Be happy. Truckers are in great demand. A huge chunk of the population will be unemployed in a few months.
This a good post. Truckers are on the front line as much as nurses and doctors are. We can do without actors and singers and social warriors. But we cannot do without nurse and doctors...and truckers.
I’d love to help you out, bro, but do you think Congress will actually come up with legislation that will improve your situation? Series question. Not trying to be a jerk. For once.
Stockers have had hordes of zombies packing into the stores around them, saying, “only the flu” and breathing in their faces. Many of those zombies have been driving to five or ten stores looking for things to horde as a form of entertainment. Because of that, the disease might continue to spread fast.
I’m for truckers getting all they can, within reason. But in case nobody’s noticed, a few trucking outfits are busting their buns to get rolling with autonomous self-driving trucks. Price yourself out of the market and you push even more companies to go driverless. Just thinking about repercussions.
The shortage of Truck Drivers was predicted at least 25 years ago. Further back I think, but my memory is not perfect.
The Rats solved the problem by opening our borders to Mexican and Canadian Drivers not subject to the federal CDL regulations. This was to avoid Businesses having to compensate American Drivers fairly. In fact it is ‘The Example.’
The worst friend that Truckers ever had was Government.
Ah, that explains why my steel supply company shudders at the idea of YRC delivering my Cro-Mo tube.
They informed me that YRC damages too much material, so I should not use them.
I thought “How do you mangle steel tube so often as to be black-balled” by the distributor?
Now that I know they are Unionized the question is answered.
1. DEAL WITH THE DETENTION ISSUE BY FORCING SHIPPERS/RECEIVERS TO PAY FOR EXCESS LOADING/UNLOADING TIME. Since drivers are paid by the mile and not by the hour, they aren’t compensated for the time they spend sitting at a loading dock. Every haul should include a maximum window of time to unload a truck at the loading dock, and the shipper/receiver should be forced to pay a penalty to the trucking firm if it takes longer than that. The trucking firm should also pay the driver for this extra unproductive time.
2. ADD FLEXIBILITY TO THE HOURS OF SERVICE RULES. This is one area that has gotten much worse since the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has mandated electronic logging devices for commercial vehicles. There ought to be a whole bunch of exceptions to these rules. Driving to find a place to park your truck for your mandatory 10-hour rest period shouldn’t be considered a violation, for example. And you should not be tagged with a violation if you run out of hours at a loading dock and the shipper/receiver won’t let you stay on the property after your truck has been unloaded.
The last 2 week paid vacation I had was in 1979, and I didn’t even get that because I didn’t work there long enough. I have been self-employed since 1980, and a paid vacation-—paid benefits— or other perks have not existed for me.
However, I controlled the hours I wanted to work, and I dropped the clients I got hinky about. I own all my property & vehicles. Only owe credit cards. Never made more than $64,000 a year in gross earnings.
Bump for the truckers
I was trucking yesterday, helping with a delivery.
On our return journey, the driver wanted to stop for a coffee at a Tim Hortons.
Cars were lined up at the drive-thru but our truck was too tall to fit.
I got out to order inside but there was a notice on the door that only the drive-thru was available.
As I was walking back to the truck a young lady in the drive-thru line called out asking what we wanted and that she would get it.
My co-worker wanted a small coffee, she said okay and she would meet us after picking it up.
While we were waiting I saw 3 separate people go to the entrance, ignore the notification, open the door and walk into the coffee shop.
The lady picked up the coffee, drove up and gave it to my fellow trucker.
We appreciated it and wanted to pay for the coffee but she would not hear of it and gave us a heartfelt thanks for the job we were doing.
It was a very kind gesture and greatly appreciated.