Company Pet Policies

well the reason that some companies do not allow pets is because of the was former drivers that did have pets when they allowed it treated the inside of the truck. some of them were damaged, stunk, and messy. in some cases when a driver leaves the trucking company on bad terms, it is possible that the driver would leave a corpse under the bunk.
believe it or not, the company i was with use to allow pets til a driver left the truck in such a mess. and when they went to clean out under the bunk they found out what the smell was, a dead cat.
now there are some that allow pets but with a security deposit for cleaning. usually if you return the truck clean and undamaged you will get the deposit pack or they will put it towards the next truck they put you in.

 

Many trucking companies with company drivers are only leasing the truck. The owner of the truck, say some manufacturer financing company, may not allow their trucks to carry pets for many reasons. In one of the trucking magazines discussing this issue all of the company reps mentioned the wear and tear caused by the inevitable fur in the HVAC components.

Another issue is by the insurance carrier. I carried a pet with me and worked at places that were bought by other companies which had a no pet policy. When I asked the new company rep about continuing to carry my pet the company reps were reading off the same script and answered "we don't allow any riders." WTF? I was asking about a pet beagle/mix. "We don't allow any riders." Insurance company is worried about distractions while driving. They don't want to hear that an appropriate pet keeps the driver spirits up, able to be more human for long periods without getting home. And nothing keeps you tethered to your truck like knowing you can't hop on a Greyhound and ride back home.

Lastly, let's face facts. Some drivers ruin everything for other drivers. If the company has a 25 pound weight limit for the pet, they bring 2 dobermans and a German Shephard. The company may expect the pets to be toy breeds, and the driver expects to live the Michael Vick lifestyle. Some drivers treat the pet better than a crown prince and you would never know a pet has walked past the truck, let alone lived in it 24/7 for a year. Other drivers turn a truck into a hazmat area just by sitting in the driver seat and their dog treats the truck worse than a junkyard. There is no good way for a company to have very good confidence that when they allow a pet the driver won't abuse the snot out of that allowance and cause the company great expense.

I'm thankful any companies allow pets in trucks, just like I'm grateful any property owner allows truck parking. You don't have to look hard to see any spot where trucks are allowed also become a landfill/sewer. You and I may know we will keep the truck spotless. Remember, the trucking company deals with truck drivers all day for years and knows a significant portion of drivers haven't been civilized or take great pride in being the least human of any group. Trucking doesn't exactly a;ways attract the most highly disciplined people in society, although you can be as disciplined as an astronaut just by changing your attitude.

 

Wait wait wait you can fit two dobermans AND a german shepherd in a truck?! My German Shepherd barely fits in the truck

 

I once had a codriver that insisted on bringing a 100 pound dog on the truck. I put my foot DOWN on that.

 

yeh, drivers need to come up with more ways to irritate the people who are providing them with a paycheck every week, and tell THEM how they should run THEIR company. as if they're not already prepared to drop a problem driver like a hot potato in this unprofitable economy as it is. why don't you buy your own truck and fix it however you want it?

 

The companies that are able to accept pets are already charging a pet deposit. I don't think insurance or bonding will make any non-pet trucking company a pet trucking company. As I said, there are some big trucking companies with only company driver and they don't own a single truck they are all leased from someone like Pacar for 3-4 years or 400K miles. Insurance and bonding won't mean anything to those companies.

I wouldn't go back OTR without my beagle-mix dog, or her replacement when she goes to the dog park in the sky. To me it's the best option available if you must work OTR. You get the company of a co-driver but you never have to sleep in a rolling truck or argue about where to eat. Enlightened trucking companies should see the benefits of a happier driver and then protect themself with all necessary means. I certainly understand why companies won't allow pets. I wouldn't allow many drivers near my property, let alone what they might have for a pet.

If you have a pet breakdowns and frequent hotel layovers are a real pain in the neck.

 

Seems so many forget trucking is a job and the company is your employer, how many other jobs let you take a pet to work? Wonder how much extra fuel is burned to keep the dog cool while the driver is in the TS. Remember there are a lot more drivers than there are job right now so companies are not desperate for seat fillers.

What do you do with the dog when you get to a shipper or receiver that doesn't allow pets on their property? Most petro chemical company's and refinery's don't allow pets.

 

If you don't have your own truck and driver for somebody else and use their truck respect their rules anyway if your otr why do you need a pet anyway when you'll be gone for 2-3 weeks at a time. Either have the pet stay at home with your wife (if your married) or don't get a pet. This job can get boring but i'm sure everybody knew what they were getting into before they started this!

 

Same thing I did when I used to jump the North Border,
short leash tied to the bunk vent handle and draw the curtains. Same applied for Exxon Mobil etc....

Shippers/Receivers have no business whats in MY Truck. In MY Truck is IN MY TRUCK.

Dog isn't on their Property, its IN MY TRUCK!
Wanna refuse this load ?

Yeah Ive had that discussion