Breakdowns On the Road
Common Question: What happens when the truck breaks down?
For company drivers, when the truck breaks down, you contact your dispatch or driver manager. They will usually contact roadside assistance to come out to you. OR they will try to get you to drive to a shop.
Of course the company pays for breakdown repairs if you're a company driver. If it takes days to get fixed they will likely get you a hotel room.
If it will take weeks they will have another company driver pick you up or send you a bus or plane ticket to get you home.
If you are an owner operator it all on YOU.
If your leased to a company however, this is a nuanced situation.
Breakdowns on the road will most likely occurs to you if you drive for any length of time. You will hopefully drive at least 10,000 per month unless you are doing LTL or home deliveries. That's a lot of wear and tear on that truck with many opportunities for things to go wrong.
What Do You Do?
When you break down pay attention to where you are. Your address is important but landmarks are too. Could help you get found easier by roadservice. More than likely your company will have already given you a number to call for breakdown roadside service. (No you don't call AAA)
Some of the companies might have you call towing companies direct. Other companies will have you call them with the needed info and they will arrange the roadside assistance themselves.
Either way, your company should go over with what their procedure is for breakdown OTR.
Who Pays for Breakdowns?
If you are a company driver the company will pay for breakdown and roadside assistance. Some smaller companies might have you pay with comcheck or T-check or other method but ultimately, the money will not come out of your pocket or paycheck.
If you did something to cause the problem, then you might have to pay some money toward the issue. That is a special case though which is not common cause for needing roadside assistance.
Detention Pay For Layover
If you are not able to get back on the road because of your breakdown, many companies will give you some type of pay. They might also set you up in a hotel no expense to you. Especially if your truck is in a shop.
If you truck sits in the parking lot over night, you might be asked to stay in the truck instead of the hotel. Especially at mom and pop trucking companies.
The details of how all of this stuff is handled ultimately depends on the trucking company that you work for.
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