Here is another thought. TN cracked down on FedEx. I have a friend who was very happy running around in his Sprinter van on a route that he owns. FedEx told him to either sell his route or buy 2 more. The state of TN will call you an employee unless you have more than one route and truck. Same for the FedEx ground. You can't lease 1 truck on with them now. You must have a minimum of 2. This will probably find it's way to Swift too. Just saying............
Not necessarily... FedX is different in that they run regularily assigned routes. One of the primary attributes the IRS uses to differentiate employees from independent contractors is the ability to determine the course of one's business - whether one accepts or declines a load. FedX contractors can't do that.
Well there may be some good news for Swift L/O's. I just talked to one of their O/O's here in New Boston. One of the topics on the table was the fuel discounts. He sounded very knowledgeable. He brought in an outside rig. 780 Volvo. A former Ashley furniture truck.
I should be teaming with my mentor next week. He told me yesterday his current student with about 2 weeks on the truck was ready to step up and run as a team situation with enough hours, however waited til just that moment to say that he cannot drive at night. Mentor is kicking him off at nearest terminal and running for northern California where I will be delivering on Monday morning. Teaming will represent a significant raise for me, but the tradeoff will be having to live in such small quarters with another dude. I'm gonna be watching his business practices like a hawk to understand and learn from it whether it would be profitable for me as well to lease a truck. He had a teammate before he mentored who he was able to help get his own truck.
I am confused. Are you picking up the trainee to mentor him, or are you picking up your mentor to team with him? His trainee can't drive at night? Oops!
Sorry, yes my former mentor. I got off his truck and went solo in early June 2010. He's been hounding me since August to run team with him. So this will be symbiotic in that he's suffering from a series of failure students and I'm suffering from low miles and low pay. One of the requirements to be a Swift lease operator is the ability to turn in 10,000 miles a month consistently. I could do it if my DM and the planners sent me loads but I think times are just slow now. Teaming up will raise my mile threshold way up for eligibility as a lease op. I will be working but this guy plans to pay me a straight check for all my miles, no benefits nor taxes taken out-- not sure about the ramifications of all that. I guess technically I'd still be a Swift employee somehow, he said I would be coded and have a comdata card for fuel still. I would still be subject to Swift dumbdumb classes (his words, not mine lol) keeping Swift logs, scanning them and keeping them legal etc.
If alot of these lease drivers found out what their company paid for fuel at some locations, they'd be furious !!!!!
Congrats Scottied! I hope that teaming works out well for ya! It sounds like a good way for you to learn about L/O without all of the risk.
yes they would, they make money from the lease drivers paying for fuel, plus transaction fees, and low wages to go with it, they will make a killing when you buy fuel at the terminal, your'l never now what that cost is unless you get ahold of the tanker driver bringing the fuel in or get a copy of the invoice, the ONLY way to find the true cost of all transactions and expence's for tires and other stuff is to now someone on the (INSIDE)
First...if he is either L/O or O/O...you would have to terminate with Swift as an employee/driver, and then your former Mentor would be your employer. If he is company, he would not be paying you but Swift would be paying you the split mileage of the truck and the truck would be getting the "team rate". Second. If he is paying you a "flat amount" that is going to have to be declared by him on a 1099 form to the IRS, and YOU will have the requirement of filing taxes as Self Employed meaning you have Federal Self Employment tax. Also he will have to pay for your Work Comp required by Swift and certain states where the driver (you) have your legal residence. You better do some checking with Swift/IEL before you make the leap away from Swift as a team driver for him. Just CYA if you get my drift. I have heard that if you terminate from Swift, they won't rehire you...rumor statement from this forum and I don't know how true it is. but check everything out with Swift Human Resources FIRST! Don't go into something on somebody else's word...they could be mistaken on certain points.
