Escrow accounts

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Cynthia, Mar 30, 2007.

  1. Cynthia

    Cynthia Bobtail Member

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    Mar 27, 2007
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    Have you dealt with a company withholding $ in an escrow account so they can charge you for damages, freight claims etc? We have never dealt with this before and we just found out the company we are getting ready to say yes to does this. They take out $50 a month until you get to $500. They told us when we were talking to them we weren't charged for freight. This is what most of the form says....


    Quote:The money will be kept in an escrow fund for losses, damages, or any expenses incurred through the actions of the driver, including, but not limited to:

    1- equipment damage, loss or abandonment
    2- freight claims
    3 - fines
    4- chargeable accidents upon termination (voluntary or involuntary)

    The $500 is a reservable fund and is not to be considered a liability minimum or maximum.


    Now I think it is great to set up an escrow account in case of DOT fines etc but the rest makes me nervous - the equipment damage, freight claims and chargeable accidents.

    I e-mailed the recruiter this morning and these are the things she said back...

    Quote:Escrow is used so we get our equipment back in case a driver leave is in Phily or some place we can go and get it.

    no, not for freight damages but the driver are charged for the deductible if they are a fault for the an accident. Now if freight damages are caused by reckless driving it may be determined to charge the driver. This is taken out of payroll usually at 25.00 payments from what I understand. But this is determined by ****, and then we have 5 drivers who are on the driver liaison committee who you can go to and they can over turn **** decision

    The deductible is $1000.00 is the max and this has happen 2 times in the pass 10 years per ****. We pride our selves on having a very safe fleet of drivers.

    My husband is an excellant driver but things happen. Am I over reacting or could this put our family in jeopardy financially? I've heard of companies doing this but this is the first time that we have seriously considered/worked for one. He is a company driver.
     
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  3. notarps4me

    notarps4me Road Train Member

    10,311
    5,253
    Jan 1, 2007
    NASA HQ
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    Some companies do. DOT Line transportation out of CA is one of them. Myself I would not work for a company that does this.
     
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  4. CJH1977

    CJH1977 Bobtail Member

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    Jul 23, 2007
    Monmouth, Maine
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    The company i drive for does this. I find it useful to me. They take 30$ a week out of my check ( My choice for 30$ and pre tax ). Yes, This money is used if you should leave your truck somewhere and just quit, The company can retreave the truck. I have also experienced that this money can be a loan account. I had around 600$ in my escrow acount. I needed some quick money and took 500 of it. They just put it into my check and away i went. The only bad thing i have found out is that 500$ is a minimum amount you can have. At the company i drive for we have some guys that have well over 7 grand in thier escrow account. These can be good or bad. If you leave on bad terms don't plan on getting that money back. They will find a reason to keep it. But if you leave on good terms you will most likely get it back. It all depends of what you make of it.
     
  5. Trkdrwfe

    Trkdrwfe Bobtail Member

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    Aug 27, 2015
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    This information have been very informative. Thanks
     
  6. ChaoSS

    ChaoSS Road Train Member

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    Sep 20, 2014
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    I wouldn't do it. If they want me to pay for damages, they can sue me. If they can just take money out of an escrow account at will I think they would be more likely to say that damages are your fault and less likely to fight when damages are the customer's fault.

    I want them to have to sue me, rather than me sue them to get my money back.
     
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  7. ezover

    ezover Light Load Member

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    Mar 3, 2011
    swartz creek michigan
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    not a chance in hell.
    myself i would drop a dime to the states wage and hour divison. i do not believe it's legal.
     
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  8. RetiredUSN

    RetiredUSN Medium Load Member

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    Jan 9, 2015
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    Cynthia.......the company is "fulla ####". Tell your husband to walk away now!
     
    ProfessionalNoticer Thanks this.
  9. Mater7979

    Mater7979 Bobtail Member

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    Mar 30, 2019
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    My contract states 9.
    5% of gross line haul. For escrow and my compensation is 70% of gross li a haul am I making 79
    5% or does the 9.5 come out the 70% and I'm actually making only 60.5%
     
  10. roshea

    roshea Road Train Member

    I this as an employee or as a O/O leasing to a motor carrier?
     
  11. LDLWells

    LDLWells Heavy Load Member

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    Jan 14, 2019
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    Your bumping a 12 year old thread
     
    Lepton1 and buzzarddriver Thank this.
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