Driver's responsibility or company responsibility?

My thoughts.

If the damage can be proven to be caused by negligence on the part of the driver, charge him. Normal wear and tear falls on the owner of the equipment.

The difficulty would be determining if the damage is negligence or not. Bent wings on a tractor are pretty obvious as a negligence issue. A worn clutch or brakes? Could be questionable.

 

You aren't really docking his pay if he has to replace it while out on the road....he buys it, submits the receipt. All you're doing is not reimbursing him for the expense. Return the receipt to him so that he can deduct it on his taxes. Hopefully you have paperwork somewhere with an inventory of equipment on the truck when he took possession of it with the expectation that when he returns the truck all of that equipment will be returned so that you've got a signed piece of paper stating that those load locks he bought should stay with the truck when you get it back. Otherwise when he quits, he'll probably take the load locks HE bought (that you never reimbursed him for) and you'll still be left to buy some more to replace the ones he lost.

 

My current company provided all of the above (plus chains) but made me sign a checklist of included items when assigned the truck which I'll have to return or replace when I turn it back in. My previous company did not provide anything. It isn't surprising that the trailers at my current company are much better kept...

 

Here's the bottom line .. is he good driver and do you want to keep him? If the answer is yes, you take care of him, don't sweat the small stuff and get him a new set of load locks ... if anything else is your answer, play it as you see fit, if you lose him you've already decided it's no loss.

 

i took out a rear end in a landfill when i was trash hauling back when i first started....i learned a rebuilt 40,000lb rear geared 3:36 is $2,100 and i paid for it for the next 3 months....yes i know probally over priced and the truck shouldnt of been in the landfill in the first place but by paying for MY screw up i learned a lesson it doesnt matter if u got 3:36's or 4:11's 38klb rears or 52klb rears if ur stuck dont get in a rush no matter what....best lesson i ever learned and i never did it again not even an axle same truck same specs.

i've always been taught u break something or mess something up take responsibilty and be a man and pay for it if u cant do those 2 things....ur nothing but scum on the earth....(my dad had a way with words didnt he)

 

I would give him a definite notice that from here on HE would be responsible for any more of his careless actions.

 

Actually I would eat the first set of load locks. Afterwards I would have him get his own load locks. No different than a tradesman and his tools that he needs for his trade working as an employee for a company. Notice how those tools are babied and well maintained. I'm positive he won't loose them again. If he doesn't have the money, lend it to him. Then sign an agreement with him to pay you back like 20/wk. For those who think you as an employer can just deduct whatever you want from your employees paychecks, I think not. The federal and state laws are very specific and so against you as an employer. You for no reason what so ever can deduct anything for any reason from any employees paycheck for money owed to you, the employer. It doesn't matter if the employee owes you five thousand in property damages or whatever amount. You take it from the employees paycheck and he goes to the labor dep. Well he'll get his paycheck in full, you may pay a fine a penality on top of that and your still out the 5k.

 

Many of your upper end companies will do that. I had jobs the company would buy you boots once a year. I think the OP got the idea. The bottom line he has to CYA with a signed piece of paper.

Even though at home I still have load locks. I cut them down to fit my pickup. They come in handy.

Mystic has a good point. Drivers value companies doing the little stuff like giving them things. If you have a good driver take care of him and spend a few bucks buying him a pair of gloves or a Christmas ham. Those few dollars go a long way.

 

Load bars are a van driver's tool of the trade. Just like pin latch pullers and tandem sliding lever holder contraptions. He brings them as a requirement of the job and takes them with when he moves on.

That's how it was when I was a young box yanker working at for hire company.

However a private carrier who transports their own product is different. They usually supply everything the driver needs because they have no competition as far as the truck aspect goes they can afford the best for their drivers. Boots, gloves, etc.

 

Found out many years ago if the driver supplies their own load-locks they seldom are mis-placed/stolen. Before that it was nothing to spend 100-150 a month on them.