I was talking with my owner and he was telling me all the bad things a driver does. And i was thinking all the bad things a owner could do. So who is really getting the short end of the stick. I know there is alot of different things that could play into all of this but just thinking out loud
Who's getting the better deal
- Thread starter TS462
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tallcal101
Veteran Expediter
The true test of the integrity of drivers is the condition the trucks wnen they are turned in.Insisting on getting repairs as needed to keep the trucks rolling is the job of the drivers.I encouage you to do that,as you should.It's all the other things that even good drivers DON'T take care of that drives owners crazy.Getting a truck back that "runs good"seems to be the only responsibility most drivers feel is theirs.The livability of the truck is another thing.
"Don't worry sir,we are VERY clean people and your truck is our home"Thats always at the story at the begaining.What a crock that is.People don't consider their filth "filth".It's just their "lifestyle",or "the people before us were dirtiier then us"?Or the good one"The trucks cleaner then when we got it".
Wanna make good points with your owner,clean the truck(REALLY )clean the truck once in a while.Everything out of the sleeper,and make it sanitary.Rememebr,just because it's your filth,it's still filth,and the owner is going to have to deal with if you don't.
I think a cleaning deposit should levied (at least $500.00)on the truck at a minimum.I should have done it and I'm sure my trucks would have been cleaner and ultimatly worth more money at selling time.
Just an after thought at this point.
"Don't worry sir,we are VERY clean people and your truck is our home"Thats always at the story at the begaining.What a crock that is.People don't consider their filth "filth".It's just their "lifestyle",or "the people before us were dirtiier then us"?Or the good one"The trucks cleaner then when we got it".
Wanna make good points with your owner,clean the truck(REALLY )clean the truck once in a while.Everything out of the sleeper,and make it sanitary.Rememebr,just because it's your filth,it's still filth,and the owner is going to have to deal with if you don't.
I think a cleaning deposit should levied (at least $500.00)on the truck at a minimum.I should have done it and I'm sure my trucks would have been cleaner and ultimatly worth more money at selling time.
Just an after thought at this point.
Suds43
Seasoned Expediter
tallcal101,
your response has struck a nerve!!!!!!
First of all, a driver should NEVER have to "insist" on an owner getting necessary repairs!! NEVER!!! Keeping the truck rolling mechanically is up to the owner. It's his truck. Not the drivers truck. The owner we drove for NEVER batted an eye when repairs needed to be done. He even gave us expense money for headlights or anything the truck needed. If the truck needed it, he bought it.
As far as the "livability" of the truck, sounds to me like your insinuating that all drivers are pigs!! Have you ever tried to "live" in a truck 24/7 for at least 3 weeks at a time?? I can understand your view a little bit.......but complaining that most drivers are filty, who hired those drivers?? YOu did........it's stressed over and over on here to do your homework on companies, owners, etc...sounds like you don't do much homework..hire anyone who comes along!!
For your information, we DID completely clean the truck before coming back in. We'd disinfect the walls, roof, mattress AND floors in the sleeper AND the cab!!! Clean the refridgerator out and wash it, inside and out!
If we'd have brought the truck back to the owner and it was filthy he wouldn't pay us until it was clean, as simple as that. BUT, he trusted and "took care" of us, and we trusted and took care of his equipment. He would never had thought of insisting on a $500 cleaning deposit.....
Don't mean to slam you, like I said earlier, you just struck a nerve!!
And, to use your words.......
Just an after thought at this point.
your response has struck a nerve!!!!!!
First of all, a driver should NEVER have to "insist" on an owner getting necessary repairs!! NEVER!!! Keeping the truck rolling mechanically is up to the owner. It's his truck. Not the drivers truck. The owner we drove for NEVER batted an eye when repairs needed to be done. He even gave us expense money for headlights or anything the truck needed. If the truck needed it, he bought it.
As far as the "livability" of the truck, sounds to me like your insinuating that all drivers are pigs!! Have you ever tried to "live" in a truck 24/7 for at least 3 weeks at a time?? I can understand your view a little bit.......but complaining that most drivers are filty, who hired those drivers?? YOu did........it's stressed over and over on here to do your homework on companies, owners, etc...sounds like you don't do much homework..hire anyone who comes along!!
For your information, we DID completely clean the truck before coming back in. We'd disinfect the walls, roof, mattress AND floors in the sleeper AND the cab!!! Clean the refridgerator out and wash it, inside and out!
If we'd have brought the truck back to the owner and it was filthy he wouldn't pay us until it was clean, as simple as that. BUT, he trusted and "took care" of us, and we trusted and took care of his equipment. He would never had thought of insisting on a $500 cleaning deposit.....
Don't mean to slam you, like I said earlier, you just struck a nerve!!
And, to use your words.......
Just an after thought at this point.
tallcal101
Veteran Expediter
I paid 100% of ALL repairs.Each and everyone and never questioned beyond normal inquirees.If it was something that could wait until the next settlement,I would ask.If not,get it fixed.
And yes,unfortunatly people who I thought to be neat and clean(and always looked neat and clean)left my trucks in pityful condition.I was shocked and surprised and let down.I would sware they never took everything out during hometime and cleaned it like it needed to be cleaned(like they would their"home").Why?
Because from the minute they arrived home until they left again the truck sat with a dead battery and the doors were never opened.
When I first got into the business,the first drivers who had the trucks took care of them and kept them clean.Once they were "used " trucks,nobody cared.I'm sorry it hit a nerve,but you would not want to know the condition the trucks got into(yes some teams were worse they others)but it was the same theme,in the truck clean enough to get by,out of the truck who cares.
I interviewed just like I should have.The drivers were paid 100% off the Qualcom,none of this holding money BS many owners do.So when they turned the truck in they were already paid in full.The $500.00 would have been to cover the cleaning.
I paid fair and never owed anyone money at the end of the line,but that was not returned in the hundreds of $$$ it took me to have the trucks detailed and scrubbed out.
I learned that one persons idea of clean is not always anothers.
I lived in tour bus's for 2 years when I was a roadie,I know the life.It was no fun sharing with 7 other guys.
Just the facts my man,nothing made up.
And yes,unfortunatly people who I thought to be neat and clean(and always looked neat and clean)left my trucks in pityful condition.I was shocked and surprised and let down.I would sware they never took everything out during hometime and cleaned it like it needed to be cleaned(like they would their"home").Why?
Because from the minute they arrived home until they left again the truck sat with a dead battery and the doors were never opened.
When I first got into the business,the first drivers who had the trucks took care of them and kept them clean.Once they were "used " trucks,nobody cared.I'm sorry it hit a nerve,but you would not want to know the condition the trucks got into(yes some teams were worse they others)but it was the same theme,in the truck clean enough to get by,out of the truck who cares.
I interviewed just like I should have.The drivers were paid 100% off the Qualcom,none of this holding money BS many owners do.So when they turned the truck in they were already paid in full.The $500.00 would have been to cover the cleaning.
I paid fair and never owed anyone money at the end of the line,but that was not returned in the hundreds of $$$ it took me to have the trucks detailed and scrubbed out.
I learned that one persons idea of clean is not always anothers.
I lived in tour bus's for 2 years when I was a roadie,I know the life.It was no fun sharing with 7 other guys.
Just the facts my man,nothing made up.
We give our trucks to a new team clean and ready to go. If it was returned and dirty, we send it to a third party and whatever they charge to clean it, is what I would charge the driver if it is dirty.
A third party takes the misery and personal issues out of the whole situation.
We have been lucky and haven't had one returned in bad shape in quite some time.
Baed on this post, I quess I need to keep my fingers crossed.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
A third party takes the misery and personal issues out of the whole situation.
We have been lucky and haven't had one returned in bad shape in quite some time.
Baed on this post, I quess I need to keep my fingers crossed.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
arkjarhead
Veteran Expediter
The last person I drove for me my first truck and it was dirty. Then when he saw how I took care of trucks he put me in a little bit newer truck. It was dirty. Well a couple of months later he decided to put me in a truck that had only 30,000 miles on it and it was filthy. I told him after I got that one clean I didn't swap into another dirty truck, or I would leave. He never had me swap again. I'm the kind of guy that sweeps and mops the floor and amour alls the whole inside to keep it clean and shiny. Plus if I'm going to be out longer than a week I bring extra bed linens. I don't sleep on bed linens longer than 1 week without them being washed.
tallcal101
Veteran Expediter
Thanks Ark,you know what I'm talking about.Did not meant to offend anyone,it's just the old"it's not mine,so who cares"attitude.
arkjarhead
Veteran Expediter
C.R. England tried to put me in a truck so nasty one time when I first started I refused to drive it. Evidently the previous driver had a pet that had ripped the upholstery and went potty on the bed and all over the place and it reeked. They told me they didn't realize it was in that bad of shape and put me in a clean truck. The thing is very few people leave a job happy, therfore they don't care. I always tell people don't burn bridges. You may have to cross them again someday. I don't believe there is anyone I've driven for in the past that wouldn't hire me back. I don't say that to brag, but you have to take care of business to be able to go and ask for your job back and know you will get it. I had to help recover a C.R. England truck once the abandoed it at a truck stop in Buffalo and they wanted it back at Salt Lake. He poured motor oil all over the upholstery, and took a crap in the middle of the floor. I hope he never gets another driving job agian. The ones he was mad at didn't have to deal with it. Needless to say me and the other guy got a pretty good bonus for having to deal with that mess.
hptptrucking
Seasoned Expediter
My opinion...
In just the little time that we have been out here in expediting I have to admit that most of the trucks we have seen have been very clean inside and out. Who gets the better end of the deal, I really can't say but I do think it pays when you drive for someone who is also out here on the road daily behind the wheel themselves and appreciates what you go through on a day to day bases. I myself have a motto.. I want to be clean when I'm seen. It is hard to keep the truck spotless out here on the road but I do keep the inside very clean. It is my home when I am out here. Our owners did alot of work to our truck on the inside and we volunteered to help clean it before heading out on the road. I loved that because I knew I could clean it the way I wanted it done. I appreciate them allowing me to do that and if ever I return it they can count on it being just the way I got it. Just giving them their props!!! Thank U....
Lady Tee & Big Pappa
In just the little time that we have been out here in expediting I have to admit that most of the trucks we have seen have been very clean inside and out. Who gets the better end of the deal, I really can't say but I do think it pays when you drive for someone who is also out here on the road daily behind the wheel themselves and appreciates what you go through on a day to day bases. I myself have a motto.. I want to be clean when I'm seen. It is hard to keep the truck spotless out here on the road but I do keep the inside very clean. It is my home when I am out here. Our owners did alot of work to our truck on the inside and we volunteered to help clean it before heading out on the road. I loved that because I knew I could clean it the way I wanted it done. I appreciate them allowing me to do that and if ever I return it they can count on it being just the way I got it. Just giving them their props!!! Thank U....
Lady Tee & Big Pappa
A cleaning deposit would not be unreasonable but I like better DaveKC's third-party cleaner approach. That eliminates, or at least reduces, controversy over how dirty the truck actually is and whether or not the fleet owner is unjustly helping himself to damage deposit money. If the money is going to a detail shop, the pocketing damage deposit money accusation cannot be made.
Under such an arrangement, it would not be unreasonable for a driver to ask to have the truck detailed or at least examined by the detail shop and proclaimed clean to the shop's standards before starting in the truck. That sets a third-party baseline that protects the driver from treating the fleet owner to a free but unneeded detailing job when the truck is turned in.
Under such an arrangement, it would not be unreasonable for a driver to ask to have the truck detailed or at least examined by the detail shop and proclaimed clean to the shop's standards before starting in the truck. That sets a third-party baseline that protects the driver from treating the fleet owner to a free but unneeded detailing job when the truck is turned in.
FAMILYEXPDT
Seasoned Expediter
If a truck is returned to us not up to standards, the drivers are charged 300$.....this includes a truck wash also (we pay for all washes and the number of people that reurn a truck not washed is surprising) We have had to charge some people but MOST know what we expect and return the trucks nice and clean.....we learned to do this after one of our first teams left the truck absolutely FILTHY.....I have pics of that truck that just shock me.....then they called 3 weeks later wanting to know if we found a set of dvd's that belonged to a library in truck.....we were like ummm..."anything in that truck was put into a dumpster...should have cleaned it." Lesson learned.
-charlotte
-charlotte
In most cases unless picked up at a dealer, I take a pictures of it with the new driver present. Several of the pictures can be taken with a newspaper in the picture for date confirmation. Anyone can change dates on a camera. The other option is to email the pictures, thus providing confirmation.
Secondly, if one is concerned about a truck being trashed, investigate as alittle time goes along. It costs nothing when the truck is being serviced or repaired to ask for the condition of the exterior or interior from the service manager or tech. Just about everyone now has a camera phone.
And the other obvious, visit the driver(s) on occassion when they pass through. Even if the truck is dirty, they likely will clean it if they know you are hooking up with them.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
Secondly, if one is concerned about a truck being trashed, investigate as alittle time goes along. It costs nothing when the truck is being serviced or repaired to ask for the condition of the exterior or interior from the service manager or tech. Just about everyone now has a camera phone.
And the other obvious, visit the driver(s) on occassion when they pass through. Even if the truck is dirty, they likely will clean it if they know you are hooking up with them.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
FAMILYEXPDT said:
If a truck is returned to us not up to standards, the drivers are charged 300$.....this includes a truck wash also (we pay for all washes and the number of people that reurn a truck not washed is surprising)
Hopefully because of a dirty truck exterior you did not charge them money. That would be rather stupid. That is why it's a goofy idea to charge a flat rate to clean a dirty truck. Buggers that are flcked on the the windshied of an otherwise clean truck should not cost that much to scrape off if they are allready dried and sun baked.
If a truck is returned to us not up to standards, the drivers are charged 300$.....this includes a truck wash also (we pay for all washes and the number of people that reurn a truck not washed is surprising)
Hopefully because of a dirty truck exterior you did not charge them money. That would be rather stupid. That is why it's a goofy idea to charge a flat rate to clean a dirty truck. Buggers that are flcked on the the windshied of an otherwise clean truck should not cost that much to scrape off if they are allready dried and sun baked.
I have read all these posts and the thing that i see is if the truck comes back clean then everything else must be fine. But real truth about this is owners due to bad drivers in there past are gun shy. The owner i'm with now is holding a guys pay because he quit but he gave a 2 wk notice which the owner ask him to bring the truck in early becasue he had another driver and as far as clean he said it was ok whatever that means so my question is who is getting the short end of the stick the driver because the owner is holding pay or the owner becasue he lost a driver ??
Hard question to answer without knowing why the owner would be holding his pay. Depending on the carrier, my next question would be is whether the owner is waiting on that pay from the settlement.
The rest of it is a cost the owner must absorb. Lost revenue to have the truck cleaned, sending a potential team to orientation and those costs.
It is never cheap to change drivers or teams.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
The rest of it is a cost the owner must absorb. Lost revenue to have the truck cleaned, sending a potential team to orientation and those costs.
It is never cheap to change drivers or teams.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Great Question, I have no Comment at this time. Been there in both shoes. Hint he who has the most $ to Loose?????
tallcal101
Veteran Expediter
Since I never held pay,and have strong feelings about owners that do hold pay,it was all the more frustrating to me when the turcks came back dirty as I had no recourse.
Drivers stayed with me a long time becasue there were never issues about money.When freight was running hot we all made money,and got along.Nothing like money to sour the relationship fast in this business.
In the long run,I never made a real big deal about the dirty trucks,as normally that was the only problem,and I wanted to end things on a good note.This was the case with all but 1 or two teams.I never confronted them(except 2)about the conditon of the sleeper etc.,but it did anger me as I always kept my part of the deal.
It was just a suggestion at the begaining of this thread as it's something a team can do to end things with proper respect for the opportunity make money,with no strings sttached.No big deal in the long run if everything else was kosher.
Drivers stayed with me a long time becasue there were never issues about money.When freight was running hot we all made money,and got along.Nothing like money to sour the relationship fast in this business.
In the long run,I never made a real big deal about the dirty trucks,as normally that was the only problem,and I wanted to end things on a good note.This was the case with all but 1 or two teams.I never confronted them(except 2)about the conditon of the sleeper etc.,but it did anger me as I always kept my part of the deal.
It was just a suggestion at the begaining of this thread as it's something a team can do to end things with proper respect for the opportunity make money,with no strings sttached.No big deal in the long run if everything else was kosher.
I'm coming into the expeditor world with experience of owning a mobile service business.
The FIRST thing I tell new employees in that business is this:
I raise my right hand in the air, I leave my left hand down near my hips...
My right hand represents "My life easier" - My left hand represents "Your chance of leaving"
As my right hand lowers, my left hand rises...
The smartest have said, "Ok, that's fair" - vehicles stay clean, drivers inform me of maintenence that is needed because they have a vested interest in our prosperity and understand that I can't provide them with anymore prosperity than they have without their communication to me regarding any issues.
It is NOT your owners 100% responsibility to follow you like a babysitter and make sure your truck is in working order. The DRIVER is the one responsible for the appropriate DOT pretrip inspection to be performed, and I personally don't care if you're in a NON CDL vehicle OR NOT. That inspection serves a purpose for a driver to communicate to the owner things that need attention...and if you're a driver that's not inspecting your unit properly - you're the lazy one. not the owner, and you deserve to be sitting on the side of the road to consider how YOU can make things better with a minimal effort.
The FIRST thing I tell new employees in that business is this:
I raise my right hand in the air, I leave my left hand down near my hips...
My right hand represents "My life easier" - My left hand represents "Your chance of leaving"
As my right hand lowers, my left hand rises...
The smartest have said, "Ok, that's fair" - vehicles stay clean, drivers inform me of maintenence that is needed because they have a vested interest in our prosperity and understand that I can't provide them with anymore prosperity than they have without their communication to me regarding any issues.
It is NOT your owners 100% responsibility to follow you like a babysitter and make sure your truck is in working order. The DRIVER is the one responsible for the appropriate DOT pretrip inspection to be performed, and I personally don't care if you're in a NON CDL vehicle OR NOT. That inspection serves a purpose for a driver to communicate to the owner things that need attention...and if you're a driver that's not inspecting your unit properly - you're the lazy one. not the owner, and you deserve to be sitting on the side of the road to consider how YOU can make things better with a minimal effort.