Company Drivers, it doesn't mean you can abuse it

Just some advice for our rookie drivers. Drive it like it's yours, drive it like you make the payments on it, drive it like you fuel it, wash it, clean it, don't abuse it, don't drive it like you stole it.


Couple of weeks back I was in a minor accident with a Western Express driver. We were backed into a dock at the Best Buy DC here in Denver. When he was done and pulling out, instead of pulling out straight or angling to his right (there was no one beside him), he drifted to his left (where I was) and as a result his open trailer doors slammed into my mirror. Now thankfully my truck has those break away mirrors that are designed to be knocked loose and then pushed back in place and not fall apart. The impact however did break the plastic trim pieces off the top and the bottom mirror mounts.

Here's the part that gets me, some random quotes from the incident, WE driver in red:

ME: Hey, you hit my mirror with your doors when you were pulling out

HIM: How did I do that?

ME: You were angled towards me as you pulled out and your door hit my mirror

HIM: Well, let's look at it, oh that's not so bad, those are just little pieces of plastic, looks like the can be snapped on (which he tried to do). What do you want to do about it?

ME: Well, I need to let my dispatcher know, take pictures and get your info.

HIM: What difference does it make? YOUR A COMPANY DRIVER, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S YOUR TRUCK

ME: Excuse me, that's not the point, it doesn't matter if it's my truck or a company truck, I still don't want it torn up. The #### truck is only 6 mos. old (actually it's 18 mos. old but still looks new) and I take care of it so I don't have to pay for damage.

HIM: Your company makes you pay for damage? Man you need to find a different company, I mean the deductible is what $1,000, there's maybe $50 in parts and labor in damage (actually it turned out to be $30 in parts and $50 in labor) I doubt your boss will even fix the truck (he ordered the new parts for it that afternoon after seeing it), I mean they are company trucks, the company doesn't expect them to be kept looking new.

ME: Maybe your company doesn't care, and maybe you don't care, but I do. I like to keep my equipment in good shape (I should note that his truck had a huge black scrape on the drivers front fender, the right side running board was bent up, his sleeper had a scrape on it, his fairing on the right rear was bent up as well), believe it or not but it makes a difference for getting pulled in for inspections too. Trucks that look like crap are more likely to get inspected than trucks that look decent and not beat up.

HIM: Well, let me get my camera and accident kit (as he's walking away: I can't believe this guy is pissed over $30 in parts on a company owned truck).

HIM: Hey, I was able to put these back on, I doubt your boss will even notice it, and if he does you can always tell him you don't know what happened.

ME: Too late, I already called in and told them about it, and um you only put the bottom ones on, the top one's are completely broken off and won't stay in place.


So anyhow, this past Thursday my boss replaced the pieces and the truck looks good now. He spoke with safety at Western Express last week about it, they told him to fix it and send them the bills and they will reimburse us.

 

End of '08 I got a new truck and a pay raise, end of '09 I got my annual bonus, due to the economy I wasn't surprised to not get a raise and I didn't ##### about it. I still consider myself lucky, I have a job and I drive an 18 mo. truck that still looks new.

 

my coworkers give me hell that I spent my money to buy hub and lug nut covers for it. I've got about $40.00 into, occasionally I'll spend $40. of my money to get it washed at the truck was vs. the $12.00 bi-weekly wash the company pays for that looks like hell. I take care of my car and pickup, why shouldn't I take care of this, now granted, I do drive it like it's a "sport" semi, but I don't abuse it when I do it. There is a difference, and there is a reason why my truck looks good and why I ##### at the bosses about taking care of things.