Delivery charges

[meatloaf]

I work for an ACE Hardware and we have a rental department. Sometimes a customer needs something delivered and picked up. We have a truck for store use but it is usually at the other store and not always available when we need it. Since I drive a truck, they expect me to deliver and pick up using my truck for free. Excuse me but it is my truck. I think a $40.00 fee paid to me in cash is not unreasonable each time I have to use my vehicle. Am I wrong? Lets here your opinions.
Thanks

 

[Poolidiot]

You should at the VERY least , charge mileage

 

[wsettle]

How did this start? Was it part of the job description when you took it? What arrangements did you make with them in the beginning?

Here is something you should know and expect from them... and they should expect to pay it:

The 2008 IRS mileage rate for business use is:
* 50.5 cents per mile from January 1 through June 30
* 58.5 cents per mile from July 1 through December 31, 2008

Mileage is the standard and fair way to reimburse you for your travel.

Sometimes a customer needs something delivered and picked up.

I'm sure ACE charges a fee for delivery. Everyone else in the world does so having you do it for free means that they are taking advantage of you unless you are compensated in another way.

 

[meatloaf]

How did this start? Was it part of the job description when you took it? What arrangements did you make with them in the beginning?

This is just the start and I want to "nip it in the bud". There where no arrangements made, they just expect it because I drive a truck and run the rental department.

Mileage is the standard and fair way to reimburse you for your travel.

But what about the use of the truck?

 

[TizMe]

Does the store manager have a p/u you can use ?

You also need to keep in mind that your personal insurance may not cover you if you are in a work related accident because you wouldnt have been there hypothetically if it were not for you making that delivery for work ...

At the least they should pay for your gas !!

 

[meatloaf]

I am one of the store managers. I never really thought about insurance aspects. Thanks

 

[wsettle]

But what about the use of the truck?

The mileage rate is for use and maintenance of the vehicle. It usually won't cover larger gas guzzlers but for a car, the mileage should pay for the cost of the vehicle, gas and maintenance over the life of the vehicle, 5-8 years or when ever you trade it in for an new one.

You can do a cost analysis of your actual driving costs based on purchase price of the vehicle, MPG you get, annual maintenance costs, insurance and any other costs you might have. You'll have to guess on the maintenance unless you keep good records and have owned a vehicle a long time. Run the numbers and you may find that you have to increase the reimbursement rate but bottom line is that the rate should actually be a little higher than the cost of the vehicle per mile.

Or you could charge them a flat rate fee but that is hard to do unless you have been keeping good records of your costs and the average mileage per trip.

Do they charge a fee for delivery?

 

[meatloaf]

Yes, we do charge for delivery. Prices range anywhere from $25.00 min to $40.00 depending on what is being delivered and the distance involved. It's usually under 5 miles. I guess it's the principal of the whole thing that's got me PO'd. By the way, they did buy a second truck to be used for this purpose. It's been sitting behind the store for the past 6 weeks. I guess they still have to get insurance, emissions test and plates for it. I think their priorities are a little messed up.
Thanks

 

[haybird]

My brother-inlaw owns a pizza hut. One day a driver phoned in sick,so he did some deliveries.
He backed out of a drive-way into one of the customers cars parked on the road.
When the insurance company found out he was deliveren pizza they said to bad your not insured.

The customer had to get the money staight from my brother-inlaw. Luckly for the customer
my brother-inlaw did the right thing and paid out of his pocket. I don't know many delivery
driver that use there own personal vehicels that have an extra $10,000 laying around to
pay for insurance damage. Just something to think about.

 

[AnnaK]

You also need to keep in mind that your personal insurance may not cover you if you are in a work related accident because you wouldnt have been there hypothetically if it were not for you making that delivery for work

Workers Comp will cover him for injuries and the store's general liability policy will cover injuries to others as well as property damage to his truck and to property of others.