Coming back.. Maybe...

Well after almost a year I got an offer to drive team with another Owner Op at May and after looking at the $$ difference as well as the better dispatches I made the switch mid November. Now I'm not going to throw stones, or talk bad about the guy, so let's just say things didn't work out and there were some 'issues' that I decided it would've been better if I would've stayed with May as a company driver. I HAD a completely clean record, and after 1.5 months out with that guy I ended up with a 65 in a 55 speeding ticket coming down the grapevine, (yes I've already contracted one of the trucker lawyers to handle that one), and I scratched his bumper in a tight spot, and even though he took out his supposed 'deductible' out of my last paycheck , still hasn't repaired the scratch, he still had me report it to Safety as an accident. So needless to say I now have a preventable on my record as well. He and I have come to an agreement so I'm not going to hold any grudges and look at this as a learning experience and move on. He's listed me as resigning, and says he will give me a good reference if anyone calls. I called May and even though they require 6 months accident free before a rehire, since it wasn't a moving violation and no damage to anyone else's property, (May didn't have to pay out), they are going to make an acception and rehire me. Only 2 down sides to this scenario. First, The month and a half I was out with the owner op (who is leased through May) will not count as far as my '1 year' mark as far as May goes. So now it just means I'll have to wait a little longer before getting my .35 per mile. Not ideal, but I can live with it. Second and larger issue is that I was told May has a shortage of trucks right now and it will probably be a month before they can get me a truck and just to sit tight! I hope they have a truck soon. If I have to wait more than a month I'm going to have to go somewhere else!
I've talked to some other companies who said they could put me on right away, but the problem with those comes in when we talk about home time. They all tell me I am responsible for finding a place to park my rig when I go home. I'm in Marin County, just above San Francisco. For those of you that haven't been here before the closest place to park my truck (safely) is over an hour and a half away! Frustrating....
Anyways, The O/OP was paying me cash, and was planning on sending in the paperwork at the end of the year for taxes on me. My question is, he didn't have me fill out any paperwork for taxes when I got on his truck. I guess he was planning on doing it at the end of the year. Since he doesn't have my SS# I wonder if he can still claim me for taxes? I hope not. I'd like to be able to say that at least I made a little tax free out fo this.
Another frustrating issue is I'm 2 months away from my one year mark as far as experience. So most of the companies I talk to all tell me to call them in 2 months. I may be looking out for myself in a lot of ways, but what I don't want is to go back to May only to work 2 months just to reach my '1 yr exp' goal and then quit. Oh well, if May can get a truck to put me in I'll be back up there. I originally planned on hitting my one year mark and then looking for something local, but now its looking like I'll probably be shooting for my 2 year mark. Still have some other companies to call and check with though.

 

True. I totally agree. If I break something, I believe its my responsibility to pay to fix it. My problem was that I used to sell Heavy Duty Truck parts. I know that a scratch on a bumper isn't enough to warrant a $1000 deductible to sand and repaint the thing. Unless that is the owner has been trying to figure out how to get a paint job out of it that is. My only issue was that if I was going to have to pay for it out of my own pocket, there wasn't any other damage to anything else other than a little paint on a cement block in the parking lot, I shouldn't have had to add a 'preventable' to my record. Ah, nevermind. Like I said earlier, I just want to turn the page and move on. No sense rehashing it.
I thought about the fact he could get my info from May. But, there wasn't any contract, he paid me via comdata check, no check stub record of how many miles X CPM = $$, etc. So I guess I should just wait until beginning of April and then file if he hasn't issued me a W-2 by then? Or would it be a 1099... I dunno...
I just want to get back in a truck at this point.
Decker just sent me an email, may give them a shout.. Anyone heard anything about them?

 

The Owner Op was someone I had known for a year and thought I knew. The money I made with him was DOUBLE what May was paying me. And best of all, I didn't have to worry about having to sit for a day, drive for 2 hours, sit for another day before deliver, etc.

Live and learn I guess.

 

I did set aside 30% of each check just in case. Time will tell I guess...

 

According to May, they hired a bunch of new drivers and they're also in the middle of changing over a large amount of the fleet to the new Petes. I also talked to a couple trainers that told me their students were told their new trucks wouldn't be available until the end of the month as well.

I'm making other calls, but without the option of being able to park the truck at my house, or within a mile of it, I need to go with a company that has a drop yard somewhat close to my house. May's yard is only about an hour and a half from home. So far that seems to be the closest. Granted there are others that have lots about the same distance, but I think switching from May to Schneider would be the wrong direction. I talked to Knight earlier today and am going to call Decker tomorrow. I plan giving May one more week before starting to actively search other options.