Company Cell Phones
Topic 25082 | Page 1
Should the company bear the cost of cell phone service?
Good luck with that one!!!
TM, so I take it that you don't have a company issued phone of your choice with unlimited data? So you can communicate with your DM?
Really not trying to stir up controversy, just trying to edumacate myself about this.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
I have the next best thing a company issue tablet! 
But I'm perfectly fine paying for my own phone as I use it for everything I do from watching YouTube, movies, looking things up, etc.
Old Dominion issues the P&D drivers cell phones and bluetooth headsets. Linehaul drivers are on their own, but we do get discounts through the company at certain companies.
P&D:
Pickup & Delivery
Local drivers that stay around their area, usually within 100 mile radius of a terminal, picking up and delivering loads.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers for instance will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Linehaul:
Linehaul drivers will normally run loads from terminal to terminal for LTL (Less than Truckload) companies.
LTL (Less Than Truckload) carriers will have Linehaul drivers and P&D drivers. The P&D drivers will deliver loads locally from the terminal and pick up loads returning them to the terminal. Linehaul drivers will then run truckloads from terminal to terminal.
Really not trying to stir up controversy, just trying to edumacate myself about this.
I was not disrespecting you Bruce. It's just trying to get detention pay or layover pay with most Companies is like pulling teeth. I just can't imagine the response if I asked for the Company to pay for my cell phone. In this day and age, even homeless people and people on welfare have cell phones. I pay $60.00 per month with Straight Talk. Unlimited talk, text, data. I'm sure if you were an O/O it would be an itemizeable expense. The truth is, the percentage of "business use" vs personal use on a cell phone these days would be negligible.
Companies issue on board devices that for functions, such as communicating with the company. You are on your own for your phone. I had Sprint and got tired of dropping calls. I bought two Honor 8 phones for about $600.00 total, for me and my wife. We put them on Straight Talk and I'm very happy with it. We pay $55.00 plus tax for the unlimited plan for me and I get her the lowest plan for $35.00 per month plus tax. She is at home on Wi-Fi most of the time and has very little need for data. I'm a data hog out here. My phone is also my hotspot.
Do you have any coverage issues with straight talk? I have a lot of dead zones with T Mobile and have been thinking about switching.
Big Scott, Which Network are you on with ST? I use an ATT sim card. Have pretty good service most everywhere. Thinking of trying the Verizon sim.
Due to CA law; Swift reimburses us $1.50 a week for cell usage.
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Advice For New Truck Drivers Cell Phone & Wireless Electronic Logbooks Trucking Humor
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Do any companies either issue cell phones to the drivers or reimburse the driver for their phone bill? I can't see how any driver can be without a cell phone or how a company could employ a driver without one. Should the company bear the cost of cell phone service? Just curious about this issue.