Reduce/Eliminate Liabilities and Risks with
GCADA’s Car Couriers Program
OSHA cites driving as the most hazardous exposure in the workplace. Therefore, an important question for a Dealership to ask is: Who do we have driving our cars for dealer trades, service appointments or to and from the auction? If you're like most dealerships, you have a conglomerate of porters, retired people and friends of friends employed by you, or they are independent contractors hired by you. Both options have their own set of issues that ultimately may lead to risks for your dealership.
The Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers’ Association believes that Car Couriers has come up with a great program to reduce and even eliminate dealership liabilities and risks when using “drivers” for your dealership. Car Couriers is in the business of providing qualified compliant drivers for all of your driving needs.
Why is this more critical to your dealership now than in the past? First, as previously mentioned, when your drivers are out on the road there are risks and liabilities involved. While drivers’ wages represent a minimal percentage of your total payroll, this minimal percentage of wages – if there is an injury - can cause a large impact on workers’ compensation premiums for your entire dealership. Having your drivers staffed by Car Couriers eliminates the chance for a driver claim to impact your workers’ compensation premiums because they will no longer be on your payroll.
A second critical liability for Dealerships to be aware of is: if your drivers are classified as independent contractors, your dealership is at risk for Wage & Hour violations by the Department of Labor. This issue has taken on increased scrutiny with the introduction of the “Employer Misclassification Protection Act” which has been introduced to both houses of Congress and provides for significant penalties and sanctions for misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor. By using Car Couriers, you can ensure that the drivers you utilize are properly classified as employees.
What does this cost? Exclusive pricing for GCADA Members would be: for a driver making $8.00 an hour, the cost to the dealership would be $12.50 an hour. Car Couriers pays the workers’ compensation premiums, unemployment insurance, all payroll taxes as well as insurance on the driver. For an additional $.50 per hour cost, Car Couriers can provide insurance coverage on your vehicles, up to one million dollars. This option provides for coverage of any damage to your vehicle as well as any third-party claims that may arise. EPLI coverage is also provided with this $.50 per hour cost, further limiting your exposure.
What this means for your business: No more workers' compensation premiums for the drivers and no more inflating of those premiums should a claim arise from the drivers, no more paying payroll taxes for the drivers, and if the $.50 per hour option is picked up, it may also reduce your garage insurance premiums.
*Since November, there have been 11 Association Member Dealerships taking advantage of the GCADA Car Couriers Program. Car Couriers has already enlisted over 130 drivers in Northern Ohio. Your Association has had nothing but positive comments from participating members. Dan Pyle from Metro Lexus says, “This program is a no-brainer. The transition to Car Couriers was handled smoothly and professionally.”
If you have any questions about this program please call Dennis Rose or Pat Harrington at your association at 440-746-1500 or contact them via email at drose@gcada.org or patharrington@gcada.org. If you would like to set an appointment with Car Couriers to discuss your needs, please return the form (click here to download) via email or print and fax to 440-746-1504. 
