Beware! Drivers&Owners

[Big Al]

Beware of charges on your credit card or debit card that are not there that are supposed to be because recurring charges; i.e. withdrawal's for insurance coverage.

History, we were leased to Bolt last year and my Son was driving for us and when he went for a pickup in N. Michigan, while loading a forklift driver hopped off the fork lift w/o setting the brake and the forklift went down and pinned him to the back of the van. Thank God he wasn't a double amputee but it did cause quite a bit of damage to his knees. He can't drive until this is better.

Bolt apparently got mad at him about 9 months before this and canceled his workmans comp insurance but kept giving him loads for about 9 months until the accident. They didn't notify us (owners) or him. All things seemed well until the accident. The shipper admits fault; however, since, Bolt cancelled his workmans comp. he has no income, or medical coverage until this is settled.

Please don't let this happen to you. We check our credit report every couple of days but we're really looking for charges that aren't supposed to be there! Our focus now has to include charges that are recurring charges to ensure they're covered each month!

Our son used a debit card. Now this thing is in the court system and who knows how long that'll be.

Bolt continued to run him for 9 months and the only thing they did was drop his workmans comp.

It seems incredible but maybe some others are doing the same thing.

Big Al

 

[beachbum]

Your son was your employee, not Bolt's since you owned the truck and were leased to Bolt.

Medical would be covered by the at fault company, which is the company with the fork lift. Now are they fighting the claim against their insurance or did your son hire a lawyer in which case they would normally foot the bill on a slam dunk case.

Are we missing anything because I would think that company would want to settle as fast as possible.

 

[cheri1122]

Beware of charges on your credit card or debit card that are not there that are supposed to be because recurring charges; i.e. withdrawal's for insurance coverage.

History, we were leased to Bolt last year and my Son was driving for us and when he went for a pickup in N. Michigan, while loading a forklift driver hopped off the fork lift w/o setting the brake and the forklift went down and pinned him to the back of the van. Thank God he wasn't a double amputee but it did cause quite a bit of damage to his knees. He can't drive until this is better.

Bolt apparently got mad at him about 9 months before this and canceled his workmans comp insurance but kept giving him loads for about 9 months until the accident. They didn't notify us (owners) or him. All things seemed well until the accident. The shipper admits fault; however, since, Bolt cancelled his workmans comp. he has no income, or medical coverage until this is settled.

Please don't let this happen to you. We check our credit report every couple of days but we're really looking for charges that aren't supposed to be there! Our focus now has to include charges that are recurring charges to ensure they're covered each month!

Our son used a debit card. Now this thing is in the court system and who knows how long that'll be.

Bolt continued to run him for 9 months and the only thing they did was drop his workmans comp.

It seems incredible but maybe some others are doing the same thing.

Big Al

What seems incredible to me is that you [as owner] failed to notice & investigate the absence of the weekly deduction for 9 months from your settlements - how does that happen?
And how does anyone drive for a carrier without having the required insurance? If the carrier wasn't providing it, didn't they tell you to get it elsewhere?

 

[usafk9]

The work accident policy, if in place, should cover anyone approved by the carrier to operate their leased vehicle; not an issue between fleet owner and driver.

I'm wondering a couple of things: Why you didn't notice the w/a deduction missing from your settlements, and what your contract with Bolt stipulates about optional or not on the coverage?

Last, what does your or your boy's lawyer say about the matter?

I wish your son a speedy recovery.

 

[usafk9]

Oh, and why does Cheri type faster than me?

 

[Ragman]

Oh, and why does Cheri type faster than me?

Fast fingers.

 

[cheri1122]

Oh, and why does Cheri type faster than me?

Maybe it's the blue font - can't be fast fingers, I only use 2 of them, lol

Isn't worker's/occupational insurance required by Ohio [Bolt's location] law? If so, how did they continue to dispatch someone who didn't have any? And last, why would they cancel it because they got mad at the owner or driver? None of it makes sense so far......

 

[Moot]

Big Al, does your son have a professional MX license?

 

[gotta go]

OP didn't state exactly when they stopped paying the Occupational/Accident premiums, but Bolt did change recommended carriers this past summer. Instead of an insurance provider doing an automatic deduction fro contractors new provider is paid through payroll deduction. Contractors were notified that they would need to sign payroll deduction authorization.

 

[ntimevan]

I 'm puzzled at this claim as well. Yes i'm contracted with BOLT as O/OP. I have insurance with CIS so i don't have the coverage through them. BUT I do know they keep up on their insurance coverage pretty good. Because when they changed companys a couple months ago that I need to sign the new forms for insurance and imdediately return them for coverage or i couldn;t take a load until it was done. It took me 1 phone call to get it straightened out that i was insured with CIS and not through them. Apparently over 95 % of their DRIVERS has the insurance through them and thats why i was sent the message as it was sent to ALL drivers.

 

[ChrisGa23]

2 words. Lawyer up. Go after the company. Its the companies fault. If the lawyer is any good he will get all medical bills paid and a few bucks in your sons pocket for being out of work $$$

 

[moose]

BigAl,
you are not the first one .
this is a true story, i met that team in person .
in David & Jen case, the carrier deducted the premiums off of their pay check, but never actually paid the insurance provider.

good read here :

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/46840-occ-story-david-jen.html

 

[greg334]

Al,
Seeing it happened in Michigan, call the state (I think occupational safety and health) and ask them what the laws are for Michigan and any other stuff that is related to the situation, I think there maybe some sort of information that may help you.

I thought that the carrier could not move forward with any party leased to them if there wasn't proper insurance coverage.

 

[ntimevan]

First of all , I HATE to see or hear of anyone getting hurt in ANY type of ACCIDENT. BUT I'VE reread the original posting several times AND the poster said their insurance payments were deducted OFF THEIR CREDIT CARD to purchase the workmans comp. through BOLT. SORRY but THAT option is NOT there. So to get workmans comp. through BOLT it will be deducted OUT of your PAY settlement. I just feel WE are NOT hearing the FULL story. AND if it happened to ME, i would have MY lawyer GOING after the FORKLIFT DRIVER and THEIR EMPLOYER.

 

[AMonger]

Your son was your employee, not Bolt's since you owned the truck and were leased to Bolt.

That doesn't make him anybody's employee. He could very well have been a subcontractor.



--

You know the problem with bad cops? They make the other 5% look bad.

 

[AMonger]

The work accident policy, if in place, should cover anyone approved by the carrier to operate their leased vehicle; not an issue between fleet owner and driver.

I don't know about others, but I do know it varies from company to company and state to state. Illinois just changed their requirements and now Illinois fleet owners deduct it from their drivers' settlements. Our carriers aren't involved in this type of insurance.
--

You know the problem with bad cops? They make the other 5% look bad.

 

[Monty]

If you are an Ohio based company, your EMPLOYEES must be covered by WC, through the state. When I had my drivers, (all employees, no contractors), I paid 15% of GROSS revenue to Ohio to have them covered.

 

[Big Al]

Beware of charges on your credit card or debit card that are not there that are supposed to be because recurring charges; i.e. withdrawal's for insurance coverage.

History, we were leased to Bolt last year and my Son was driving for us and when he went for a pickup in N. Michigan, while loading a forklift driver hopped off the fork lift w/o setting the brake and the forklift went down and pinned him to the back of the van. Thank God he wasn't a double amputee but it did cause quite a bit of damage to his knees. He can't drive until this is better.

Bolt apparently got mad at him about 9 months before this and canceled his workmans comp insurance but kept giving him loads for about 9 months until the accident. They didn't notify us (owners) or him. All things seemed well until the accident. The shipper admits fault; however, since, Bolt cancelled his workmans comp. he has no income, or medical coverage until this is settled.

Please don't let this happen to you. We check our credit report every couple of days but we're really looking for charges that aren't supposed to be there! Our focus now has to include charges that are recurring charges to ensure they're covered each month!

Our son used a debit card. Now this thing is in the court system and who knows how long that'll be.

Bolt continued to run him for 9 months and the only thing they did was drop his workmans comp.

It seems incredible but maybe some others are doing the same thing.

Big Al

What seems incredible to me is that you [as owner] failed to notice & investigate the absence of the weekly deduction for 9 months from your settlements - how does that happen?
And how does anyone drive for a carrier without having the required insurance? If the carrier wasn't providing it, didn't they tell you to get it elsewhere?

The deduction was from his checking account. I was in the process of turning everything over to him. The carrier just dropped it and continued to load him out without any notification.
You are missing the point here. When something is deducted from your checking ( my Son's) then you're left with the impression all is well. Bolt did not notify any of the interested persons ( myself & my Son ) so we thought all was well. We're still getting loads and everything seemed normal. I guess I was used to working with companies such as Roberts Express & ConWay Now and I doubt if this would happen with them.

Big Al

PS Hindsight is always 20/20 !

 

[Big Al]

I 'm puzzled at this claim as well. Yes i'm contracted with BOLT as O/OP. I have insurance with CIS so i don't have the coverage through them. BUT I do know they keep up on their insurance coverage pretty good. Because when they changed companys a couple months ago that I need to sign the new forms for insurance and imdediately return them for coverage or i couldn;t take a load until it was done. It took me 1 phone call to get it straightened out that i was insured with CIS and not through them. Apparently over 95 % of their DRIVERS has the insurance through them and thats why i was sent the message as it was sent to ALL drivers.

Yes CIS was the insurer at the time; however, the manager at Bolt informed them that we're no longer under contract and they dropped us! Perhaps that's why Bolt apparantly now uses a direct deduction from the settlements instead of the drivers individual checking accounts.

They required all owner/drivers have workmans comp. I had that coverage for the 2 months I drove with him so he could gain experience. I was required by Bolt even though I have Medicare & TriCare for life, which gives me 100% coverage.

The new way Bolt does it will be easier for everyone to notice discrepencies.

Big Al

 

[beachbum]

Amonger They owned the truck and their son drove for them, that makes him their employee not Bolt's.