Tow vehicle driver etiquette

[Jeff C]

When you load up the sleds on the trailer and take a long road trip, lets say you have four guys' sleds on the trailer.

What is the policy for taking care of the driver?

We split the gas four ways, and make sure that the tow vehicle owner keeps enough of the kitty to make sure the truck is topped off at the end of the trip and also enough money to get an oil change. Then next trip we rotate the next tow vehicle into the mix...... so over time everybody ends up driving...

I have heard others leave the truck owner out of the fuel bill, pick up his part....


What do you do? How do you handle the vehicle owner?

 

[Snorider]

usually the way we run it is that we will cover his fuel for tuck and sled. Since we only have 2 guys that have the cab capicity we switch off between the 2 rigs. and for the oil changes i only make them supply the filter.

it works for us, and as far as i know nobody feels like they are getting shafted.

 

[heinracing]

if it's me and my brothers we all split the gas, it's my truck so i eat the tires, oil change and balljoints, but when it's my father and rest of the family we spilt the gas and depending on the truck buy extra fuel and pay for drinks

 

[Mafesto]

The driver pays for none of the gas & rig is topped off after trip.

 

[heinracing]

i like how mafesto thinks

 

[Mafesto]

i like how mafesto thinks

I'm happy to pay for his fuel while his rig pulls those long hills & his brakes take the beating & his vehicle gets all slopped up & his winshield gets rock chips while he is driving & I'm into the Morgan by 4pm!

 

[800 RMK]

this year has been good here, we have been able to ride from our house. there are usually 3 or 4 of us and we just rotate vehicles and trailers.unless we go on a longer trip we will split fuel, everyone seem ok with our routine

 

[Flying Snow]

i like how mafesto thinks

Well I geuss we can use my contour next trip then?..lol If we put the wieght on the back the trailer we can make it to bottum of the mountain and no farther.

 

[Killerk]

I have been getting shafted!

I drive the majority of the time because I have a quad cab... We usually split the gas.

 

[Dam Dave]

The driver pays for none of the gas & rig is topped off after trip.

Yep, its only fair.

 

[jimmy buffet]

split the gas equally and rotate trucks to pull each trip.

 

[Mafesto]

split the gas equally and rotate trucks to pull each trip.

That's fine if everyone in the group has a 3/4 ton crew.
But I ain't riding in the back of an underpowered 1/2 ton extended cab for 800 miles.
Life's too short to put up with that crap!

 

[heinracing]

exactly a 4door sometimes is to short

 

[modsledr]

Just to throw a wrinkle...If I have buddies who cant afford the trip, they come for free (or whatever they can afford)...I'd rather have them there for the price of a little fuel than have them stay home and miss a road trip.

Usually, if I'm the passenger, I'll buy the fuel and the driver's meals while on the drive.

modsledr

 

[freak58trio]

Just to throw a wrinkle...If I have buddies who cant afford the trip, they come for free (or whatever they can afford)...I'd rather have them there for the price of a little fuel than have them stay home and miss a road trip.

Usually, if I'm the passenger, I'll buy the fuel and the driver's meals while on the drive.

modsledr

I've been the buddy who didn't have the dough to go with friends before and they've paid and in return i've paid them back. Thanks Snowbryd !!!! When we all have the money we usually split it how ever many ways we have people minus the ladies.

 

[ARCTIC DUCK]

if you cover your share of the truck fuel things are okay. would be nice though if someone would buy me an oil change at the end of the season, or maybe a nice dinner, or maybe a new sled................

 

[vdo1948]

I'm in the same boat as Killerk. Would like some more help as I've (lately) done most of the driving. However, bought the 4 door Duramax so I could haul everyone and everything and would rather eat the wear and tear on the truck than not go at all.

 

[vdo1948]

What's your etiquette if it's one person's truck and a different person's trailer?

 

[Mafesto]

What's your etiquette if it's one person's truck and a different person's trailer?

I had the enclosed for years, and the guys would always offer something for that, but I would refuse.
Now it's someone else's trailer, & he donates that as well.

 

[Extreme-One]

I bought the 4 place in our group and the trailer goes on about 95% of the trips and we take turns pulling it. Kinda sucks when it's just the two of us though... the rest of my friends all have 3 places and they get the good mileage the rest of the time. Oh well... the extra room is nice and at the present time I have an extra sled so it isn't too much of an issue with space.
I travel with different groups... one group makes sure the driver is taken care of with fuel and drinks. They figure that if it's someone else's truck, trailer and wear and tear then they shouldn't have to pay a dime. Other groups it's split it with the people in the truck and trade off trucks... but the 4 place goes on all the trips... looking at the mileage I've either driven or the miles put on by someone else I've got close to 8000 miles on the trailer sense I got it in Nov. At this rate the trailer will be worn out before long. Not that I'm complain... I'd rather take one truck and trailer then multiple vehicles.
My only deal is I drive about 40,000 miles a year for work and sometimes on long trips it's nice to sit back and let someone else do the driving.