Owner of the Year ?

zorry

Veteran Expediter
How about nominations for Owner of the Year?A friend of mine went to work for a fleet owner with another friend,a hungry,but intelligent, rookie. They got a Purple Promise Award after a few months. Then the owner bought a T-Val truck for this team. He persnally told me they were doing VERY GOOD numbers.Then friend 1 goes home sick. Friend 2 continues in unit solo.A week later Owner calls #2 and says #1 is too ill to ever drive again. You've got 10 days to find a partner,cause I need a team in that truck.3 days later he calls, Hey, I found a team so you are done. Friend 2 is mature enough to say "That's business" and runs solo to fill the terms of her contract.She brings him the truck to his location on the proper day,washed,cleaned inside ,and with a fresh PM. She moves on. Friend 1 just called.As she was the sole bread winner for the family ,every nickel is important. She was excited that she got her escrow money back, minus a penalty FOR NOT GIVING HIM TEN DAYS NOTICE THAT SHE WAS LEAVING THE TRUCK !!! Don't know how he can sleep at night !
 

FREE TO FAIL

Seasoned Expediter
If in fact that was the series of events, the fleet owner handled it poorly. I am constantly amazed that people have zero compassion for their fellow man when it comes to money.

Now its probably true that the owner does have a big nut to crack on the tval truck, and we all know what has happened to the tval rates. Additionally we also know of the mileage caps for solos, so undoubtably the owner was going to go upside down on the truck pretty quick. No excusing the poor conduct but he saw a team pop up and grabbed them. Hence the boot.

The question is what can we do to help this lady, is she still wanting to work, I have one friend left at Fedex with some trucks, is she looking for a spot? PM me and i can give her a number to call, I have zero interest in anything to do with fedex just looking to help.
 

mcavoy33

Seasoned Expediter
It's good to see JD step up and try to help this driver but in reality it is the drivers who failed to live up to the contract and are at fault. Her bleeding heart story and her teammates unfortunate health demise are not the owners fault.

I agree he handled the situation very poorly, he should have let her know immediately when her partner was sick that they were not meeting their obligations and that he would be seeking a replacement team that can meet the obligations

Then he should have let her know that because she has been such a good driver that shecan run solo until he finds a replacement team or if she finds a suitable partner.

But considering he just bought this truck, he shouldn't be obligated to provide charity. If he has other trucks, he owes it to those drivers and their families that the fleet remains healthy.

Why should an owner lose out on thousands of dollars because the drivers failed to meet theirobligations?
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Read the story carefully.....The owner gave her 10 days to find a partner...he reneged and after only 3 days yanked her out...he went back on his word...the driver should not have been penalized.
 

mcavoy33

Seasoned Expediter
Read the story carefully.....The owner gave her 10 days to find a partner...he reneged and after only 3 days yanked her out...he went back on his word...the driver should not have been penalized.

I did read the story carefully, that's why I said he handled it very poorly and not given her 10 days.

edit: if you think he should be giving charity, why don't you man up and let her run your van and you sit at home until she finds a new job.

I just don't like it whenpeople act all high & mighty on the internet and try to hold other people to standards that they wouldn't live up to themselves.

We are here to make money for the mostpart.
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I did read the story carefully, that's why I said he handled it very poorly and not given her 10 days.

edit: if you think he should be giving charity, why don't you man up and let her run your van and you sit at home until she finds a new job.

I just don't like it when people act all high & mighty on the internet and try to hold other people to standards that they wouldn't live up to themselves.

We are here to make money for the most part.

Agreed...she should not have been penalized.

I hope them high and mighty get a real dose of reality one day.

I just woke up and did not quite absorb....sorry
 

mcavoy33

Seasoned Expediter
It's all good, it was the opposite for me, gave me something to think about when I read it earlier and posted after my drop, now time to try catch some zzz's but they are pretty sneaky,I usually have a hard time catching them.
 

zorry

Veteran Expediter
Hey, everyone is missing the point. #2 although shafted by not being given 10 days to find a partner,did the right thing. The girl that got sick is whats got me in an uproar. How can you keep her money when she bails unexpectedly ?Should she have told the cardiologist she be pack in TEN days? It may have been in a body bag. This boils down to what I find is the core problem with fleet owners. This man should have enough reserve to let #2 ru n solo ten days in the event that a driver gets ill. The mindset of most owners I know is I will fund a lifestyle and put whats left,if any,into the business. It should be the other way around. The money should take care of the business and whats left should fund his lifestyle. Knowing that this girl will never drive again,and that she was the only source of income,he should have done ALL he could to get her money to her. Actually,he could have been alittle charitable and thrown alittle extra her way.Sorry, I think he's a heartless mother ******.
.
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
Hey, everyone is missing the point. #2 although shafted by not being given 10 days to find a partner,did the right thing. The girl that got sick is whats got me in an uproar. How can you keep her money when she bails unexpectedly ?Should she have told the cardiologist she be pack in TEN days? It may have been in a body bag. This boils down to what I find is the core problem with fleet owners. This man should have enough reserve to let #2 ru n solo ten days in the event that a driver gets ill. The mindset of most owners I know is I will fund a lifestyle and put whats left,if any,into the business. It should be the other way around. The money should take care of the business and whats left should fund his lifestyle. Knowing that this girl will never drive again,and that she was the only source of income,he should have done ALL he could to get her money to her. Actually,he could have been alittle charitable and thrown alittle extra her way.Sorry, I think he's a heartless mother ******.
.

I understand your view and I don't think it was handled the right way but I don't know what this guy's finances looked like. He could be on the verge of losing everything and then the entire fleet loses their job. He may not have a little extra to throw her way. There could be a little more to the story about the other driver not returning, like the fleet owner was kept in the dark until it hurt him financially and he wasn't sure the driver was being honest. The way you are stating this I think everyone does agree that it was handled poorly.

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paullud

Veteran Expediter
Maybe a "sick" clause in the contract should be included? to CYA everyones concerns.....

I don't mean this as a joke but people would be amazed at what they are signing for if they read the contracts. A company will advertise they pay you X%, the recruiter will tell you they pay X%, they will tell you in orientation they pay X% but when you read the contract it basically says pay is X% or whatever we feel like paying you. There could be a number of clauses in the contract that gave the fleet owner the right to take even more, maybe he did help her out by returning what he did.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I don't mean this as a joke but people would be amazed at what they are signing for if they read the contracts. A company will advertise they pay you X%, the recruiter will tell you they pay X%, they will tell you in orientation they pay X% but when you read the contract it basically says pay is X% or whatever we feel like paying you. There could be a number of clauses in the contract that gave the fleet owner the right to take even more, maybe he did help her out by returning what he did.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

I don't know why they are called contracts to begin with...LOL
Maybe "Terms of Endearment" would be closer to the truth...:eek:
A contract usually implies some sort of negotiation....
rather then ..."sign here or you can't drive"
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
The "whatever we feel like" gives the company the option to make a lower offer to the contractor. The contractor has to agree.

Edit: OVM, would you drive without a contract?
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
The "whatever we feel like" gives the company the option to make a lower offer to the contractor. The contractor has to agree.

Edit: OVM, would you drive without a contract?

Our contract is half page at best...LOL

I agree to pick up and deliver on time..
I agree to 100% FSC to be paid...
I agree XX% of linehaul...
I agree paydays are Friday...
I agree QC is X amount weekly
I agree bobtail Ins is X amount weekly...

Can't get much simplier then that...all the rest is just fluff...IMO
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I was with one company that had a contract like that, short, plain English, it was pretty cool. I looked at it and asked if this was the whole thing.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I was with one company that had a contract like that, short, plain English, it was pretty cool. I looked at it and asked if this was the whole thing.

Star..you've been around the block...these 5 page contracts are well you know...

Most always have the last line that states...

The carrier reserves to terminate or change these terms with appropriate notice.....some may even say 30 days notice...
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
I was with one company that had a contract like that, short, plain English, it was pretty cool. I looked at it and asked if this was the whole thing.

The way any contract is written is a vicious circle. They are written by lawyers to try and cover any loophole that they can think of. You then need a lawyer to read the contract to make sure what you are signing is what you think it is. Then both parties need a lawyer as one party thinks they found a loophole to benefit themselves.

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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
The way any contract is written is a vicious circle. They are written by lawyers to try and cover any loophole that they can think of. You then need a lawyer to read the contract to make sure what you are signing is what you think it is. Then both parties need a lawyer as one party thinks they found a loophole to benefit themselves.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

That is what I said...most is all fluff....



Star...also means you been there, done that....LOL
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Our contract is half page at best...LOL

I agree to pick up and deliver on time..
I agree to 100% FSC to be paid...
I agree XX% of linehaul...
I agree paydays are Friday...
I agree QC is X amount weekly
I agree bobtail Ins is X amount weekly...

Can't get much simplier then that...all the rest is just fluff...IMO

"I agree" means little in how the performance of the contractor can happen. TOO many what ifs. How do you enforce it? You know when you mention X miles, or X loads, you are making them an employee?

I tell you what OVM, take a few months off and put someone in your van and see what it is like.

A good lawyer will not cover loop holes for the owner but to protect both parties. There are a lot of good contract lawyers around who can write a simple good contract that will help everyone out. I stress the contract thing not to just as a precaution thing but to explain who does what in the relationship and cover some basic "what if" like flat tired or break downs.
 
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