If you have a tow truck company, consider what we’re about to tell you about background checks. After all, your reputation (and insurance rates) are on the line.
Good help is hard to find, isn’t it? Ask any business owner and they’ll tell you for themselves! Unfortunately, that means many tow truck companies wind up settling for a warm body to put in a truck cab. This can lead to many problems down the road.
For example, look at the bad press this tow truck business is dealing with right now:
A worker for a northern Virginia towing company was accused of stealing pricey valuables from cars. The 35-year-old employee was arrested and charged with grand larceny. What happened? Fellow workers at the towing company saw him moving items from the truck he had been driving to his personal car. So, they called the police.
When the police checked the tow truck, they found electronics, laptops, purses. But that was not all. The police also found burglary tools inside. They have reason to believe that the stolen property came from three different cars. When the press contacted the towing company, they declined to comment on the arrest.
Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage said in a Washington NBC article, “This is really a violation of the trust of the community.” The police then advised drivers to never leave valuables in their cars.
Is it your practice to do background checks on all new employees?
Sure, you’re doing a motor vehicle record (MVR) check on new hires. After all, they’re driving your tow truck and you don’t want anyone to jeopardize your tow truck insurance rates. An MVR is a great first step. However, from the news report above you can see that it isn’t nearly enough.
That’s why we encourage you to do background checks before hiring anyone new to represent your business. Doing background checks is just another way to help manage your risks. By weeding out the risky employees up front, you are protecting your business and your reputation. Please remember the advice of the police officer that said, “This is really a violation of the trust of the community.”
As a respected business owner, you understand that your business reputation is your livelihood. Your reputation in the community will dictate your success in business. That’s why we suggest doing background checks on the people driving around town with your name stamped on the side of the truck.
You’ve worked hard and built your business from the ground up. Think about the blood, sweat, and tears that went into getting where you are today. Can you imagine seeing your trucks and the name of your business splashed across the 6:00 news with a story like we just read? Can you imagine seeing it in the newspaper the following day? All of that trust you have built would be thrown right out the window.
Aside from background checks, what else can you do to protect yourself?
Should you bond your tow truck drivers?
Did you know that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports that employees steal between $20 billion to $40 billion from their employers every year? Employee theft is one reason that many employers choose to bond their tow truck drivers.
What is a bond?
In case you never heard about them, a fidelity bond is used to protect the business from employee theft. Consider it as a mini insurance policy that pays for any dishonesty the employee may commit.
Reasons for bonding drivers.
Here are two important reasons to bond your employees:
- Drivers handle cash and customer credit cards
- Drivers are handling other people’s vehicles, which may cost tens of thousands of dollars
Requirements for fidelity bonding.
Here are a few things that the bonding company will require:
- A criminal background check
- A motor vehicle driving record
- Possibly a credit check
To find out exactly what you will need, we suggest reaching out to a tow truck insurance specialist at the number posted above.
With tow truck rates climbing higher, professional tow truck companies are looking for ways to manage risks. Today, we shared two of them. Background checks and bonding your employees are both great ways to protect your business, your reputation, and your insurance rates. Do you have any questions? Please feel free to reach out to one of our tow truck insurance experts. They’d be happy to answer all of your questions for you.
If you want to get three free quotes for your tow truck insurance, we can do that! Just fill out our quote form or call us today and we’ll help you find the insurance that’s right for you.
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