Who should pay?

Kazper1008

Seasoned Expediter
Just wanted to get others opinion on who should pay to get to the vehicle for a new drive the owner or the drive!
 

Jefferson3000

Expert Expediter
I would say it's the driver's responsibility to pick up the vehicle, as well as drop it back when done. However, it basically comes down to how either indispensable or expendable the driver is, as well as how bad the driver wants a job.
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I'd suggest the driver pay and the owner put in the contract that at the completion of one year the driver will receive a bonus of say $500 to offset the cost of getting to the vehicle. That gives the driver incentive to stick around if at all possible.
 

x06col

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Army
In reality it is simply about nickels and dimes in this business when it comes to drivers. i have found tho...if you have to have a discussion about whom funds arrival at the "JOB" then...jes ask "whom funded your way to McDonalds"? If your prospect has THAT question for an issue, i'd terminate the interview.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I've always been of the opinion that the only stupid question is the one that's never asked. Obviously, I stand corrected.
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Kazper: to answer your question, drivers are usually responsible for getting themselves to wherever the truck is, and for returning truck to same place, if no longer driving it.
As each owner & driver situation is individual, it may be a negotiable item, but I'd assume the driver is on their own - I always have been, anyway. By the time you get to that point, you should be confident that you're not wasting time and/or money getting there, right?
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
If one can't afford to get to the truck, probably not quite the right time to be doing this.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
It seems reasonable that a new driver would pay his or her own way to get into a fleet owner's truck.

However, I have seen cases where fleet owners put unreasonable demands on new drivers before they begin driving by using them as free labor to take the truck here to get serviced and then there to get tested and then somewhere else to get DOT inspected. Beware of fleet owners of that kind. If you are going to pay your way to get into a truck, the truck should be ready to drive when you get there.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
It seems reasonable that a new driver would pay his or her own way to get into a fleet owner's truck.

However, I have seen cases where fleet owners put unreasonable demands on new drivers before they begin driving by using them as free labor to take the truck here to get serviced and then there to get tested and then somewhere else to get DOT inspected. Beware of fleet owners of that kind. If you are going to pay your way to get into a truck, the truck should be ready to drive when you get there.

I would agree with that. I do require that once a team is in the truck, they get it weighed so we actually know what the truck is at prior to putting a load on it. Anything else should have been completed before it is picked up.
 

Wolfeman68

Veteran Expediter
Fleet Owner
US Marines
Just wanted to get others opinion on who should pay to get to the vehicle for a new drive the owner or the drive!

It really depends on the situation. The contract we have each driver sign stipulates that if they quit or are terminated, they are to take the vehicle to the location we specify. Normally, that would be the carrier's location or ours. In that case, the new driver would be responsible for his/her expenses to get to the vehicle. If the vehicle is at the former driver's house or some truck stop, etc., then the owner would be responsible for your expenses.

That said, you shouldn't be put in the situation of picking up a vehicle from the former driver or wherever he left it. You would have no idea of its condition. It may not be drivable and you'd be stuck. I don't recommend you put yourself in that situation.

Whatever you do, make sure the owner has a contract for you to sign that clearly stipulates your responsibility in regard to the vehicle as well as the owner's responsibility to you.
 

idtrans

Expert Expediter
My last driver got to my office picked up truck did a great job for a couple days then ran the wheel off the van when wheel bearing came loose instead of calling saying there was a problem well I got the van fixed and then the jerk quit and left my van in kansas 750 miles away from me.

Now I am filing criminal charges for theft of money on him only thing I can charge him with he took the toll money I leave for the van $90 in change ok he denies taking the money but 1 big screw up he told the cops he arrived with no money to get the truck but when he sent me the receipts for truck expenses there is a receipt from a coin star machine for changing coins into money LMAO what a fool.

Plus I am going to take him to court for teh money lost to recover the truck and lost expense $ he is a loser but I will go after the mobile home he lives in and then when I win I will give the trailer to anybody that is not related to him just to teach the scumbag a lesson..

so with all that said myself as a owner operator if the driver is not willing to come to me and show he is a man and do the job I won't hire them !

I had a applicant a while back tell me that when she quit down the road she would meet me half way from my house to give me back my truck ! but she would find a way to me to pick up the truck. insane. And that was before she filled out a pp this was just during the 1st phone call. no way did I hire her.

Honestly you non owner ops would crap if you heard half the stuff many people say when they are wanting to take the trucks out "TO WORK" LOL or is it a vacation or just kill time for a few days.

Seriously you would flip at the way some of these people ask for a job.

Ok I am done ranting and raving bed time gotta get up early and find some freight LOL
 

idtrans

Expert Expediter
If one can't afford to get to the truck, probably not quite the right time to be doing this.

Dave you must have some great people skills LOL because so far I haven't found a driver that will stay working and its not like I am short on freight the drivers I found just flat out don't want to work at all they just want $ handed over as if they were my wife LOL
 

ShipWreck

Seasoned Expediter
Just wanted to get others opinion on who should pay to get to the vehicle for a new drive the owner or the drive!

If you are just starting out as a new driver with this owner, I think it would be up to you to pay for your travel expenses to the place of hiring. If you are already working for the owner and he/she wants you to go pick up a new or abandoned vehicle.... its on him/her.
 

ShipWreck

Seasoned Expediter
It seems reasonable that a new driver would pay his or her own way to get into a fleet owner's truck.

However, I have seen cases where fleet owners put unreasonable demands on new drivers before they begin driving by using them as free labor to take the truck here to get serviced and then there to get tested and then somewhere else to get DOT inspected. Beware of fleet owners of that kind. If you are going to pay your way to get into a truck, the truck should be ready to drive when you get there.


I'll second that. I had a owner a few years back who thought that I was his mechanic and errand boy. (semi) I was just filling in for his regular driver, a friend of mine who was recovering from surgery for 2-3 months.
I replaced his turbo, fan belts, and rewired part of his dashboard area. I had a run through the house one day and stopped by his shop to pick up a new trailer and settle up on my out of pocket expenses. He refused to pay me for the repair work and some of the material. Needless to say, I didnt go back out again. His wife was a awsome lady and when she caught wind of what he did to me, she cut me a check with an extra 300 dollars for my labor.
 
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JimF51

Seasoned Expediter
So far, from what I've seen, expediting trucking is the only segment of OTR trucking were the driver, whether he is a owner or not, has to cover all his own expenses when getting to the truck and doing orientation. Most all trucking companies pay transportation costs to orientation, plus housing while there and usually one or 2 meals per day. Even O/Os get fuel money to drive there, plus the housing and meals.

The above might be one reason a person would ask the topic question, if they are coming over to expediting from general OTR trucking.

Just a thought.

Jim
 
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