Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/683064
FEATURE STORY 6 // OWNER OPERATOR // JUNE 2016 "Moving drivers are the primary contact with families during a stressful time," Mi- chael says. "He or she needs to be able to put them at ease. Our customers are trusting the driver with their most cherished personal pos- sessions." Loading is far more complicated than most other types of freight. "You want to get as much density as pos- sible to use up every square corner," Michael says. "That prevents claims, loss from dam- age due to items getting broken, and the more weight you can cram in there, the more you get paid because you're paid on the weight of the items." One of the biggest challenges is to arrange for helpers to load and unload, and to arrange protection for their potential injury claims. The helpers can be supplied from the van lines or brought on by the owner-operator, who usually keeps a list of helpers in various cities and is responsible for paying them. They usu- ally have completed background checks and certification through the van line or AMSA. They usually are paid as casual laborers, typi- cally $125 to $350 per day. Owner-operator Bob Hirchak of Sherryville, Ind., has used the same helpers for almost 25 years. "You can go either way, through the agency [van line] or the cash guys," says Hirchak, who's leased in California to NorCal Moving Services, an Allied Van Lines agent, and drives a 2014 Volvo 780. "Usually the cash guys are the better guys, the cream of the crop." Each moving company has its own crite- ria and injury protection for the people hired to work on their jobs, Michael says. "Many do require their owner-operators to provide worker's compensation that covers the people they hire on a part-time or per-move basis," he says. Arrangements for doing so vary, as do state requirements. Hirchak's workman's compen- sation coverage for his helpers is included in his own insurance package, but Pettigrew pays a monthly fee to an insurer for his help- ers. For all its extra job duties and expenses, household moving can open doors to more than just higher earnings. There are opportu- Bob Hirchak was named 2014 Super Van Op- erator for Household Goods by AMSA and 2013 Driver of the Year by Allied Van Lines. He drives a 2014 Volvo 780. Mark Pettigrew was named AMSA's 2013 Driver of the Year. He drives a 2016 Ken- worth W900.