Is a company driver responsible for damage?

Van Kam Freight.
Its a union Gig (Teamsters 31)
This place does have its downsides though, the city equipment tends to be old machines, and get beat up since most of the guys dont seem to care.
Sometimes management tries to play games by skimming a few hours off the city guys as well... Usually only off the lazy scum they are trying to get out of there though.

Always solved either by discussing it with them (sometimes its clerical error), only once have I had to file a grievance.

One thing about VK though, they dont hire unless you have experience usually.
I was the first guy they hired with no experience (fresh out of North Shore Driving School) in over 5 years.

 

Hi BigEasyT, as a company driver, you can never be held financially responsible for damages, whether at fault, or not. A company may decide to take part, or all of your safety bonus away, if they have such a program. They can write you up, or even fire you, but they cannot take the cost of repairs off your paycheque. When it comes to small items such as broken mudflaps, lights, convex mirrors, I have paid to replace these things myself for my own peace of mind, while still letting the company know about it. Honesty is always your best policy. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise! Hope this helps you out.

 

Do not take this wrong but thats part of the problem with this industry no one takes responsibility for there actions if you wreck it you pay for it and if thats not fair then you are doing the wrong job this is my 43 year over the road and I take full responsibility for all my actions

 

That's all fine and dandy, but where do you draw the line? $5000? $10 000? $150 000? Should company drivers carry their own insurance? Might as well become an owner-operator!

 

Then the companies need to understand that if the road is not in perfect condition, the driver should park it. The weather is out of his control.

They need to understand that if it is a really tight dock, that it will not be attempted since it may cause an incident and the driver to pay.

I agree on minor things, but get real. There is a cost of doing business and the companies should know it.

I only run one truck and I am well aware of the cost associated with incidents beyond the drivers control.

 

I take responsibility for my actions too, and am an extremely careful driver, but here's the point... Im a company driver. Its their truck. My job is only to drive the truck, not to pay for it.

 

I agree with you. You own the truck, you are financially responsible for it. Otherwise the drivers just might as well be owner/operators since the company would be expecting them to take the downsides of being one without giving the upsides.

Now, I'm not saying that there are not companies that will try and make you pay for things (I don't have the facts to say whether this is legal or not). Luckily I have never worked for anyone who expected me to pay for damages. But I did work for a company that implemented a new policy where, if the driver was in an accident, they had to pay the insurance deductible. I thought this was way out of line, and I never agreed to it nor did I ever sign any of the authorization papers they wanted me to.

 

Hi, whenever i was in a tight spot as a dock, and my tractor was out in street, i go in and ask too disscount and park someplace safe, i seen drivers who did not , and bam the guy who jacking in his trl get his front taking off 2, but yes its not drivers who do this damage, its also the the trl jocks do it too then whoever trl they have , the company gets call up and says the driver left it it that way, i seen that first hand as i sit in evesdropping as i wait for my load, got kinda pissed and walked up the counter and wasnt even my company, but i told her no, , that trl you talking about , your trl jock just did that about a hour ago, boy was he mad at me , i thought we was going out in parking lot, but im getting dang tired of jocks leaving me with torn off doors , damage side trls ect and we the the company driver , who ever pulled that trl last gets the blame for it,and like you , i turn the wheel thats it, but this way my company explaind too me by our safety dept, they say, once sign for the load, you are responsblty from point a- to point b , i said okay, so i make sure i wacth everything , inculding other drivers backing in next too me and if gets too close they get the horn, then if , i think they need help i get out nd ask if they want help, but are most are too proud too be super truckers and yup i here a kaboom as he hits a trl next to him , yup your a super trucker now, i like it when they ask for help and ill take any help i can get, 4 eyes is better then two, Everett.

 

carrier is responsible call abour canada

 

As to being responsible for ANY damages financially, under B.C. labour laws, you ARE NOT!! Any damages deducted from your pay check are a clear violation of the B.C labour code and would be treated most severely if you report them! RAT the bums out and let the chips fall.
Any responsible company would never think of such a thing, that is what insurance is for.
And personnel records, and good driver awards, and gold watches and stuff like that.
Hope your new company is better...