Hiring a new Driver (Training, Salary etc.)

[pogusingh]

Hi Friends
I am planning to hire a new driver for my family. I am currently owning a M800 and planning to buy a new car in the coming couple of months. Since I am the only driver in the family, a lot of things which have dependency on me don't happen because no one else can go by driving and hence buy/arrange things required for a given job. I needed your advice on to what all aspects should be looked in to while selecting the driver. This is the initial stuff I can think off

• Should hold a valid Drivers license
• Should know about the traffic rules a bit( I cant expect too much there)
• Should not be arrogant. Preferably should have a history of driving experience
• Should get the police verification done
• Should drive the car carefully and safely.( I dont know how I can detect the same in a test drive with him, may be he drives fine then and messes up later)
• Should know technicalities of the vehicle to some extent so that knows how to overcome some small niggles in the vehicle

Please add your thoughts and suggestions that I should take care of.

Mods- I am assuming this is the right place for this topic, please feel free to move it elsewhere in case you feel so.

Regards
POGU

[drifter]

Also if possible, ask your friends to refer someone to you, atleast they won't refer somebody unreliable.

Drifter

[SLK]

interesting..... we had a driver who ... vanished after 2 days.. coz.. he was given to drive the 800!..

And there was another one who came and asked which car?... Honda?... I'm like... na... you'll stick to the 800....... he never came back.

Drivers have preferences!

And just to add to your points....
- he should know Delhi Roads.... (else its a pain)
- preferably.. stays close to your part of the city.... else early and late commitments can be a problem.

[sreenivass]

I tried to hire one for a few months I was told "Sir I have been driving for 10+ years, no one has asked me for a license". In Hyderabad there are some agencies that do placement to drivers, apparently they do a background check, etc.. You may want to try if such an option is available in Delhi.

[iraghava]

Also he should always keep the car clean! Otherwise no point in keeping him, since for me that's the only useful benefit of having a Driver

[kutlee]

A middle aged fellow with bit of experience would be good. How much do these guys charge?

[GTO]

1. Get someone experienced. Atleast a 10 year old licence.

2. Referrals are the best way to source good drivers.

3. Make it clear to him what his responsibilities are, and dont keep one minute free for him. Drivers who sit idle the entire day are the ones who turn rotten. Get him to clean the car, do some peon work etc.

4. Get the police verification done. And always keep a copy of his background with you.

Last but not the least, treat (and pay) him well. This will greatly benefit your car!

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by GTO

Last but not the least, treat (and pay) him well. This will greatly benefit your car!

This is most important. If you treat & pay him well, everything will come into your way.

[suman]

Originally Posted by pogusingh

Should drive the car carefully and safely.( I dont know how I can detect the same in a test drive with him, may be he drives fine then and messes up later)

On the Test drive, observe if he checks the rear & side view mirrors & whether he uses the indicator.

See if he's a pleasant sort or does he scowl all the time....a cool head is essential & most of these guys give away their true colors in traffic conditions. So take him to a crowded thoroughfare and check out his calibre.

As GTO mentioned, pay is important, you pay peanuts & get monkeys as the saying goes............

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Surprise

This is most important. If you treat & pay him well, everything will come into your way.

There are different definitions of the same with different folks.

A friendly word or a small enquiry about his kid should be enough to make him think that you are treating him well.

[carboy]

Reviving an old thread. I have gone through existing threads but they don't cover all my questions

I am looking to hire a driver.

- I doubt if I will need him more than a 3-4 times a week, so I was wondering if there is other stuff I can get him to do. Washing the car everyday is one thing - anything else people get their driver to do?

- What does your driver do on the days you just need him for an hour or 2?
Does he go home & wait for you to call him? or does he just wait in the car?

- Does your driver have your car keys through the day or do you just give him the keys when he is actually going to drive you some place?

- Any verifications/checks to do before hiring a driver (other thank checking if he has a license?)
There is talk of police verification in this thread - how does one go about getting that done?

- How many days off do you give your driver - scheduled/unscheduled?

- Is there any contract you get him to sign?

- If you need a wage receipt from him for tax purposes - how do you do that?

- What timings do drivers typically work?

- If some day you don't use the driver during the day at all, but need him for a couple of hours late in the day, do you pay any overtime?

- Do you need to inform your insurance company so that they cover any accidents when he is driving?

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by GTO

3. Make it clear to him what his responsibilities are, and dont keep one minute free for him. Drivers who sit idle the entire day are the ones who turn rotten. Get him to clean the car, do some peon work etc.

OT: Did you read "White Tiger". This is precisely what protagonist thinks of himself (he is a driver). It is something like (In India there are no drivers, you are driver + dog walker + other things)

[BAKIYA_2K12]

Originally Posted by GTO

and dont keep one minute free for him. Drivers who sit idle the entire day are the ones who turn rotten

This point is 100% true.

we had a driver for 5 months who was silent drives, properly middle aged man,recommended by my friend's drive,most of the day he will be resting in the office.

The pay was 6.5 and and some tips from me and my dad was 1.5

one day my dad gave him 500RS(one note) to fill fuel and he notice in the mirror he got some change money back from the petrol station with bill.
my dad asked the driver how much did he fill he said 500rs and gave the bill for 500.my dad told me the incident and he didn't ask about the change money.

A week later when i was in the car i asked him to top up the fuel for 500rs(one note) and again he received some money back and a bill for 500rs.
i got out of the car and asked the petrol guy how much did he fill for he said 500 sir,i asked him to call his manager he suddenly said that the driver asked him to fill for 400 only and got back 100 with a change of 20rs(three note)and 10rs(four note). but the driver denied what he said and their was a argument with the bunk guys and him.The bunk guy said check his pocket if their is no money i will leave this job.i didn't want to check his pocket came home told to my dad and fired him from the job right away.


Never give money to the driver for fill the fuel get out of the car pay by yourself.

[anantnehru]

I dont know about the keeping drivers idle bit. We had a driver for about 20 years and the current we have has been with us since 1996. The former one we asked him since he had started driving my grandparents around and once landed up drunk. He still to this day, 6-7 years after we asked him to leave, comes and meets us once in a while.
I think its all about how you treat them and more importantly respect them. Of course pay and all are issues, but it basically boils down to the above.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by carboy

- I doubt if I will need him more than a 3-4 times a week, so I was wondering if there is other stuff I can get him to do.

Peon type of work. Picking up, dropping off things, cleaning etc etc.

- What does your driver do on the days you just need him for an hour or 2?

I assign some kind of field work too (without the car of course).

- Does your driver have your car keys through the day or do you just give him the keys when he is actually going to drive you some place?

Keep the keys with him. But let him STRICTLY know that he is not supposed to eat or sleep in the car.

- Any verifications/checks to do before hiring a driver (other thank checking if he has a license?)

Background check + postal address check + previous employer verification.

There is talk of police verification in this thread - how does one go about getting that done?

Retain 1 photograph + copy of licence + copy of rationcard with you. Submit the same to your local police station and send him there (once) to "register" himself.

- How many days off do you give your driver - scheduled/unscheduled?

Important bank holidays + sundays + 12 paid leaves.

- Is there any contract you get him to sign?

Yes, our standard employee contract with specific clauses to the drivers role.

- If you need a wage receipt from him for tax purposes - how do you do that?

Payment in cheque + signature on the voucher is enough for us.

- What timings do drivers typically work?

We changed this in the recent past, since our running has come down drastically (both sisters got married + brother flew abroad to study + Dad retired). 830 - 630 / 730.

- If some day you don't use the driver during the day at all, but need him for a couple of hours late in the day, do you pay any overtime?

25 - 30 / hour + dinner cash. If its too late, then cab money too.

- Do you need to inform your insurance company so that they cover any accidents when he is driving?

Never did.