I spoke with them hoping that I could stay close to home and just run the west coast on a very part time basis. Not enough $$ in it to make sense. Fuel, tires, wear and tear on the running gear, insurance, etc, it just doesn't pencil out. No mention was made of fuel surcharge pass thru and I don't even know if they qualify under DOT rules for the surcharge. Commercial big rigs get fuel surcharge and by law the carrier has to pass that along in one way or another to the owner/operator. This means that as the price of fuel fluxuates the rates may stay the same but the fuel surcharge will help compensate to some degree.
To much risk for to little reward.
Steve