Driver responsibility with the cleanliness of issued trucks?

I'll put it to you like this.

I drive a truck for my uncle and get paid a percentage of every load I move.

When it comes to taking care of the truck I do my best to keep my truck clean
as this is a dirrect impression on myself. When the truck is dirty I wash it. When
the inside, well the inside dosen' t get dirty as I keep it clean. I allways try to go
and fill up where the price per gallon is cheaper for diesel.

With that being said many times I look with envy as other owners pay the place
down the street to have their drivers trucks washed for them. They do it a WHOLE
lot cheaper and quicker than I ever could.

It is not a lot to expect for a driver to do it but from personal expirence you will
have a happier driver and a lot cleaner truck if you pay someone to do it.

 

I don't really have a problem with the polo shirts. But NO ONE is going to tell me I cannot have a beard or mustache. They will always be short and neatly trimmed. But I spent enough years in a job where facial hair could interfere with SCBA's. I've had beard and mustache ever since I retired from law enforcement. Ain't gonna shave 'em off for anyone.

I won't argue this point, Rick. You are obviously correct here. You just won't be seeing me at those customers.

 

Look at TMC trucks always black and shiny. Their policy is truck and trailer through a truck wash weekly, and TMC pays for it.

Keeping the interior decent, ok. Sparkling, not likely. Your other thread was how to keep good employees, fast way to lose them is require uncompensated work.

The other is enough drivers fall off trucks as it is, let alone trying to hand wash 13' 6".

Read the rest of the thread now and all this was covered, except don't forget about OSHA. Doesn't apply to driving, but would apply to washing the truck. You would have to have fall protection equipment.

 

My expierence has been that no one will treat your trucks like you will. They didnt pay for them, and they will not take care of them like you would. Now, if your wallet will allow it, I suggest purchasing nice trucks, such as pete or kw's and hire only drivers with no less than 5yrs exp. Otherwise you can continue to expect the same treatment your trucks have been getting. If you dont think there is anything to what I say, do yourself a favor, go to a Truck stop and watch how diff. rigs are driven and look coming in and out. You will see a big diff. in the way the drivers in those large cars are rolling through the truckstops as opp. to a freightliner fld, or centry! I had 7 otr trucks at 1 time and learned alot of hard lessons. Just my thoughts.

 

They have extendable brush handles for washing trucks . You never get off the ground .

 

You sound like a good driver to have working, but I wounder if the attitude would be alittle diff. if you was working for someone other than a family member? If not, my hats off to you sir, I sure wish there were more drivers out there like you. You clean your truck, take care of it, even fill up where the price is lower, you have the makings of an o/o. My luck with drivers hasnt been so good. I had some that sold my fuel, and I just gotta say, Anybody out there that believes that they can sell fuel that doesnot belong to them and it go un-noticed is dumber than they think the person is, that they work for!! It is definitly noticable! But anyway, back to the subject at hand, your right, It is a direct impression on the driver, how his/her truck looks/smells. Keep up the good work, Drivers like you are appreciated!

 

Thank you very much!

I would do the same thing as I do now no matter who I drove for.

I just carried the work ethic I had from before into trucking with me.

I also know what you mean about selling fuel. Many times I have been
approached and asked if I wanted $300 worth of fuel for something like
$200. NO THANKS.

By the way, how close are you to Clarksburg and Buckhannon WV?
They have been doing a great deal of drilling out there and that is
the area we specialze in. We haul for all oil companies big and small.

Awhile back about a month or so ago I was broke down in Jane Lew
and stayed for a week at the hotel across from the Mack and KW dealer.

 

The answer to your question Lonesome, is part-time high schooler's to wash the trucks for a few hours a day (after school), or on the weekends. I did it for a year with the local trucking co. near where I lived (literally across the street form school). Mad a little money, and had a decent time learning about the trucks. If you have a shop set-up of some kind that would allow bringing the trucks inside, it could be the ideal situation.