Do you have to pay ....

I've happily replaced mudflaps out of my own pocket to avoid reporting. That's just embarrassing.

I've also paid out of pocket for a tow. Sunk the darned truck in MY VERY OWN DRIVEWAY! You gonna call your carrier over something that stupid? Yes, I had company permission to drop my trailer and park the truck at the house at the time. Had a hellacious rain storm, found out the hard way the driveway won't support the weight of the truck when saturated with water.

Me? I called my buddy with the heavy wrecker and great reputation for extracting dumb drivers (me) out of dumb situations. Cost an arm and a leg, but was well worth it when I did call and tell the carrier I was moving the truck BACK to my trailer drop and why. A "What in tha Sam Hill are ya DOING driver?!?" situation turned into an office wide joke, and I remained employed with that carrier until the day I decided to pursue other opportunities.

 

Here is the deal between me and any company I drive for: I will drive to the best of my ability. I will not abuse their equipment.

In turn they will pay me my agreed upon rate, with no deductions from my paycheck unless I authorize it. And I am not authorizing any equipment damage reimbursement....hell no! Regardless of how much or how little the damage, the company assumes all the risk of the equipment I drive.

 

If you are breaking these things "accidentally", you don't need to be driving.

How do you break a tire or a fender if it isn't negligence?

Little things can turn into big things quickly.

 

I did pay for a tow truck once, or twice, to get unstuck from mud. It cost around $300 each time.

 

I, of course, hate to pull a trailer over a curb. I cringe at the thought of doing it. But delivering frozen food to grocery stores across New Jersey with a day cab, I found I had too. Some of the places do not have an entrance designed to accommodate tractor trailers, so I had to drive over curbs to get in and out....didn't like it one bit, but had to do it.