I work with a major inventory company. They set up meet times for out of town stores. we meet at the office andgo in the company van from there we go to the job site. our employer holds the first hour of travel time, then pays min wage. they also hold the hour back. is this legal

This would largely depend on whether the initial meeting at the office is voluntary or not. That is, if you need to report to a distant location and they give you the option to report to the office and car pool or to drive it on your own, then there will be some issues about how much time needs to be paid for.

If they require that you report to the office and then take the van over, then the entire time would be work time and need to be paid for.

They say that riding in the van is not manditory and when we do inventories in the bay area we will meet at the store. but what is the amount of miles that is considered compute time and when does it become travel time. why can the driver of the van get paid for the hours they hold from the passengers?

I assume you are non-exempt employees? If you are exempt, the entire answer changes.

adelaswanson: What is the amount of miles that is considered compute time and when does it become travel time?

The DLSE has takes the position that travel involving a substantial distance from one's fixed assigned work place to a distant work site to report to work on a short-term basis is compensable travel time. The travel time is measured by the difference between the time it normally takes the employee to travel from his or her home to the assigned work place and the time it takes the employee to travel from home to the distant work site. You can access the DLSE's opinion letter on this subject here http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/opinions/2003-04-22.pdf

What if my work place changes every day?

I have a question about time spent before and after the job. Sometimes when I have gone in the company van, for some reason (can be a few reasons) the van doesnt leave right away and it could be any where from half and hour to a couple of hours. Should this be considered in with travel time.