Dangers of blogging
 

Our VIP called me in on Thursday and told me I was no longer with the company, "effective today". The reason I was given was," You do a lot of online posting" and "you post your revenue numbers in the blog - that's totally unacceptable." A guy I know who used to work as recruiter in a trucking company said, "is that even legal?" I've been wanting to move on for a long time because the company trucks were getting all the best loads. So now I have a chance to do that. Sent my app to a US carrier who only has owner-operators in the fleet... Since it's going to take them 2 to 3 weeks to get me approved, I'm getting a temp job driving someone else's truck for a month.

The only problem I have is this: plates have been stripped off my truck, as they were the property of the carrier I was leased to. Technically, I can't even drive it off the lot. Anyone has been in this situation? I mean, what do you do with a truck if you are no longer employed with one carrier, but the next one is still looking at your app, and you have no plates? I know I can get my own plates, but MTO (Canadian DOT) would ask for proof of insurance and that's a lot of dough. Any advice would be appreciated ... The carrier said I can keep the truck in the yard for now, but I just don't trust them too much at this point. What if they do some damage to the truck, just out of revenge?

After posting the first message, I went to the MTO website and discovered 2 interesting things:

Vehicle permit and number plate(s) $20.00

Yearly Vehicle Validation Fees Cost

Passenger vehicles or motorized mobile homes
In Southern Ontario $74.00*
In Northern Ontario $37.00*
Motorcycles
In Southern Ontario $42.00*
In Northern Ontario $21.00*
Mopeds
In Southern Ontario $12.00*
In Northern Ontario $12.00*
Commercial vehicle gross weight 3,000 kg or less
In Southern Ontario $74.00*
In Northern Ontario $37.00*

So, it looks like the annual stickers for my truck are only $74 a year, same as for my car? That's weird ...

You don't need a plate to move your truck, only temp insurance. I've used it several times.

Also look at your contract, I doubt there's anything in there that they can terminate the contract "effective today". Usually there's a 30 day notice. Unless you break the law or do something serious (which will be in the contract).

If they disagree, you can easily sue them for 30 days income.

Check on a short term policy as in just long enough to get the truck home. You would pay a premium price for that but it would be cheaper than having it towed. Do you know any body that has a set of dealer plates? Failing that I would and you have to leave it there, I'd park it where they say(hopefully in a corner out of the way) empty it , lock it incl. an air lock, and take some pictures of it.

I would talk to a lawyer to see what options you have and if u did something really illegal.I don't see anything illegal since blogging and posting on the internet involve your free speech rights.

Posting revenue would be a breach of confidentiality. Can't believe a lease would not have that in it.

Many lease contracts have a clause (mine does) which states that either party can terminate the lease for ANY reason. Mine does also say, like Allan mentioned, that 30 days written notice must be given, although my guess is that many parties on both sides routinely violate that clause.

Sounds like Tracer's company is within their rights to terminate for blogging, but might be violating a written-notice clause, if the contract has one.

This is one example of the advantages to having your own base plate and bobtail insurance.

30 day notice is for no reason except to terminate relationship. It's in the fed leasing law. Breach can be immediate termination. That's contract law.

That's the thing: this company does NOT have written contracts when they hire you! So I think technically they can fire me anytime for no reason whatsoever. All I have is a print-out sheet with no signatures that lists what an o/o gets for free, what he has to pay for, remuneration. But it's just a print out...