Delivery drivers' pay

[Kinsman]

Well,

I'm currently just doing take out: pizza and ribs and wings and hand cut fries but am thinking of providing delivery (hiring a driver). 

For those of you that are paying drivers, how do you pay them? Hourly plus tips?  Mileage?  How do you keep track of time spent driving & delivering vs. time milking the clock?

And, if you are not the guy paying the driver...well, what thoughts do you have about what might be a good way to go about it? 

[pcampbell]

If you go to www.pmq.com/tt and sign up there,  there is a whole section for delivery drivers.  It is probably more helpful than here since mostof us are amateurs. 

[CaptSammy]

If you go to www.pmq.com/tt and sign up there,  there is a whole section for delivery drivers.  It is probably more helpful than here since mostof us are amateurs. 

The best advice you will get.  Between these two sites you won't find better info anywhere.  Even the amateurs here are worth listening to:>)  I check in with both sites everyday.  It will do wonders for your business
Capt'n Sammy

[Pete-zza]

There is also a pizza drivers website at http://tipthepizzaguy.com/.

Peter

[Franky99205]

Well,

I'm currently just doing take out: pizza and ribs and wings and hand cut fries but am thinking of providing delivery (hiring a driver). 

For those of you that are paying drivers, how do you pay them? Hourly plus tips?  Mileage?  How do you keep track of time spent driving & delivering vs. time milking the clock?

And, if you are not the guy paying the driver...well, what thoughts do you have about what might be a good way to go about it? 

I have been in pizza delivery for over 10 years. There is no way you can keep track of your drivers. Yes, you can follow them day and night. But it is not do able.
You should know your area well. You have an idea how long it would take to go from your store to another address. This is the only way you can keep track. If you think a driver is milking the sytem_Iam sure they are_ send them to very short runs.

[pcampbell]

You shouldn't need to keep track.   If there's a lot of deliveries it is the driver's incentive to get back as quickly as possible to get better tips based on quick deliveries.

I would pay minimum wage + tips or better using their own car.  I would not pay mileage. 

You do not get to pay the driver ONLY when the driver is out on a delivery, you pay them once they clock in, and start sitting around the shop waiting for deliveries.

If there's no deliveries, tell the driver when to go home, then there is no milking the clock really. 

[Buffalo]

Something I believe would be more of a concern than wages, tips, milking the clock, etc, etc. would be the LIABILITY factor.  Who would be responsible if the driver was involved in an accident?  If the driver was using his/her own vehicle, would they have coverage that would be in place while they were delivering pizza?  Have you checked on what blanket driver coverage would cost the owner of the pizzeria?  Be careful and don't let one accident put you out of business and in debt the rest of your life.  These are my thoughts on the delivery issue and I don't have the answers to them...wish I did.
Buffalo

[pcampbell]

I would get Non owned commercial auto insurance.   It will be like 1000 a month i think, especially for some punk 18 year old kid. 

[Buffalo]

Commercial Auto Insurance Cost = LOTS OF PIZZA!!
This hidden cost is probably exactly what keeps the small shops from delivering pizza.
Buffalo

[BurntFingers]

Some colleagues around here don't hire drivers as employees.  They sub-contract them.  This way as a sub-contractor the driver is independent of the shop.  They use their own vehicles, have their own insurance, pay their own taxes and SS, and keep the tips besides.  The fees are a negotiated constant business expense to the pizza shop.

[Franky99205]

Each state has it's laws and all that regarding hiring employee. For example in Washington, Idaho, Oregan and California when an employee reports to work, you (employer) must pay them (employee) at least 2 hours. So you cannot tell them to go home after one delivery. Unless they (employee) wants that. AND do not forget to document that as well. Otherwise later (maybe 2 months or a year later) they can claim they were sent home without their will. This will get you in trouble faster than you think. Aside from all these stuff, you can send them home a few times. They will quit and find another job somewhere else. They wanna make a living too. I cross train evrybody. They make dough, pizza, answer phones and deliver and wash and clean the place and dishes etc.
As far as insurance and all that, the employer is reponsible for the employees action while at work as soon as they (employees) seat behind the wheel-pizza delivery- they are responsible for their own action (driving). That's why you make sure they carry insurance and you will need to have a Non-Owned Auto and umbrella (pizza delivery package) for your own sake. Here is what happens your driver gets into an accident his insurance company is supposed to cover that, but insurance companies are to collect money NOT pay-outs. So the first thing is that their insurance company will find out is that what they were doing when the accident happened. The driver will tell that they were delivering pizza. Their insurance company will try to pass the ball to you. At this point you have 3 parties going after you.
Your driver, his/her insurance company and the other party involved in the accident. Do not forget SINCE you are a businessman/woman everybody thinks you are RICH. They will go after you. A whole package of business insurance including Non-Owned Auto with $2,000,000 coverage and all will cost you around $3400/yr. This is the cheapest one I have found. If you have cheaper one please post the name and the numbers. I know of many business persons that got inot trouble and lost everything because did not care for insurance.
Sorry about the long post.

[BrickStoneOven]

Just be like HULK HOGAN and put a tracking device in their car when they are not looking.... j/k