There is some validity to you point. Unfortunately, this is pretty typical in the trucking industry. Too many truck drivers are poorly educated and barely living paycheck to paycheck. It's even more complicated where owner-operators are concerned.
There are so many trucking companies competing for contracts to haul everything under the sun. Too much competition forces the companies to bid at such low prices, the profit margin can be - and often is - razor thin. In order for the company to be profitable, someone is going to get screwed at the hands of loopholes and fuzzy math. The easiest person to screw is the truck driver.
If you dig into this company, you'll find that they have been doing this for a very long time, and the proper authorities have been notified on numerous occasions. This is also something that's very common. A fine here, a fine there. But the. gov refuses to shut them down.
Many of these companies hire ex DOT employees who know better than anyone how to take advantage of the system. Again, in the end, it's the drivers being taken advantage of.
I'm extremely thankful I drive for a great company. Sadly, they are in the minority.