Trucking: our own authority, trucking business, chance cause

Question
my husband and i are in the trucking business for a while but just resently started transporting goods but we're working with a company that charging us 17%. I've notice that he has us depending on him allot because we brought the truck from him. when my husband is unable to drive because he's the driver, the guy would get one of hes driver to go out but he don't give us thee information on what the driver is doing or where he is, sometimes i feel hes robbing us but we cant proof it. what i wanted to do is get our authority and do it ourselves but my husband say its going to be hard with it being so slow now what can you tell me what advice can u give us. we know the way to do it but should we go for the chance cause if we stay with him we work but he cheats us and if we go we dont have work what do you thing we should do

Answer
Carla, your husband is correct.  Getting your authority is the easy part.  Getting new business will be the challenge in the current economy.  If you can find a niche where you can give excellent service and sell a few shippers that need your service it can work.  You could also find another company to lease on to that will treat you fairly.  If they are sending another driver in your truck they should pay you for the use of the truck just as if they went and rented one.  Best of luck.  jim.