i took a
load of manganese from Sheffield to Hyde. i met up with a chap who said tip the load up
on some waste ground. there was a rough JCB and a Blue AEC marshall. i said to the chap
why tip it here i’ll not say to the scrap yard where its gone to…no tip it up…
the next morning i was tipping fine sand at Brymbo steel works. i was in line for the
weigh bridge when a familiar looking Blue AEC marshall pulled up behind me. i said hello to
the driver …smiling…the AEC was at least 4 ton over loaded.i had a 8 wheeler MAN.
John
Spud haulage is just like that, Secret Squirrel every time. Always say you’re doing a change over or dropping it back at the yard, or that you picked it up from the yard, depending on wether you’re loading or tipping. So the merchant in the middle always kept his cut.
Boss had a go one day, the merchant had been told by the farmer where the load was going, and he laid the blame at my door 
. I had neither confirmed nor denied the destination, because as I pointed out to the Boss, I couldn’t know where the load was destined for, as I was “taking it to the yard” 
which was the only thing that I confirmed to said farmer. Anyhow rumpus died down, then a few weeks later I saw the field Man (buyer for the merchant) at a farm, where I was about to load, I went over to him and gave him right mouthful about him and his crappy spud work 
(wasn’t my favourite work off the many that we did). When all said and done if I’m going to get grief, I’d rather it was for something I had actually done, though strangely I never heard a word
eddie snax:
Spud haulage is just like that, Secret Squirrel every time. Always say you’re doing a change over or dropping it back at the yard, or that you picked it up from the yard, depending on wether you’re loading or tipping. So the merchant in the middle always kept his cut.Boss had a go one day, the merchant had been told by the farmer where the load was going, and he laid the blame at my door
That might have been my fault Bruv, well not directly though. 
The farmer was the one that we went school with and he always thought that I was you when collecting spuds from his farm. So one day he ask where they were going I said" you know I’m not allowed to say" he replied"Its ok I know they’re going to so and so."
Considering most of these farmers knew everybody in the agricultural business in the area, I’m sure they knew where every load went before the agents did, so I never understood why it had to be so secret.
And I also hated the spud work, much rather be on the tilt work. 
I just say I got lost because well, I do get lost a lot.
I can lie just fine, but what I can’t do, is hide the surprise on my face, when someone from the office has lied on my behalf, without telling me.
I’m a team player, if you want me to lie for you, it won’t sit well with me but I will do it. But you better make sure you know what lies you have told to whom, and which of your customers drink together 
EDIT : Once upon a time I turned up at delivery and was asked very patronisingly “got lost did you??”
Me, “no, I found you just fine, but you are my 12th drop and it’s only 3 hours into my day”
The girl in the office had a double dose of ear ■■■■■ thrown at her, one from the customer who she had promised a “first” drop to. Then from me, for trying to blame me for whatever planning turd, she had dropped that day.
We were, and still are, very good friends, but I don’t think I even looked at her for a couple of days after!
Edited a second time because the auto censor is ■■■■, and the mods scare me 
muckles:
eddie snax:
Spud haulage is just like that, Secret Squirrel every time. Always say you’re doing a change over or dropping it back at the yard, or that you picked it up from the yard, depending on wether you’re loading or tipping. So the merchant in the middle always kept his cut.Boss had a go one day, the merchant had been told by the farmer where the load was going, and he laid the blame at my door
That might have been my fault Bruv, well not directly though.
The farmer was the one that we went school with and he always thought that I was you when collecting spuds from his farm. So one day he ask where they were going I said" you know I’m not allowed to say" he replied"Its ok I know they’re going to so and so."
Considering most of these farmers knew everybody in the agricultural business in the area, I’m sure they knew where every load went before the agents did, so I never understood why it had to be so secret.
And I also hated the spud work, much rather be on the tilt work.
well that field man, who’s name I cant remember, but drove that Jap SUV thing, got a mouthful anyway
I always thought it was a well known fact that a traffic clerk would not tell the truth if a lie would do instead.
I just say I’m not late I got here on time it’s the load that’s late