Need advice about paying for tow truck. I drive for Prime Inc.

When I delivered to McD's stores, I forgot to fill the reefer tank. Reefer ran dry between Colo. Springs and Pueblo. Stopped at the old Rocky Mtn. Truckstop (Pinion), filled the reefer tank, but couldn't get it to start or to prime and start. Had to go to Peterbuilt, wait an hour for them to open, then have them get it started. Meanwhile, all that refrigerated food was getting warm. The cost of the Pete getting the reefer started, was deducted from my check. I never forgot to fill that reefer tank again.

 

If you chose to go " offroading" then you got off really easy. If there was no damage to the truck I would have just paid the tow bill and never told anyone.
Remember, if you are not from the area and are depending on GPS , like so many new drivers do best thing is to make a u turn and go back the way you came from. Those "back roads" can get you in a bad way really quick!
Glad to hear you got away so cheaply.

 

Most companies have a $1,500 to $5,000 deductible. But, I suppose your right, the company could pickup the tab for every "incident", of course come pay raise time....................

 

Seems like most of these guys think trucking companies have a money making machine in the office. A comcheck, T-check tree that has an endless supply of cash.

 

[h=1]vicarious liability[/h]

[h=2]Definition[/h]
Obligation that arises from the relationship of one party with another. For example, a principal is generally liable for the agent's acts performed in the course of the agent's duties assigned by the principal; and an employer for the action or inaction of an employee in the normal course of her or her employment or duties. Also called vicarious responsibility.




Trucking Companies know what vicarious liability is. The poorly operated companies are the ones that can't manage their employees and equipment effectively and depend on their agents and employees to fix their problems for them.

Agents who own their equipment or are in a designated agent status (lease) where they assume certain risks and are enumerated as an independent contractor may certainly be responsible for a tow bill and most likely are well aware of that before they do any work for the company.

 

I just showed these as examples.

Keep working like this seeing nothing wrong.

You will earn what you get.

 

Might explain why truck drivers work for free. No other employee in the world does work for free. Guess the companies feel the driver is made of bucks as well.

 

I hit a low bridge in Buffalo, New York with my old employer. Did $1100 damage to the trailer. I paid it all with payroll deductions. Hard? Yes. My fault? Yes. But it worked out. My boss gave me a copy of the repair bill so I could claim it ony taxes as an unreimbursed business expense. She said, "You paid it, you claim it."

 

Ask them to split it or something. My company makes us pay the first $300 for something that is considered preventable such as getting stuck or banging up the truck. They do understand s### happens sometimes and in that case we don't pay . Sounds like you shouldn't have been on that road and I agree with the others to pay and use it as a lesson for the future