Opening up a trucking company. Limited experience. What could go wrong?

I would definitely get a second opinion from another legal team. Even if you give drivers a choice of loads they are still operating your equipment.
You asked what could go wrong, well you may get away with this for a long time, many trucking companies have. But say the guy you just fired goes and applies for unemployment, or you get audited, or you have a driver get behind a few years on his taxes and gets caught, and then they find out you were paying on 1099, now is when the trouble starts, you could be on the hook for all of your employees taxes, his share and yours, plus pay the unemployment and any other fines.
If you have discovered how much you can save by paying on a 1099 don't you think the big boys have also? They have a good enough legal team to advise them against it. That is also a big reason they do the lease purchase agreements. My drivers have been paid on W2 since day 1. When I first started I asked about paying on 1099, legal and CPA/business consultant said I could but it wouldn't be legal and they wouldn't represent me or handle my accounting.
They are paid on percentage and averaged .55 per mile last year and I carry WC. Many of the places we haul for require the WC so really don't have a choice in that.
Also if the IRS catches you and deems it inappropriate you might could go back and sue but you are the one that will be held accountable.

 

http://www.livetrucking.com/five-truckers-win-lawsuit-against-swift-transportation/

 

Dang. Sorry Sir. I hope he was scolded properly!

 

I do on drive tires.

Last set,. no. Yoko 517's. Barely got 280k out of them. Wont buy them again. But before that I had on Hankook DL07's. I got over 400k out of them before I finally replaced them with the Yoko's.

I have General HD 660's on now. They have an aggressive tall tread. Hoping these do better than the Yoko's.

Hurst

 

Same here. 200 - 240k mi from expensive Michelin steers. Drives yes,. 300 - 400k is very attainable.

You get 200k mi from your trailer tires? What tires are you running?

You are doing much better than me. I'm doing good to get 140k from the the best tires I have tried so far are the BFG ST230 255/70 22.5. I was only getting 90 - 110k mi from the Firestone 560 with a lot of pitting in the tread toward the end of their service life.

Hurst

 

This trailer came with bridgestone 196's. I got just over 200k on them but they are getting real thin. But keep in mind i also groove my tires. Would have to look in my notebook to see how many miles has been added since i grooved them. And I'm anal about tires. I go over them every day. Well every day i use the trailer. And i use that dump valve religiously on all turns and backs.

 

If those are what I think they are I believe that's the Bridgestones my trailer has. It's closed tandem though so longer life expectancy. But they are great tires IMO that wear like iron.

 

Thanks,

I'm gonna have to try a set on an axle and see how they do for me.

I'm anal about my tires as well. I only dump my rear axle when in a tight area and need to cut it short. Once out on the road I dont touch it. Maybe thats what I should start doing at turns as well. I never really gave that much thought to be honest.

Thanks again.

EDIT:

Is this the tire?
https://commercial.bridgestone.com/en-us/truck-and-bus/product/r196

Looks like $500 a tire retail. Ouch,.. pricey. Thats what I'm paying for my Micheline steers.

I'm getting the BFG ST230's for $340 a tire through my carriers account. I'll see what they want for the R196.

I dont see my size listed. 255/70 22.5. What size are you running?


Hurst

 

I am an accountant myself. Not CPA but getting there and after reading and researching I found a loophole which accountants in CANADA use to justify why their trucking clients pay their driver as they are a contractor.