Can anyone confirm this?

What an asinine post. Try not following any company policies as an IC and see what happens. Or do any unauthorized modifications to your leased tractor.....Yeah you can go home when you want as long as you make your thousand dollar weekly truck payment. Or like Tennman said, if he were truly independent he could refuse to move their empty trailer without repercussions.

 

I don't mind rules but I do mind being ASSIGNED a trailer move when I don't have an empty and they want me to go pick one up from a customer they say and deliver to a customer they say BEFORE I can go home without fear of a fine. ( seems like harassment or they think we're company drivers)

But they want it both ways, call us INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS to avoid the obligation to us as an employee but require us to follow the same company policies as EMPLOYEES without providing the benefits of employees.

That is 100% why we Voluntarily signed a Operating Agreement and not a Negotiated Contract.

Again I'm happy enough to stay but it doesn't mean I don't know the difference.

 

AND WE PAY OR GIVE THEM 35% TO USE THEIR AUTHORITY AND TRAILERS.

 

I own my own tractor genius. I don't pay SNI #*&# for a tractor so get a clue. Know what you're talking about before posting. When you're renting any equipment from anybody you can't go making modifications, and of course you have payments. Durrrrr. And you thought my post was asinine?

 

1) I will bet $10,000 that you did not net more than twice what I did last year as a company driver. Did you net more than I did? Probably, but not twice. Once you add in capital expense projections and health insurance costs (assuming you don't get from spouse/military) the wage gap shrinks.

2) Imagine you own a landscaping company. You contract with a company (Widgetron) that has multiple properties. While working on Widgetron's properties you must follow their rules. All your workers must wear hi-vis, eye & ear protection, and sing the "Ardvark" song every 15 minutes. Widgetron takes up most of your time, but occasionally there are opportunities for small side jobs. As a business owner you are free to take on other clients, without clearing it thru Widgetron nor follow Widgetron's policies while servicing those clients. You must follow state/federal laws & regulations and mandates from your insurance carrier. You are solely responsible for all compliance.

As a SNI IC running under SNI authority you must ask permission (trip lease) to use your tractor for other comercial endeavors. You must submit your logs to SNI for safety compliance. You have a choice of what freight to haul just like I have a choice of what to eat at a buffet - what is put on the buffet is at the discretion of the restaurant.

The pay structure is different but most ICs at SNI are nothing more than glorified company drivers. Note I said most - NOT ALL. There are exceptions. Those who actually own their own truck or have outside financing are a big exception.

3) Look at Safelite's pay structure - company employees paid on piece rate and a chose your own work schedule plan. As much as you can compare the work/pay setup is similar to SNI ICs. One is an employee, on is "independent".

I'm not knocking ICs. It's a path that works for many people, and I'm truly glad it does. I look at the fact that ICS are performing a core business service for Schneider and have an open ended relationship with Schneider. Schneider handles regulatory compliance including "random drug tests". If you are involved in an accident Schneider will be a co-defendant and will not be able to separate themselves from the civil suit. To me, that makes ICS a 'special employee'.

 

Am I special too?

Will I be picked?

Please....lol

 

You're the mostest special.

 

Smh

 

Never seen a company driver take their truck to Interstate or Landstar before.....IC and company are miles apart. To think otherwise is ignorant.

 

If it's a lease truck you have to get their approval you can't just up and go. So not really independent in our decision making. If it's financed thru a bank or leased then no approval necessary