Question about the company taking more than their cut..

Can anybody tell me if there is any recourse that can be taken when the company I'm leased to is taking money off the top before they take their actual percentage?
It's happening a lot, The owner will not allow the dispatcher to tell me the rates, they have to come straight from the owner. and he takes a huge cut before he does the split..
I can't believe this is legal.. surely other guys have had this issue? one example is. I quoted a short trip at $1000. He logged it in the books at $700 and left me $500. It's been happening a lot..
any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

 

By law they have to show you freight bills if you ask the bigger issue if you cant trust them you shouldnt be there imo

 

Oh, I agree. It's time to move on down the road, but there's a substantial amount of money in question and I'm wondering if there's an action to take to try and recoup some funds and keep this from happening to other people..

 

Visit with OOIDA, they would love to meet the owner.

 

Make sure you (or an attorney) CAREFULLY read the contract you signed. I've seen this before. Company you are leased to also controls a brokerage under another name (or vice-versa), your contract says you get a % of the amounts actually received by the company you are leased to which is the amount the brokerage pays them. It's a way for the company you are leased to have all of the bills (you included) and the brokerage to have all of the profit. Generally there is an agency agreement between the two entities that are actually alter egos (when properly done, difficult to prove). You may end up collecting the amounts you've been skimmed, but it won't be quick or easy through the court system.

 

Yes Pupeperson you are correct. they do have a brokerage as well. but it's also against the law to double broker a load and I did check. at least some of the skimmed loads did not come through their brokerage.... I'm more concerned about future people being ripped off by these people.. I'm really sad, They really convinced me that they were so honest.. The first 6 months were great, but the second 6 months, not so much..I started paying attention and wham! there the skimming showed up.

 

Call the broker and play dumb, tell them dispatch already left for the day or you only got part of the voicemail with the load number, etc....then say, hey any chance you can send it to my email address. Typically the 22 year old on the other end of the line sitting in a three person cube @ TQL will buy the story and send it to you. Or you could just ask, "hey, what was the rate on that load again?".

Then bring it up with the owners....

 

Oh I have done all that. I have several of the actual rates.. After all, I actually set the price on some of em I was ripped on... But they didn't know that, just the dispatcher and myself..

 

It is not against the law to double broker a load. Do they not tell you what the rate you will be paid before you accept the load?

 

Nope, they assure me it will be adequate pay.. They tell the dispatcher he will be fired if he tells me or any driver the rate. Crazy, I know. I actually trusted these people. I hate starting up with another company.