unpaid down time ??

Did you read the title of this thread? It's "Unpaid DOWN time" Not "Unpaid WORK time".

 

Well, depends on the company I guess.

We worked for a LTL company whose number 1 priority was on time service, and realized the employees were an important part of that.

If a truck failed on the road, another truck was immediately sent out on a wrecker to swap, and/or a bobtail dispatched to recover load and continue.

Drivers were paid by the hour from breakdown call time to resumption of journey.

I agree that as a hired driver, all time should be compensated for within reason.

We know the driver gets the short end of the stick in most cases, therefore drivers should research their chosen employer carefully.

 

Charlie Mac. How long have you been an OTR driver? Have you ever had a break down in a company truck that left you sitting far from home for an extended period of time?

I have. I was once stuck for 3 days in Wilkes-Barre, PA while the shop waited for parts and completed repairs. My company at the time, one of the megas, put me up in a decent hotel and paid me a fair wage for all of those days. I wouldn't have expected anything less. It was their truck. It broke down by no fault of my own. I was sitting hundreds of miles from home because I was out there on their behalf. They had a duty to put me up and pay me for that time, and they honored it, to their credit.

Your time is valuable.

 

Charlie Mac. Your profile says that you are "preparing for school."

So you are not even a truck driver yet?

 

If the trailer is still loaded or you are responsible for the tractor then yes, you are stuck there. If you can find a repair shop willing to assume responsibility for the truck and the load while it is in their care then you are footloose and fancy free.

Then again you might have a grand's worth of personal items in the tractor that you may not want to disappear.

 

Correct sir, that's why the majority of my replies are posed as questions (such as the one Redtwin quoted above) & those who've commented that have actually answered these questions instead of running around in ideological circles received a Thanks.

I have no illusions about what I'm getting into. I've many family members that have been OTR since I was a whipper-snapper. I'm used to an honest days pay for honest work.

I currently manage an IMAX, am married with 1 child (a 2 year old girl) & will soon be 33 (if you're interested).

 

Yes. If I'm at work I expect to get paid. The only way I'm not at work is if I'm free to go home. However, if I show up and then I'm sent home, I expect to be paid for at least 4 hours. If I'm expected to be at a certain location to perform work, I need to be paid. The equipment is the employer's problem, not the employee's.

 

What company do you work for?. I am liking the idea of a driver not being responsible for the truck his employer hands him the keys to.

 

Most have assigned routes. So they know when they will be home. But those routes require unpaid layovers. Can only log so many hours before being required to take a break.

 

This makes sense now. Charlie Mac, please revisit this thread after you have some miles, and time under your belt. I'm quite certain you'll look back on this and laugh