> Also, California's AB5 law has outlawed owner operators
No, it didn't. To the extent anything did, the application by the California Supreme Court of the ABC test in Dynamex (prior to AB5) did (which also isn't entirely true, owner-operators usually meet 2 of the 3 prongs of the test, and the third prong depends on the core business of the employing firm; some will pass and some won’t.) AB5 actually created an explicit time-limited exemption to the ABC test for certain owner-operators of trucks (notably, in construction.)
No, it didn't. To the extent anything did, the application by the California Supreme Court of the ABC test in Dynamex (prior to AB5) did (which also isn't entirely true, owner-operators usually meet 2 of the 3 prongs of the test, and the third prong depends on the core business of the employing firm; some will pass and some won’t.) AB5 actually created an explicit time-limited exemption to the ABC test for certain owner-operators of trucks (notably, in construction.)