I have a delivery driver who just bought a new diesel truck. I told him I would probably make him an insider only if he bought a big diesel truck. I think it would look ridicules to deliver pizzas with. Would you allow him to deliver in this truck? http://images.cobaltgroup.com/9/9/9/3430527999x400.jpg
We have had drivers deliver in 3/4 ton trucks and full size SUV’s. Also had a guy with a 76 Ford Elite with a 351. They get the same gas money as someone with a Honda.
Rick
It probably gets as good of gas mileage as my toyota tacoma, just wont make turns in the apartment complexes as well.
IMHO, let him drive. His gas, he will see for himself. Diesels naturally draw attention, get car topper or magnets for sure and people will associate that truck with your business. Bonus, if snow in your area…that driver is getting there.
Part of the problem is that we are in a very liberal minded greeny tree hunger town and it might result in a negative view of our whole operation to those customers.
Living in the Midwest as you and also in a VERY LIBERAL tree hugging area… I would tell your customers that you wanted at least one driver with a large 4wd vehicle too make sure your level of delivery service is not affected by inclimate weather! Or, the Prius is in the shop again! 
Use Biodiesel… 
DUDE! So right . . . turn that fryer grease into biodiesel instead of paying mileage 
Seriously, though it would so be a marketing point to recycle frying oil into fuel.
My question to you is are the residents really greeny, tree huggers or is that just the way they like to think about themselves. How many houses have a 3/4 ton ford truck parked next to the Prius? It’s tough to tow the bass boat with the prius. How popular is hunting in your area, and how many Priuses are around with a rifle rack in the back window? How many mom and pop department stores do the residents of your town support or do they fill the Wal Mart and Target parking lots with their Priuses as soon as the sale ads come out. If they just like to vote like they want to save the world but do not want to change their own lifestyle to help, you probably don’t need to worry about them thinking twice about getting a delivery from a large truck. Most towns outside of the west coast that get described like you did above are filled with people who could care less about these ideals. It’s only the vocal few that dominate the elections that make the town seem that way. For them, a wrapped Smart Car goes a long way to show them you care about the environment. Or a VW rabbit running on fryer oil :lol: .
That’s a great angle, a delivery vehicle that can make it through any weather. One of our delivery drivers has an old 90’s BMW and just about every person he delivers to makes some comment as to how business must be booming with him driving such a “nice” car. We are talking a $5,000 car here, I’m sure they wouldn’t think anything of it if he pulled up in a new Ford Focus though. Gotta love how people correlate unrelated factors, the delivery driver has a nice car therefore the pizza shop must be peddling pies out the door like crazy, funny stuff!
:lol:
I used to have (at the time) a 14 year old Mercedes diesel wagon with over 500,000 miles on it. I think I paid <$3000 for it. The paint was peeling, the inside had a lot of wear and tear - but mechanically it was perfect.
When I’d take deliveries, many people would comment about how I was “delivering pizzas and driving a Mercedes”. People don’t think.
I also know a guy who has an older Ferrari - a 328, I think he paid about $35K for it. Everyone thinks he is rich - but of course, their cars probably cost more than his.
If a vehicle is clean, dependent, and insured is it really up to the shop owner to micromanage the type of vehicle the driver uses? Geez…
Unless of course you are prepared to provide company vehicles as some of the shop owners here do, let the guy work.
I tend towards PPG2270 about getting involved in car choices of employees. That is unless it is a really extreme case. If the car is so beat down, loud, or gaudy so that customers are really, actually put off by it, then it may be a business issue to figure out.
It needs to be a real business issue in my mind, and not a personal perception that I have myself, or a select few off-handed remarks. After all, if the employee is a quality find, then the car is really just the tool . . . until the toll becomes a genuine and unmanageable detriment to the health of the business.
Our drivers get around just fine in this.
Dang Pirate! I want too see a couple of Jolly Roger flags on that thing…and how about a little cannon that fires!!! :shock:
Great wrap by the way! :!:
Have him check out http://www.greasecar.com You can buy kits on there for around $2,000 that allow diesel engines to run on waste vegetable oil. I plan on buying a diesel truck in a couple of months and installing one of these systems. I empty about 35 gallons of used oil a week from my fryers when cleaning them. I can’t wait to eliminate my gas bill.
Give your employee your used oil and he will be delivering pizzas on free fuel. Have him slap a grease car bumper sticker on the truck and that will make the tree huggers happy.
You could just buy him one of these from Glenn Beck’s site
http://static.musictoday.com/store/bands/2497/product_medium/BXAS004.JPG
We looked into purchasing a Jetta TDI and having it converted. Don’t forget that the fryer oil needs special filtration before using: http://www.greasecar.com/article/one-ma … -mans-fuel So that will add a bit more to the up-front costs (but the payback time must be relatively fast).
Yeah Brad I’m aware. I’ve been looking into it for a couple of years now but I’ve now finally decided to go through with it. I know a few people who have had their trucks converted for a while now, so I’ve been picking their brain a lot.
Is the guy prompt with deliveries? Can he find the address of the customers? Is he dependable? Is he a problem employee? Does he make your life a living hell? These questions are important to your business, and the kind of car that he drives is not only NOT your business, but could be the source of an ugly lawsuit if you choose to fire him. I’m astonished that you can’t find something more important to direct your attention to. Besides, the customers must love him (nice tips) if he can afford to drive that ride.
And, if your customers are so attune to the environment and liberal causes, you might want to ask that driver what his political party affiliation is (this is intended as sarcasm).