**WARNING to new contractors*****

[jamom123]

Good owners and good drivers can both be hard to come by.

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[zorry]

From what I have heard from other owners it goes both ways, you have some bad owners no doubt but also you have so many drivers that always think the grass is greener somewhere else. They drive for a little while then they meet someone else and get to talking next thing you know they're gone. Sometimes they leave your truck in the middle of nowhere. I mean what do they have to lose it's not their truck. I believe when this happens to an owner enough it might cause him to be somewhat of a prick. Don't get me wrong I am not defending all owners their are some bad ones, but you have to think who's responsibility is it I mean the payments and expenses keep coming whether or not that truck is making money.

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A well written contract can help avoid some of that.
Being a good enough owner that the driver isn't looking for greener pastures also helps.
Prescreening also helps.
Sometimes it's unavoidable which falls into the risk of being an owner.
There are risks. There are benefits.
Wanna do good ? Be a good owner.

 

[jamom123]

A well written contract can help avoid some of that.
Being a good enough owner that the driver isn't looking for greener pastures also helps.
Prescreening also helps.
Sometimes it's unavoidable which falls into the risk of being an owner.
There are risks. There are benefits.
Wanna do good ? Be a good owner.

Very well written Zorry, there is research that should be done on both ends owner and driver and it could help avoid a lot of problems.

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[noneya]

A well written contract can help avoid some of that.
Being a good enough owner that the driver isn't looking for greener pastures also helps.
Prescreening also helps.
Sometimes it's unavoidable which falls into the risk of being an owner.
There are risks. There are benefits.
Wanna do good ? Be a good owner.

My sentiments exactly.

SENT FROM YO MAMA'S HOUSE!

 

[Dynamite 1]

nobody get me wrong here, we have been in this business for along time but, unless you have experienced the hiring side you wont understand. you can do all the things you are suppose to. references, background checks, employment checks and all the other stuff. in the long run it means nothing. you can get a great driver, be a great owner, do everything you should as an owner have things running smoothly with no issues and then for some reason life rears its head and your driver will just flip and be gone or make you make him gone. it happens and its just one of those things you deal with.

there are truly good owners and drivers as well as bad an both can have issues. owners should be held to a standard and not be allowed to have issues that they dont take care of with their trucks. that seems to be the biggest thing we hear from drivers next to not being paid properly. drivers should do what they are contracted to do also but as owners we do have the ability to get rid of drivers at will if we feel they are not doing their job. it truly is a shame for a good driver to be cheated by an owner and equally as bad when the shoe is on the other foot. it is not an exact science. the most important thing for us as owners is to do the right thing always. we feel if we do this then no matter what happens at least we know we did all we could.

 

[jamom123]

nobody get me wrong here, we have been in this business for along time but, unless you have experienced the hiring side you wont understand. you can do all the things you are suppose to. references, background checks, employment checks and all the other stuff. in the long run it means nothing. you can get a great driver, be a great owner, do everything you should as an owner have things running smoothly with no issues and then for some reason life rears its head and your driver will just flip and be gone or make you make him gone. it happens and its just one of those things you deal with.

there are truly good owners and drivers as well as bad an both can have issues. owners should be held to a standard and not be allowed to have issues that they dont take care of with their trucks. that seems to be the biggest thing we hear from drivers next to not being paid properly. drivers should do what they are contracted to do also but as owners we do have the ability to get rid of drivers at will if we feel they are not doing their job. it truly is a shame for a good driver to be cheated by an owner and equally as bad when the shoe is on the other foot. it is not an exact science. the most important thing for us as owners is to do the right thing always. we feel if we do this then no matter what happens at least we know we did all we could.

Great point Dynamite.

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[cheri1122]

I could never be a fleet owner, I'd stress myself to death worrying about the possible liabilities. Example: the reason my fleet owner had a spot open is because he learned the driver he'd never had a problem with was drinking in the truck. The potential for disaster is enough to give anyone nightmares!
Hats off to everyone who does it right, just because it's the right thing to do. And here's hoping the bad owners and drivers find each other, and put them all out of the business.

 

[KickStarter6]

My dad owns 1 sprinter and half a ford CV and he lets me worry about both of em. He just pays us and gets fixed web they need it. I realize I only have to keep up with one guy but I don't understand how an owner would screw over one of his drivers. I'd rather pay well and keep em happy that way they are loyal

 

[noneya]

My dad owns 1 sprinter and half a ford CV and he lets me worry about both of em. He just pays us and gets fixed web they need it. I realize I only have to keep up with one guy but I don't understand how an owner would screw over one of his drivers. I'd rather pay well and keep em happy that way they are loyal

That makes sense, but common sense is not so common nowadays.

SENT FROM YO MAMA'S HOUSE!

 

[Maverick]

Thank you for not naming names.
Nice, informative post that did not throw anyone under the bus.

Welcome to EO.

Hope you find, or have found, that good owner.

The bad start will make you appreciate the good owner when you find one.

Always bad to name names on an open forum IMHO. That's what PM is for, and in my limited time here, some PM's have been answered to the positive, some negative.

Hate to see drivers get with bad owners out there. However, the forum is a place to ask, while researching and gathering answers to Expedite questions. It would be just as bad for owners to be on here bashing some driver they had a conflict with.

Heck, I don't even place the banner of the company I'm currently running for. I don't represent them here, and neither would I want them giving their opinions for all to see. (hmmm, maybe for good reason? )

EO is pretty good about that, and hope the tried and true continues. We fight among ourselves enough...

But that's F-U-N.

 

[KickStarter6]

That makes sense, but common sense is not so common nowadays.

SENT FROM YO MAMA'S HOUSE!

That's so true

 

[Casper0418]

nobody get me wrong here, we have been in this business for along time but, unless you have experienced the hiring side you wont understand. you can do all the things you are suppose to. references, background checks, employment checks and all the other stuff. in the long run it means nothing. you can get a great driver, be a great owner, do everything you should as an owner have things running smoothly with no issues and then for some reason life rears its head and your driver will just flip and be gone or make you make him gone. it happens and its just one of those things you deal with.

there are truly good owners and drivers as well as bad an both can have issues. owners should be held to a standard and not be allowed to have issues that they dont take care of with their trucks. that seems to be the biggest thing we hear from drivers next to not being paid properly. drivers should do what they are contracted to do also but as owners we do have the ability to get rid of drivers at will if we feel they are not doing their job. it truly is a shame for a good driver to be cheated by an owner and equally as bad when the shoe is on the other foot. it is not an exact science. the most important thing for us as owners is to do the right thing always. we feel if we do this then no matter what happens at least we know we did all we could.

IF the owner is not keeping up his end of the bargain is the carrier a source of redress, or is the driver just stuck?

 

[Ragman]

IF the owner is not keeping up his end of the bargain is the carrier a source of redress, or is the driver just stuck?

For the most part, carriers won't get involved in an owner/driver dispute.

 

[Opel2010]

For the most part, carriers won't get involved in an owner/driver dispute.

Unless the driver has a special relationship with the carrier. I had this kind of driver for a little over three months, a driver that was recommended by the carrier as a "money maker". I won't complain about having him OOS four weeks during this period, but he was doing mostly shorties, taking money for fuel more than his paychecks, never answering the phone when I was calling him. Things got interesting when I told him that I intend to switch to a different carrier. He called the company and told them that I want to do the switch behind their back! Well, that was the funny part. The ugly part is that he took my truck to his place saying that he needs two days off, and after eight days of multiple attempts to reach him, he finally told me that he quits and I can come to his place to get my truck... nice, isn't it?

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[Lawrence]

This is just a little warning to new contract drivers, don't sign a contract with owners unless you investigate them. Ask the owner to provide you with numbers of drivers that have worked for them, past and present,do a total inspection of the equipment. If the owner is unwilling to give you numbers there's a reason for it don't sign, if their equipment is not up to snuff don't sign. Ask if you can run under a temp. contract or no contract for the 1st 2-3 weeks to see how it goes. This is a bigy because if you sign with a real bad owner, which I'd say about 30-40%, are bad and maybe 10% are really a nightmare and can make your life difficult. I only hope that new drivers will listen to my warning, some of these owners will sign you and treat you like dog poo. Now I've been driving a long time however not expedited and my 1st and last experience with it I just had and it was bad very bad. Also see how long contract is in effect, if they insist that you sign get a signing bonus or retention bonus, this will make them put their money where their mouth is, some of these owners will make you responsible for everything, let me remind you, you are the driver that's it you are not responsible for for the upkeep, or wear and tear that's the owners responsibility, a good owner will work with you on any issues just be respectful and honest and you should get that in return.

Great advice. Hope it's read and practiced by many.

 

[Casper0418]

Great advice. Hope it's read and practiced by many.

What purpose or good is a contract if the driver can just abandon the vehicle when he wants too? How do you prevent that?

 

[Daffyduck528]

What purpose or good is a contract if the driver can just abandon the vehicle when he wants too? How do you prevent that?

If one of my drivers abandons my vehicle then I take the recovery fees out of his or her outstanding settlements per the contract. That's what's good about a contract. Without it some states will say the driver still gets all his or her pay even if they abandon the vehicle. It's not really preventable, but there needs to be consequences for such an action that will help deter such a horrible act.

 

[Opel2010]

If one of my drivers abandons my vehicle then I take the recovery fees out of his or her outstanding settlements per the contract. That's what's good about a contract. Without it some states will say the driver still gets all his or her pay even if they abandon the vehicle. It's not really preventable, but there needs to be consequences for such an action that will help deter such a horrible act.

My ex-driver was careful about those last settlements, he took lots of cash advances, so his final paychecks didn't cover not even a 1/10th from the expenses I had to recover the vehicle. Now it seems that he's screwing another fleet owner...

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[drifter]

Sounds to me you need to limit his advances or find him more freight

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[mjmsprt40]

I have a question, raised by the opening post. You're signed on as a driver, and therefore not responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle? Pardon me, but isn't one of the driver's responsibilities to be doing a pre-trip and post trip inspections of the vehicle? Maybe it's not your job to pay for fixing the thing-- but the owner isn't sitting in the cab of that truck. You are. Personally, I'm not the least bit interested in signing on a guy who thinks his job begins and ends at holding the wheel, and not paying attention when things seem a little "off" because maintenance isn't "his job". How does the owner know the vehicle is using too much oil unless the driver checks, and lets the owner know something "ain't right"? It starts pulling to one side-- might need brakes-- you're up in the driver's seat feeling this, tell the owner. Getting it fixed may be the owner's responsibility, noticing it needs attention is most certainly your job---- unless you really like walking five miles from nowhere to the nearest place you can get help. I'd have to say maintenance is the responsibility of both the driver and the owner.