How many of you guys are writing damage on gate passes?

I've run into that as well. The problem with noting things on the gate pass is that some auctions print their gate passes on slips of paper not much bigger than a receipt you'd get from a convenience store (Adessa in Phoenix, I'm looking at you jackholes...)

That's why I use everything at my disposal to document damage: I'll write it up on the gate receipt (at least, as much as I can fit); I've gone from doing photos to taking detailed, geotagged videos (I find that, sometimes, a good video will catch stuff I actually missed - even though I was looking straight at it); I use an app which can use your cellphone's camera as a "scanner" to image the gate pass into a PDF format before I turn in said gate pass; and I fill out our own condition reports and have them signed whenever possible, even if the broker has their own. I figure, the more documentation I possess which all point at the exact same thing, the likely someone's going to want to hang a bogus damage claim on me.

 

It is all about CYA! Now that said, be careful of imaging gate passes at Manheim facilities. It is against their policy and will result in a permanent ban from their property. I have seen this happen at Manheim New York, to a long time transporter there. He preseted a copy of a gate pass with damages noted to dispute a claim and was rewarded with a permanent ban from the facility.

 

Cover your ##* too well? Ban. Another reason why car hauling is in the sh****r

 

Wow, that's insane. The reason I've been doing it is that, occasionally, you'll hear stories about gate passes being "lost" somehow, and no one even knows about it until it's time to claim damages on the car.

And where was all that damage you recorded at the time of pickup?

Of course - it's on the gate pass which is now "lost". And now you have one less piece of evidence to prove that you didn't put that dent in the car.

I wonder what the reason for that policy would be?

 

So they can #### you, why else?

 

I am not sure of the why behind it. Maybe it goes back to the earlier days when gate releases were not computerized so a copy could be used to make a fake release? Could also have to do with the no photo policy that goes back to when dealers would take pics on preview day then offer cars directly to retail customers? When it comes to the Manheim Group nothing ever makes any sense!