# A tale of woe, shuttle co totalled car and trailer... any thoughts/suggestions



## collins912 (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi Buzzards,

I just got off of a week long rafting trip to find out that both my car and trailer had been totaled by the shuttle company. I do not want to make any accusations, give details, or name the shuttle company till things are sorted out with insurance. 

Has anyone had any serious issues with their shuttled vehicle or trailer? It seems like every shuttle company has a form that releases them from all liability including negligence. Even though the vehicle was not the cause of the accident they claim that they are not responsible in any way due to their release form. The accident seems fishy and I was given no less than 3 different reasons for the cause of this accident. 

The difference between the insurance reimbursement for the vehicle and trailer and the cost to replace in similar condition is about $5k. It never occurred to me that I was putting that much on the line every time I had someone transport my rig. That doesn't include the cost to rent a car to haul my stuff over 1000 miles home. The total cost will end up damn hefty. 

Should I just lick my wounds and let them heal? Or does anyone have any suggestions from personal experience? 

Thanks and be careful who you choose to shuttle your gear.


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## seantana (Mar 5, 2015)

This is one of my biggest fears with shuttling. Sorry to hear it happened, I don't really have anything to add aside from my condolences, hopefully you can get everything sorted out and come out relatively whole.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Do you have an accident report from the police?

Is the insurance company going to take it any further with the parties involved? That answer might be telling about merit and potential outcomes.

$5k seems like a rough hit but who knows how much a lawyer's fees will add up to (worst case if you were to lose a case). 

I know a friend whose truck was totalled by a shuttle company. Insurance eventually paid full amount but required she never use a shuttle.company again (I.e. not covered).

Definitely a risk. I know in the industries I worked a waiver did not mean much in the presence of negligence or gross negligence. More a statement of understanding. That said proving the above can be difficult.

Best of luck and sorry to hear it.


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## Floatin mucho (Mar 25, 2012)

Personally I would like to hear which company was shuttling your vehicle. They may have a release, but if they higher a driver that totals your rig, they should be responsible as long as your equipment did not lead to the accident. 


I understand that accidents happen, but the way the accident is handled by the shuttle company says a lot about how they conduct business. If they are not willing to take responsibility for your property, what is to prevent them from employing some tweaker for minimum wage without a background check, giving him your keys and then when he steals your vehicle saying "well you signed a release that says we are not responsible for what happens to your vehicle while it is our possession". I feel that accountability is very important when it comes to shuttle companies.


Reputation and word of mouth is what shuttle companies rely on for business, and if they are not doing a good job, I think that the boating community should be made aware. Self policing and sharing information about issues with shuttle companies should be highlighted, particularly when it can have such a large financial impact. Whining about having a bad guide on a commercial trip is one thing, but a shuttle company totaling your vehicle and then refusing to make it right is another thing completely.


And on that note, I would like to recommend River Runners Transport out of Vernal, UT for anything that they offer shuttles for. They are the most professional and easy to use shuttle company I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with.


Your story is a nightmare that most people never experience, and I hope that everything works out with your current situation. Thank you for sharing!


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

I'd also be interested to hearing about other damage/failures people have found on their vehicles from shuttling and how the shuttle company has dealt with it (or not dealt with it).

Tires
Trailers
Windshields
Blown hoses
other

Also - another vote for RR out of Vernal. We've used Jim for years and never had an issue.


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

We had a trip member taking out after the MF that could not turn the corner and continue down the main. When she got in her car she had a note to call the shuttle company and $400 bill for a new oil pan. They stated it was already cracked and leaking when they got to the pickup point, fixed it, and drove it to the takeout. Sucked, but not as bad as having no car when no one else in the group was leaving.

This year on the MF we had a note about how a deer had ran into the trailer. They inspected the trailer for damage and cleaned it as good as it could have been getting the blood and guts off. Based on what we could still see on there (blood, hair, and the point of impact murder scene) they went above and beyond to give us a useable clean trailer.

Other than that been real lucky and our group always leaves a tip ahead of time. That usually results in a note from the driver with thanks and how the vehicle performed.


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## All4ward (Feb 21, 2016)

Damn. That's a terrible end to what was hopefully a great trip. I understand not wanting to disclose the company yet. But maybe let us know what river you were on to ease our thoughts. 
I've used all river shuttles for the main salmon and the middle fork salmon before and they were very professional and very thankful for the $30-40 tip I left them. 
Sorry about your loss. Best of luck in finding a resolution. 
Makes me want to contact my insurance company and ask a bunch of questions. 



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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

I'm an adjuster and would offer to review the total loss settlement docs PM me if interested. 

Often times insurance companies dont reimburse for sales tax check that according to your local tax rate. They also owe for dmv fees. 

Also make sure they accounted for every option you rig has. Trim levels are important also to have right like sr5 with Toyota, xlt with Ford... 

Then check how they rated your vehicle. They will rate the body, interior, paint.... Often times adjusters just hit average on all. Make sure the comparable vehicles are local to you not 500 miles away in a city. Cars cost more in rural areas than urban due to supply. You can also look for your own comps to dispute. They will tell you they don't negotiate but if you refuse to settle and argue with good local comps you can increase the settlement. 

Lastly there's a chance that the shuttle companies, or the drivers insurance would set up even at a later date, save all receipts of your expenses if they accept liability you could then be reimbursed. 
I'm really sorry this sounds terrible. 

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## fishingraft (Aug 30, 2015)

Ouch. Worst experience I've had is just that the shuttler left his water bottle laying on the passenger seat and it leaked all the way out. Nbd. But it got me thinking about the kind of liability they might have if they wrecked my rig. The folks I use sometimes do it on a voicemail basis. Meaning I call and leave a message with the details, and hope to god my car is at the takeout. Don't sign any forms or waivers, or even talk to a human being.


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## wildh2onriver (Jul 21, 2009)

On a Dolores trip 10 years ago, the shuttle driver from the Bedrock store smoked a pack of cigs in my cousins brand new truck. The butts were in the ashtray for a week in the heat. It cost him a few hundred bucks to have it professionally cleaned twice. No reimbursement. 


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## TriBri1 (Nov 15, 2011)

Condolences, I had a similar experience a few years back. My insurance company tried to fight the shuttle company, but got nowhere in the end with them. I too had fishy details to the reason my car was totaled. I heard many times, "he was going no more than 20 MPH and hit a soft spot on the road and corrected which sent him hurling off the road." It was a custom camper so the issuance company did not know how to value it and finally had an estimator go over it. I bought it less than one year earlier and was out about $5k once all was settled. The whole thing was quite a nightmare.


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## climbdenali (Apr 2, 2006)

I have a friend who left Idaho after a Salmon trip (I think it was a Main, since HW kept them off the MF). They got about 400 miles and the truck shit the bed. Took it to a mechanic, investigated, and found gasoline in the diesel tank. The shuttle company owner drove out to meet them, put them up in a hotel, and paid to have all the fuel lines, injectors, etc replaced.


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## fishingraft (Aug 30, 2015)

climbdenali said:


> I have a friend who left Idaho after a Salmon trip (I think it was a Main, since HW kept them off the MF). They got about 400 miles and the truck shit the bed. Took it to a mechanic, investigated, and found gasoline in the diesel tank. The shuttle company owner drove out to meet them, put them up in a hotel, and paid to have all the fuel lines, injectors, etc replaced.


Bummer! I think an easy way to avoid this particular problem is to ensure you leave the shuttler with a full or sufficiently full tank of gas.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Main Salmon = 400 mile shuttle. 

Sounds like they did a great job fixing a mistake they caused. 

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## fishingraft (Aug 30, 2015)

restrac2000 said:


> Main Salmon = 400 mile shuttle.
> 
> Sounds like they did a great job fixing a mistake they caused.
> 
> Sent from my MotoG3 using Mountain Buzz mobile app


Shit, didn't realize the shuttle was that lengthy. Good lord, how much does that cost? They did the absolute right thing by fixing that guy's car and taking care of him.


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

fishingraft said:


> Shit, didn't realize the shuttle was that lengthy. Good lord, how much does that cost? They did the absolute right thing by fixing that guy's car and taking care of him.


Anywhere from $350-$400 sometimes a bit less and sometimes way more (when something happens) For the MS, typically they also ask for $100 in gas money that they provide receipts for and return the unused balance.


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## Skyman (Jun 26, 2006)

The waiver is just a document and will not hold up in court. This is just the first line of defense. The shuttle company has (or should have) a commercial auto policy for "driveaway" coverage that would pick up this exposure. Get a lawyer and make them pay. Your auto coverage should only trigger if the shuttle company had an expired policy or no coverage at all. Any shuttle company knowingly operating without this coverage will be shut down if you were to contact the local city government.


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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

FYI a common misconception is that insurance owes to replace your vehicle. This is not the case they owe you what an outside appraisal company values your vehicle at in its pre-loss condition. This does not sound like a big difference but it can be. 

For example let's say you had a Leer canopy that cost two grand among other accessories, perhaps you just replaced the transmission. The insurance company will count the canopy as an option and add something like $150 to the value. The logic is what did that increase the value by not how much will it cost this guy to replace on another truck. 

It's worth considering buying back the salvage often times also especially if you can recoop some of your losses by transferring accessories or parting out. 

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## Mattchu (May 29, 2015)

Cool astro van. Would love to have one with the popular tent. Bummer.


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## doryguy18 (Jun 20, 2016)

*shuttle nightmares*

my truck and trailer were wrecked on a deso shuttle. driver left the e brake off and truck running on a hill, stacked it on a pile of rocks. driver left me a note "sorry for any inconvienence" 6500.00 later it was fixed .the shuttle co made good on repairs. and all thier drivers now chock all wheels manditory per the boss


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## Duce (Sep 5, 2011)

I had a shuttle company finish off my clutch on a trip over Bear Camp on the Rogue a few years back. I coule smell it when I got in my truck at Foster. When I got home I had a message that said they had to put in "oil" in my truck and wanted me to pay for it. Smell something burning add oil was the option I guess. I limped it home

The clutch was old for sure but it was not slipping etc when I dropped it off (engaged at the end), Anyway I called and paid for the oil as my truck was probably a 1/2 quart low as usual when I go 6 months without changing (it was over full when I got it back).I use a different company now, but I let it go as it was bound ot happen I guess.


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## stuntsheriff (Jun 3, 2009)

did this happen on deso?


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

stuntsheriff said:


> did this happen on deso?


The original post? No, it wasn't deso.


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## protechie (Jun 16, 2005)

+1 on getting an attorney. If the shuttle company denies liability and won't go though their insurance to compensate you, talk to a reputable attorney. If they think they can win you good compensation, they will take the case. If they don't, they won't take it and you're not out anything extra. The shuttle's insurance will most likely be on the hook, and they are likely to settle for a reasonable amount to cut short the time and cost of fighting the litigation.


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## Skyman (Jun 26, 2006)

protechie said:


> +1 on getting an attorney. If the shuttle company denies liability and won't go though their insurance to compensate you, talk to a reputable attorney. If they think they can win you good compensation, they will take the case. If they don't, they won't take it and you're not out anything extra. The shuttle's insurance will most likely be on the hook, and they are likely to settle for a reasonable amount to cut short the time and cost of fighting the litigation.


They will have a commercial auto policy for $1M minimum. Most attorneys will bite when there is a commercial auto policy in place and they are looking at also making some bucks. The insurance carrier will cave and make the payout to avoid bad faith claims. I would also ask who their insurance agent is and also go direct to them.


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## Schutzie (Feb 5, 2013)

From long and bitter experience with lawyers, get yourself a junk yard dog attorney and structure the contingency fee so that their fee goes up significantly once you are made whole. 
They will do their barking and biting fast and hard and the insurance company/shuttle company will settle faster.
Sorry for your loss; but, maybe you needed a new rig anyway..........or you lost a good friend. Either way, it sucks


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## kokoroltd (Apr 12, 2015)

We have had nothing but excellent service with this group in Idaho. They also only hire seasoned drivers and pay them well so they stay year after year. 208-839-2308  [email protected]
Talk to Michelle


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

I'd second that most release waivers won't actually hold water in court. These story's make the reputable shuttle company's seem even more valuable! Sorry to hear about all the peoples shit that got fucked up. Makes me Knock on a bunch of wood!!!!!


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

I'd like to point out that almost every "reputable" shuttle company has had mishaps and from what I know for a fact, EVERY company identified here as reputable, reliable, etc. ALL have had issues. It's just a matter of numbers as most of these companies have done thousands, if not tens of thousands of shuttles. 

This begs the question - what truly makes a shuttle company good when even bad things happen? It's about what they do to make it right - because, as mentioned above, it's just a matter of time that every single shuttle company has anything from a minor mishap to completely totaling a customer's vehicle.

In other words - the actual damage will typically be covered by /someone's/ insurance - what will make me determine if the shuttle company is good (e.g. reputable) is what they do to make it right at the take-out as well as after the claims are settled.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Read_N_Run said:


> I'd like to point out that almost every "reputable" shuttle company has had mishaps and from what I know for a fact, EVERY company identified here as reputable, reliable, etc. ALL have had issues. It's just a matter of numbers as most of these companies have done thousands, if not tens of thousands of shuttles.
> 
> This begs the question - what truly makes a shuttle company good when even bad things happen? It's about what they do to make it right - because, as mentioned above, it's just a matter of time that every single shuttle company has anything from a minor mishap to completely totaling a customer's vehicle.
> 
> In other words - the actual damage will typically be covered by /someone's/ insurance - what will make me determine if the shuttle company is good (e.g. reputable) is what they do to make it right at the take-out as well as after the claims are settled.


I couldn't agree with you more.


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## Brotorboat (Apr 14, 2009)

MF trip. Front grill of my car was riding shotgun...no note as to what happened. However, there was a note about paying for and adding oil, even though there were 2qts on the pass. floor.


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

Another thing I find interesting.... a lot of references to generic shuttle companies having issues but very few named. Can someone tell me what the reason for protecting shuttle companies that don't do the right thing is?


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## jimr (Sep 8, 2007)

One phone call from a lawyer and your problem is solved. 


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