I have an Honest question for any ABF City Driver here. I have 2 buddies that peddle in my area. We were talking about residentials and inside deliveries the other day. One of them mentioned that both of them went to a home to assemble an excercise bike in the basement withe the tool kit provided by ABF. I was just wondering why no-one has ever filed a Grievence over that crap. Does ABF realize the possibility of a Lawsuit if the product is assembled wrong or damage is done in the house Etc.? why do they allow that crap? Thanks for any reply
ABF | ABF White Glove Service
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Yes those deliveries are made. ABF Freight calls them 'turnkey'. Check out the 'Make Your Own Survey' thread. I can tell you that a liability case against the company for the work is none of my concern. What needs to be done is that these things need to be reviewed by the grievance committee's safety committee.
Thanks, i was actually thinking in terms of a liability suit towards the driver cause you know ABF would dump it on the driver like my company would. I personally will not enter a residence, only an open garage especially when a women is the only one around. I'm not doing jail time for a delivery
And I always thought they gave you extra nuts & bolts with them there things. My bad,I must be reading the directions wrong!:poster_stupid:
I'm not sure about today but I don't think anything has changed since I retired 4 years ago. The drivers were always bonded by the company and protected from liability while making an authorized delivery....................We had a driver making a delivery to a furniture store and the owner came out to help unload the desk. The driver didn't think the customer could handle his end so he unloaded the desk by himself. The consignee signed the freight bill clean and the driver went on his way.
Months later he was notified by the safety dept. that the furniture store owner was suing the trucking company and John Doe the driver for $300,000 because the driver willfully, deliberately and maliciously dropped the desk on his foot. Causing him sever physical and emotional injury. And his wife was suing for $100,000 for loss of her husbands services.
When it finally went to court the company hired a local attorney to offer them a $100,000 settlement . The plaintiff refused and wanted the whole amount. Our driver had 25 years experience and safety awards to prove it. After he finished testifying the jury ruled in the company's favor and the consignee got nothing. And he also had to pay the trucking company lawyer's fees...........True story, if anyone doesn't believe me I will gladly give them the names in a PM
Months later he was notified by the safety dept. that the furniture store owner was suing the trucking company and John Doe the driver for $300,000 because the driver willfully, deliberately and maliciously dropped the desk on his foot. Causing him sever physical and emotional injury. And his wife was suing for $100,000 for loss of her husbands services.
When it finally went to court the company hired a local attorney to offer them a $100,000 settlement . The plaintiff refused and wanted the whole amount. Our driver had 25 years experience and safety awards to prove it. After he finished testifying the jury ruled in the company's favor and the consignee got nothing. And he also had to pay the trucking company lawyer's fees...........True story, if anyone doesn't believe me I will gladly give them the names in a PM
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And that's the way it outta be. More of that would make for less of the nonsense.
Thanks for the replies folks. I was asking cause we are 1 step behind ABF. Up until 4 years ago when the ABF terminal here did not have a liftgate N&M was their whipping boys
for liftgate/residential deliveries as well as coverage for late pickups when their drivers were out of hours/lack of man power due to vacations. After 18 1/2 years i can now see myself walking up to the window, picking up my stack of DR's in the morn. and seeing a note to "sign out a Tool kit" The Proctologist wouldnt be able to remove the Craftsmen sockets
shoved up my dispatcher/managers Ass
for liftgate/residential deliveries as well as coverage for late pickups when their drivers were out of hours/lack of man power due to vacations. After 18 1/2 years i can now see myself walking up to the window, picking up my stack of DR's in the morn. and seeing a note to "sign out a Tool kit" The Proctologist wouldnt be able to remove the Craftsmen sockets
shoved up my dispatcher/managers Ass
I didn't mean to mislead you, but the company I worked for at the time of that lawsuit wasn't ABF.
canaryinthemine
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There are several other (non-freight) companies,...not to mention various other trades, that will come to a customer's home or business and do an install. If ABF wishes to enter that field, by offering "Turnkey" services, they have to properly insure their workforce and shield them from tort laws. Having been through a lawsuit involving property damage, and ABF equipment, I can tell you the section of the contract that holds you "harmless" as long as you are in the faithful discharge of your duties, and not committing a felony,...is a very priceless part of our contract,....and it's something the non-Unions DO NOT have.......All they have is the goodwill of their local manager, in the event something goes wrong. As for the grievance procedure,......A set of guidelines should be established by mutual agreement between the company and the Union,....one that can be modified in the event of new services or products, or situations not covered by current agreements. Our agreement for Turnkeys,.....and for private home liftgate deliveries,...is that we will not enter a private residence no farther than inside the door, unless there are two (ABF) men on the delivery. I, and another ABF employee were on a Two-Man Turnkey delivery that involved setting up a treadmill,....and then plugging it in to the plug the customer directed us to,....to see if the treadmill operated,.......and promptly blowing out all the circuit breakers on half of the house, because of the 9 amp motor on the treadmill,....(and all the other electronic stuff running through that circuit.....) Sorry, Ms. Homeowner,........Contact our Terminal Manager,...( and an electrician...)...because we are out of here! Of course, we try to be as professional as possible,....but in the event of unforseen circumstances,....in no way should an ABF employee be held liable, if performing as directed. The way I look at it,......You are getting paid by the Hour,......no,....By the Minute,....so,...be as "professional" as you can be,....carry cardboard and blankets to cover floors,....get the Terminal Manager to buy specialized tools,..like furniture carts, and refrigerator dollies,....paper booties for shoes,.....the aforementioned tool kits.....All this stuff is expensive,...and time-consuming, to gather up for a Turnkey run,....takes a lot of preparation to look "professional",...lot of time, too. If this is the service ABF wants to offer,...well, then By Gum!.....We'll do it the Right Way,.......not the nickel-and-dime way. If they're still making a profit off that delivery by the time I'm done,....well the, God Bless Them..........