Retailers want 16-hour trucker workday (Walmart)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/03/08/trucker.rules.ap/index.html ^ | 3-9-05

[TXBSAFH]

Critics: 'Sweatshop-on-wheels amendment' Tuesday, March 8, 2005 Posted: 7:35 PM EST (0035 GMT) What's this? MyCashNow - $100 - $1,000 Overnight Payday Loan Cash goes in your account overnight. Very low fees. Fast decisions.... www.mycashnow.com Mortgage Rates Hit Record Lows Get $150,000 loan for $625 per month. Refinance while rates are low. www.lowermybills.com Compare Mortgage Offers Up to four free mortgage, refinance or home equity offers - one easy form. www.nextag.com LendingTree.com - Official Site Lendingtree - Find a mortgage, refinance, home equity or auto loan now. Receive... www.lendingtree.com YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Wal-Mart Stores Incorporated Retail Transportation or Create your own Manage alerts | What is this? WASHINGTON (AP) -- Wal-Mart and other retailers are lobbying Congress to extend the workday for truckers to 16 hours, something labor unions and safety advocates say would make roadways more dangerous for all drivers. Rep. John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican whose district includes Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, is sponsoring a bill that would allow a 16-hour workday as long as the trucker took an unpaid two-hour break. The proposal is expected to be offered as an amendment during debate over the highway spending bill on Wednesday. "Truckers are pushing harder than ever to make their runs within the mandated timeframe," Boozman said. "Optional rest breaks will reduce driver layovers and improve both safety and efficiency."

[Little Ray]

I was under the impression that Truckers were paid by the mile - they drive like bats out o' heck in order to rack up enough miles each day to pay the bills. The actual shift length was irrelevant - just how far they went.

[TXBSAFH]

Some are some aren't. The great walmart of CHina has its own truckers. They are not independents, so they are on hourly pay.

[A. Pole]

You're telling me 16 hours is too much?

Of course. Freemarketeers are not gods (despite their delusions) and cannot defy the laws of nature.

[RushCrush]

Well you all are being subject to my "recklessness" right this minute!!!

[cripplecreek]

Apparently a lot of people are living with the fantasy of the drivers who used to wander into Mels diner.


All this will do is drive more Americans out of the trucking industry and there will be someone waiting to take "the jobs Americans won't do".

[maui_hawaii]

Not to mention that once one does it, the rest will be forced to do it in-voluntarily.

[Incorrigible]

What happened to post #1? Guess you're the default dead!

The problem is that there are not enough truckers willing to work long distance routes for an average of $40,000/year. Push up the compensation and you push up the price of everything hauled in a trailer.

This is why there is a push to allow Mexican trucks on US roads.

[ikka]

My brother runs a small trucking company in a niche business (certain kinds of refrigerated stuff). If the delivery is to WalMart the price goes up at least 20% take it or leave it, due to the crap they pull when he goes to their warehouse.

He also only trucks for Bush supporters and fired a Kerry voter as a customer - who 6 months later stiffed a whole bunch of people on the trucking they did for him.

[frgoff]

This is a terrible idea! How many wrecks are already being caused by tired truckers?

Fewer than you think. Most wrecks are caused by some ass in a Honda cutting off a 18-wheeler.

[Dad2Angels]

We're sorry Mr. Jones but your wife and children won't be coming home as they were just wiped out by a trucker that has put in 16 hours a day for three days straight.

Don't take it so hard sir. How do you think those poor folks waiting on their new shipment of pantyhose and razors feel?

[A. Pole]

Well you all are being subject to my "recklessness" right this minute!!!

So long as you are reckless with the keyboard and you are not driving it is OK with me.

[mvpel]

Way too radical for the Demopublicans in power these days.

[TXBSAFH]

Mexican trucker more jobs Americans won't do. (SARCASM OFF)

The race to the bottom continues.

[Alouette]

I have a radical idea, too. Let's let airline pilots have the same untethered leeway.

Yeah, man. Emergency room physicians too!

[Little Ray]

Hmm.
Okay, Mr. Trucker is stuck in traffic and his shift comes to an end... What then?
If this was to ALLOW truckers to work up to 16 hours, it might make sense. The trucker works until he's done, if takes 8, 10 or even 16 hours, then he hits the sack. I sense a COMPEL here, though...
Wally World is beginning to apply its extortionate techniqes to its employees...

[sportutegrl]

"No-Doz? Ha. That's the G-rated version." You're not talking about Homer Simpsons choice, Stim-U-Crank?

[A. Pole]

Not to mention that once one does it, the rest will be forced to do it in-voluntarily.

And we will have to look at such images more often:

A collision

[meatloaf]

Accidents involving haevy trucks have been dropping. Add to that most accidents involving a car and truck were caused by the driver of the car.

[Bikers4Bush]

The problem is safety.

[dead]

What happened to post #1? Guess you're the default dead!

I think the original poster just posted the full article in the Comments section. Once again, that super-genius plan to subvert the “Excerpt Only” rule has been foiled by even more super-genius countermeasures.

I was wondering why I was getting responses about dead families killed by truckers when I just made a joke about the post including an advertisement for low cost loans!