Is this legal????

Read your contract and see what it says. If there is a clause in there about leaving before a certain time and you do leave, yep they can..
Do people ever read contracts anymore?

 

Early termination penalty clauses are in MOST contracts. yes legal.

 

if your not happy with their performance...pay the fine and leased on with a Carrier whom pays...$1,000 translates to approximately to 3 days of work. (call an attorney on contract language)

 

$1000 for 3 days of work. that's $333 a day.

don't know about the rest of you all. but i burn $500 of fuel easily a day. 4 times a week, i'll easily buy $2500 at least every week.

 

Why would a O/O not read the contract, WHY WHY WHY?, and then complain about it, REALLY! Come on, you screwed yourself, lesson learned.

 

Pretty standard. My contract says the penalty is to cover the money they spent on plates and IFTA fees.

 

It is usually a bond. As stated above to cover plates and permits that weren't used. My contract has a $1,500 bond but I payed that upfront where they keep it in an interest bearing account and since I've already payed it, I can leave at any time (with 10 days notice). My bond is refundable upon completion of my contract.

I don't know about your specific financial situation, but you should be making enough money for that $1,000 to not be something that holds you back if you would want to leave. However $1,000 is $1,000 whether you have a million in the bank or $2 in the bank, so I would understand why you don't want to just throw it away.

 

you need a lease that states (either party can break the lease at anytime for any reason) be safe out there

 

No it seems no one ever thinks to read it, they think that a handshake is good enough.