Who's the boss?

Thanks, it appears I missed post #4.

I still don't understand why somebody would build a fleet to haul for Swift. Not disrespecting those that drive for Swift, it was my understanding though that Swift was an entry level company / entry level pay.

 

It is usually stated in the contract that the O/O signed leasing his truck on with the carrier that the carrier is to be provided with the driver file for any driver hired by the O/O, and that any driver hired by the O/O that does not meet the carrier's standards cannot drive the vehicles leased to the carrier. That pretty much gives the carrier final say in who the O/O hires...but to answer the OP's original question, the driver hired by the O/O to drive the O/O's truck is an employee of the O/O. The O/O is an independent contractor doing work for the carrier...in other words, the O/O has guidelines set by the carrier which determine how he can do the job he was contracted to do, in this case pertaining to who the O/O can hire to help do the job.

 

This is the right answer.

In other words, you can't step around the company's policies.