Cartop Signs... are your drivers responsable?

Pizza Shop Talk The Think Tank
1

Hey all,
We’re finally getting the cartop signs for my delivery drivers in the next week or so…

Wanted to know if all of you charge the drivers for any damages (or total cost if being stolen) to the cartop signs if something happens to them?

The way I see it is, it’s the drivers reasonability to ensure the signs are mounted and positioned correctly so the “wind” does rip them off the car, and it is also their reasonability to keep an eye on the signs at all times so they are not damaged or stolen. Correct?

I’m in the process of revising my hiring paperwork to include this type of signage :lol:

Thanks all!

2

I eat the cost of damage and lost signs. Just a simple fact that they sometimes get stolen. When I was a driver, if an owner tried to charge me for a $100 sign I would absolutly tell him to shove the sign up his ass. As a driver, I can get hired at 10 delivery places tonight. As an owner, I always stuggle to keep my schedule full of drivers.

3

As a general rule, most states labor laws prohibit you from deducting anything from an employees hourly wages to compensate for any damages or such that they did while working. You can easily fire them for damaging the signs, but usually can’t hold any money back from them.

4

LOL.

How could it be possible for a driver to keep his eye on his sign at all times?

Also, there isn’t a special way to position them to avoid them being ripped off the car in the wind. If the sign come off the car, then there was something wrong with the sign.

5

Actually, many of todays small fuel efficient cars seem to have thin sheet metal on the roof. My store is located right off an interstate and my drivers regularly drive the interstate an exit north or south. I probably lose 3 a year to flying off the roof at high speeds. Being in a college town we also lose 8-10 a year to theft. We recover probably 4 a year through customers who have them displayed in their living room when we deliver. All in all, its part of the cost of doing business. They will generate significantly more income than they will cost, even if I had to replace them all each year.

6

I use the ones that mount on the window. I forgot I had it on there one morning and got up to 87 before I heard a strange whistling sound. Remembered, then slowed down but when I checked it there was no problem. I make my drivers sign an agreement when they are hired that they will replace it if they break it.

7

You may want to get a policy in place on what happens when the car top sign scratches their car.

We stopped years ago after a couple of drivers were ticked about small scratches, became a huge headache.

8

Man, tit for tat. We charge them for damaging the signs . . . and they’re reasonably entitled to dmamges to their car. Didn’t see that one coming, but it makes some sense to me in terms of balance and fair play . . . and what the judge might say.

9

All of my guys who car about those scratches put pieces of paper towel under the magnets.

We have those rubber covers, but that still doesn’t prevent scratches - as they gat dirty and it is the dirt that causes the fine scratches.

I would want any scratches on my car either - no matter how small.

10

We have been using the “Cab style” lighted signs for a few years now. Never had one stolen but the cords that plug into the lighter break all the time. So far, the sign company has replaced them for free (about twice a year)

I would not dream of charging the drivers for damage. The post above about finding drivers vs drivers finding jobs is right on the money.

We use company cars so the scratch issue is not important to me, but the signs do cause small scratches to the top of the car.