Working for an O/O

Spend some time checking this guy and his company out the same way he is checking you out. It's necessary to go in with any confidence and he won't mind, it's business and he will respect you for it.

 

I think your looking in the right direction, O/O versus bottom feeder companies,
Percentage pay CAN be VERY profitable to you as a driver if he gets good loads and NOT cheap freight.
Percentage is sometimes set-up as 20-25 % of "GROSS", which means if the broker is paying $1100.00 for the load,, (if it is a fairly short haul) then you would get $220.00 @ 20% or $275.00 @ 25%,,,,,BUT, if it is 20-25% of "line haul",, politely say , NO THANK-YOU and look elsewhere.

As for for any reassurance of being paid,, well even with mega companies you won't get that,,lol. But More than likely , you will be paid due to an O/O would not like his name drug through the mud, nor need to spend time in courts, were-as mega companies don't care.

As for proof?,, you ALWAYS keep records of dispatches, load assignments AND your log book, again, as an O/O myself, I don't have time to go to court nor want my name drug through the mud. Get everything "e-mailed" to you as for load assignments.

For expenses. I used to use a credit card, but now use comdata, both work and have no problems with drivers. Just if he has a prepay credit card as I did when I 1st started, call him before fueling to make sure he has money on the card.

 

Of course he will only get percentage of the line haul. Why would anyone pay off of the surcharge as well? That goes in the tank.

 

I think it's a great idea you've decided to stay off the mega carriers (no offense to those who work in them). Now as for being paid I know a few guys who drive anywhere b/w .35 to .40 a mile. Like another user suggested, there's also another option...making a percentage off the GROSS of whatever the loads are paying. They better be good paying loads though or you won't make as much.

The O/O should also provide you with a fuel card, etc.

 

I now drive for a O/O and paid percentage of the haul and make great money and have a nice rig to drive, my percentage comes off the top of the load pay before expenses so I do watch the cost as respect to him.

 

I would give it a week trial period and see what kind of revenue it is going to bring in per mile considering the routes he sends you, waiting times. I assume you are an independant contractor and responsible for your own taxes and workers comp.ins. If it is below 47cpm I would not do it because I dislike reefers and 2 a m appointmnts

 

The first thing you need to make clear to this prospective o/o employer is that you want him to email every rate confirmation on every load you haul at the same time he emails it back to the broker. If he hauld direct you need to see the bill on those too. If he gets wishy washy on that small point don't waste your time cause he's skimming and counting on you to "trust, that's what the load paid and here's your percentage". It doesn't work that way, actually for the most part it does, but it shouldn't and the law is on your side.

 

There is no law that requires the owner operator to send a rate confirmation to the driver, even if he is paid percentage. The law you may be referring to concerns owner operators who are leased to carriers. Carriers are required to give a copy of any rate confirmation to the owner operator upon request. Having said that, if the owner pays percentage then he should be willing to send a copy of the rate information to the driver if requested. If the owner operator is leased to a carrier then he won't have a rate confirmation that can be sent to the driver. Most drivers can always make a call to the dispatcher if the truck is leased to a carrier. If the owner runs under his own authority then the driver could call the broker or shipper. Most owners that I have known will tell the driver what the load pays before he even picks up the load.

 

Really? I was always under the assumption anyone who worked on percentage, not just leased o/o, was able to get that info if they requested it? Well, if the owner is on the up and up he won't have a problem with that. If not I'd be leary but I've never been in a situation as an employee working for percentage. I'd want employees that knew what the loads paid so they wouldn't be so willing to work for nothing cause what means nothing for me would end up being something for them regardless as long as the truck was rolling. I'd want employees that were pro-active and trying to get the best rates possible they could, although I know that is asking a lot...