What is an owner operator?

I own a truck, and I’m leased on as an owner operator to a tanker company, doing OTR loads. I recently had another owner operator tell me I can’t call myself an O/O because I’m leased on to a company. He was very angry, and said I have everything handed to me, so basically I’m not a “real” O/O.
So my question is if this is a real thing with the “real” O/Os, and what should I call myself if so? I don’t lease my truck through the company (like a lease purchase deal), so I don’t feel like I’m a lease operator like at Prime or another mega.
I don’t know of an alternative label for what I do, so let me know if there is one, and how egregious a crime it is for me to call myself an O/O. Thanks y’all!

 

I don’t give a eff what people think of me, but I didn’t think this was a thing until this happened. I’m just asking y’all if this was just one angry man with low self esteem, or some sort of unwritten rule that I haven’t heard of. And if there is a different name for what I do.

 

Well said. This guy just seemed so angry. I can’t understand insulting somebody because you have your own authority and they don’t. He told me he makes more money than me on a bad week. That’s when I knew what kind of person he is…
All of this out of nowhere

 

Yeah, he caught me off guard with all of his bs. Normally I ignore those people, but it did get me curious, so that’s why I posted this on here.