Troop trailers towed by summer camp staff.

[E V Augustine]

Beaumont Scout Reservation has instituted a policy where summer camp adult staff using their personal vehicles tow all troop trailers from a parking lot near the public road to the respective troop's campsite.  The towed distances are about a mile over gravel roads.  Council's stated goal is to control trailer placement at the campsites.  They move 15 to 20 trailers a week during the season.  On leaving camp at week's end the troops tow their own trailers out of camp. 

I been told that councils would or should have some form of insurance covering damage to the trailer, its contents, and personal injury occurring while in the control of camp staff in the event of negligence.  It seems an errant staffer's claim, "I did the best I could" would be a perfect defense.

I am interested in hearing if other summer camps have the same policy, not about designated parking but operation of the trailer by camp staff.

 

Edited 7 hours ago by E V Augustine

[InquisitiveScouter]

30 minutes ago, E V Augustine said:

Beaumont Scout Reservation has instituted a policy where summer camp adult staff using their personal vehicles tow all troop trailers from a parking lot near the public road to the respective troop's campsite.  The towed distances are about a mile over gravel roads.  Council's stated goal is to control trailer placement at the campsites.  They move 15 to 20 trailers a week during the season.  On leaving camp at week's end the troops tow their own trailers out of camp. 

I been told that councils would or should have some form of insurance covering damage to the trailer, its contents, and personal injury occurring while in the control of camp staff in the event of negligence.  It seems an errant staffer's claim, "I did the best I could" would be a perfect defense.

I am interested in hearing if other summer camps have the same policy, not about designated parking but operation of the trailer by camp staff.

 

For us, anyone driving camp (council) vehicles must be listed on the council's insurance policy.  Units move and park their own trailers, and those vehicle operators assume liability risk on their own insurance policies per the G2SS, Transportation section:  https://www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss11/

13.  All vehicles must be covered by automobile liability insurance with limits that meet or exceed the requirements of the state in which the vehicle is licensed. It is recommended, however, that coverage limits are at least $100,000 combined single limit. Any vehicle designed to carry ten or more passengers should have limit of $1,000,000. For insurance information refer to the Insurance section in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

14.  When towing the tow vehicle driver has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to operate the vehicle with the attached unit.

That your council is having "...adult staff using their personal vehicles tow all troop trailers..." is troubling.  Council cannot require any staff member to use their personal vehicle for camp requirements, without remuneration and ensuring adequate liability coverage.  If they make this some sort of condition for employment, or otherwise require employees (which camp staff are) to use their personal vehicles in this way, they are asking for trouble.

Good luck convincing them

[E V Augustine]

There is another layer.  We rent a trailer from a national truck and trailer rental company.  The parties to the rental agreement are well defined and documented in the contract.  A third party using their vehicle to tow the rented trailer puts me in material breach of the contract and voids the purchased damage waiver and contents insurance.  In the event of damage or worse I would be on the hook and then have to pursue council and the inept driver.  That would be after I had to explain why I breached the contract.

Oddly enough the solution is let the units bring in and park their trailers in identified spots in the campsites.  I know they refuse to consider that.

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

27 minutes ago, E V Augustine said:

There is another layer.  We rent a trailer from a national truck and trailer rental company.  The parties to the rental agreement are well defined and documented in the contract.  A third party using their vehicle to tow the rented trailer puts me in material breach of the contract and voids the purchased damage waiver and contents insurance.  In the event of damage or worse I would be on the hook and then have to pursue council and the inept driver.  That would be after I had to explain why I breached the contract.

Oddly enough the solution is let the units bring in and park their trailers in identified spots in the campsites.  I know they refuse to consider that.

 

Go to a different camp   Easy, peasy

[Tron]

So what is the reasoning behind this? I am imagining something like all non-staff are now forbidden from driving on the camp period? Is that the goal? What are they trying to achieve, what is the true goal here?