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Gate locked on pump day: what happens and who gets charged?

Hector V.asked 2 viewsDelivery, Placement & ServicingMissed serviceService visitTruck accessService frequencyHolding tank

We have a 12-week commercial job in Phoenix with 60 workers. We rent six standard units and one ADA-compliant unit clustered near the main gate. The ground is level gravel, and the vacuum truck can park right next to them, when the gate is open. Our crew sometimes forgets to unlock it on pump day. I know the driver shows up, tries to access the units, and leaves if blocked. The rental company logs a missed service. I want to avoid extra fees for this. Does the rental company charge for the trip even if they can't pump? Who pays for that missed service, us or them? What's the best way to prevent this from happening?

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Tyler R.Columbus, OH

The site usually pays when a locked gate blocks the driver, because the rental agreement treats access as the customer's job. Pull your service agreement and look for the words trip charge, dry run, or missed service. That clause tells you whether you get billed for the visit and whether they come back before the next scheduled day or just skip you until then.

The skip is the bigger problem than the fee. Seven units for 60 people on a weekly pump is already working hard, and losing a full week of service in Phoenix heat gets ugly fast. OSHA 1926.51 also expects those toilets to stay sanitary and usable for the crew, so a missed pump is on you either way.

What fixed it on our jobs:

  • Put pump day on the gate lock checklist and the daily huddle sheet.
  • Ask the rental company for a call or text 30 minutes out so whoever is onsite can open up.
  • Give the route a combination lock or a lockbox code on the gate, if your insurance and owner allow it.
  • Ask if they can move your service to a time the super is always there.

Once the vacuum truck driver knows they can always get in, the misses stop.

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