In the ads it says Owner Opeators needed plates furnished. And when you get your first settlement you realize then that you are paying them back for the plates and they are in the carriers name. So when you leave and have already paid for the plates and the carrier wants them back and does not refund your money on a pro rated rate, then sells and transfers them to the next O/O that takes your place. How can they get away with this?
They just do it. Is it legal? I have no idea without reading the contract. Is it ethical? Hell No. Is it worth hireing a lawyer to look into it and sue them if he thinks you have a case? Probably not. How many months of the registration have you used? We are probably looking at less than $1,000. A $250 # hour lawyers fee eats that up pretty fast, and you may not win. I know most ethical companies will pass the plate on to the next O/O who they lease on who wants to run their plates, but you are on the hook for the plate until someone else takes it, then they do the pro rate. Always a bad idea to have their plate on your truck, it gives them too much control over you. Just buy your own plate. It's one less thing to do if you want to change companies.
