Policies
Payment
Invoices are due upon receipt. I offer discounts for quick pay and penalties for payments past 30 days.
Account Management
For new companies, I have a certain limit beyond which I will not run. Once that trigger point has been reached, I will not accept new loads until I receive payment on the open invoices.
For established customers, I will work with you on an individual basis.
Bad Boy Lists
Pilot car groups on the internet maintain “bad boys” lists of companies and/or drivers who do not pay or are slow paying.
I will run for companies and drivers who are on the bad boys lists under the following non-negotiable conditions:
- Payment with an immediately negotiable instrument at the pickup point. This figure will be based upon the computer generated miles based upon the route. It also will include overnight availability which will be based upon an average of 500 miles per day.
- At the end of the run, I will require payment if the variance of actual miles, compared to computer miles is more than 10% greater.
- For example, if the computer says a trip is 1000 miles long and it actually is 1100 miles, I will expect payment.
- Overnight availability also falls under this policy, plus or minus one night.
- For example, if we estimate it will take 4 days to take the trip and it takes 3 days or 5 days, I will keep the advanced pay.
- If the trip takes 2 days, instead of 4 days, I will credit your account for 1 overnight availability. If it takes 6 days or more, I will expect payment at the end of the run.
Permits
I need a copy of the permit before we depart from the pickup point. This is for ensuring I have the route accurately, that the date is valid, and the dimensions are accurate.
This is for the benefit of the trucking company and their driver. I have had drivers get ticketed because they went through a corner of a state on the day before they were permitted. I have had routes dictated by states for loads that actually were higher, wider, longer or heavier than they were permitted for.
Routes
Except for unusual circumstances, I will NOT escort a load off route. I will warn the driver twice that we are going off route. If he does not return to the permitted route, I will stop on the shoulder, take off my equipment, and move on. I will notify either the broker or the trucking company of the reasons I have quit the load.
I will expect payment for all the escorted miles.
People have been killed, loads have been damaged, and bridges have been destroyed by trucks who were off route at the time. This is an important policy for permitted routes and for high pole procedures.
High Pole Procedures
My policy is to run at least a quarter mile, possibly as much as 3/4 mile ahead of the load to provide enough warning that the driver can off ramp or at least stop before striking the structure. The driver needs to be far enough behind me that I am crossing under an overpass before he reaches the off ramp for that overpass.
If a driver runs too close to me, I will ask him to back off twice. If he continues to crowd me, I will pull off the highway, take down my equipment, and move on. I will notify either the broker or the trucking company of the reasons that I have quit the load.
As before, I will require payment for all the escorted miles.