Taking the service truck home

Wayco Wayne_2

has been riding separate from me for most of the Summer now. It gives me the flexibilty to run out and deal with service problems after I get him started on an install. He asked the other day if I would consider letting him take the truck to his home to save him the extra trip out to my house to pick up and drop off the truck. So I'm considering...... as we speak..... I'm not sure. I like the truck being in my driveway. I don't know how safe it is in reality. There are jerks everywhere that will break into trucks and steal tolls and such. would it be any less safe at his residence?? He's a trustworthy individual and I have no qualms about him taking advantage of he situation. It would make my life easier. I've got teenagers and parking space is becoming more and more scarce as they learn to drive and get their own cars. How do you other small contractors handle this issue? WW

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gerry gill

i'd let him take it home

but i'd put these locks on the doors..they make it much harder to get into for the thief..i have them on my truck..and at night i park my wifes car behind the truck so that they can't steal the whole truck..
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Steamhead

I wouldn't let him take it home

unless he is "on call" and might need to use it overnight or on the weekend for company business. If he is not on call, the truck belongs at the shop. He'll just have to get up earlier and get home later.

Check with your insurance people also, the truck might not be covered if something happens to it at your tech's house.

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Ted_9

Give him the truck, check the odometer a few times and let him earn your trust. And alarm and lock those doors. I actually am considering those locks from American Van.

Dave Yates (PAH)

Steamhead has a point!

If he's not on call, the IRS considers this a taxable (to him) benefit worth something like $2,800.00 per year. At least that was the situation when we checked it out a few years ago. All of our mechanics are on call for emergency situations or they'd be taxed on this benefit.

Over the years, we've had just a few who took advantage by moonlighting while using our vehicle or "borrowing" materials - they don't work here anymore. But on the whole, it's a good benefit to offer your mechanics. Part of our employment agreement spells out the boundaries & they sign that when hired.

I have yet to turn down a request to use a company truck for hauling stuff home for their projects. In return, they will fill the tank on occasion or lend me a hand. It's a two-way street.

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tim smith_2

taking truck home

We let our mechanics take truck home, they are on call every so often also. What you may want to do is tell your apprentice that you will let him but along with that goes taking calls some times for emergency work. This will help satisfy the IRS rule and also he's giving you something in return. Tim.

Jim Eastman

Truck for home trip

Using the company's truck to and from home is a great benefit! IRS requires that the value of the benefit be included in the technician's compensation (taxable) unless the technician is being dispatched from home for his/her first call in the a.m. or is needed for response to emergency or "on call" jobs that cannot be predicted. In other words, you are providing the technician a vehicle so that he/she can respond to the business conditions that your business is dictating. If you require your apprentice to deliver the truck to your job site in the morning, and this is for your business convenience, then this should not be taxable to your employee, even if it benefits the employee with the arrangement! Hope this helps!

Jim Eastman
Precision Plumbing
Boulder, CO

D lux_2

locks

great locks make sure to get keyed alike .

Ken D.

Trucks

For service mechanics we have always allowed to take the truck home. This allows us to dispatch from their homes and facilitates the "on call". The company would rather they did not leave their personal vehicles on the office premises for a week while they are on duty for emergencies and The company would rather not be responsible for their personal tools while it is on company property. Transfering the tools each morning is time consuming and not practicable. Travelling into the shop for the truck each time there is an emer. service call is just not practicable either. We have a strict no moonlighting policy and the truck is for the service of the company only. We will work with the employees in special circumstances, but in general it is a firable offense. We do have a good crew, so it is a benefit to them that they can't ignore.

Nron_3

take the truck home

Our deal is this if you take the truck home we know that you will stop for milk or what ever on the way home or will hall some lumber home on the week end so on your own time you change the oil in the truck on the company account at a fast lube place and wash the truck with your own money 2 times per week on your own time , then the extra car needed to drive to and from work is not needed by the workers and every body gets some bennifits , this seems fair to Me what about you guys ? Nron

clammy

work trucks

I have this opition at where i work and i leave the service truck at there shop except when on call every other week as for washing twice a week at my expensive i don,t think so and no moonlighting clause that,s gone with the wind if it was not for presauding them to up date there 40 to 80 year old systems and doing the replacement work myself there would only be service .Setting no moon lighting policites is a bunch of bull i feel that makes so guys leave where they work i,vre rarely had any company pay for any of my education or books or tools and as for loyality to the co i work for i don,t steal any custemers i don't need them if they don't like the co price there really not going to like mine .The bottom line is do
they make it to work every day do you feel he a asset to you and your co if so give him a bone help is humane and finding a honest and hard working tech or installer is mighty hard it boiles down to trust and keeping this person with you .Years ago finding honest hardworking people was easy now it's mission impossible .Making a emploee feel like he,s a part of a team which extends past the scope of work and normal hours is important and the moonlighting thing i've never had a promblem with if materal is replaced when used and there is no clients being stole i don,t see the promblem sometimes moon lighting is the only way to afford paying the mortage and putting food on the table and have something left after wards just my feeling now let the gun fire start peace clammy