[agitator]

If the borders were secure this BS advertisement for treating every truck driver like a criminal wouldn't even be discussed.

[satchmodog9]

Once again government moves in for the kill on the wrong target.

[Flavius]

plus even if they did implant biometrics devices into people,
guys driving from mexico will have all the exemptions...

i imagine cafta has provisions for mexican truckers to fly by our highways...

if my fried brain is having the rig th recollection about xicans...

how fun fun fun

[kerryusama04]

I'm a huge advocate for truckers getting nationwide CCW permits for this specific reason. I am scared to death that some jihadi is going to drive a fuel delivery truck into a schoolhouse.

[konaice]

Fleet Defender Consulting Services LLC, a private company providing anti-terrorism consulting to trucking companies

Is it just me or does this sound like someone playing the "terrorist card" to fill his own wallet?

I imagine a lot of people droped their HazMat certification just out of indignation after driving gasoline all over the country for 20 years being told they have to get fingerprinted all of a sudden. (As if fingerprints are left at truckbomb sites).

[stylin19a]

"Without question, terrorists, convicted felons and other undesirables are traveling the country, legally driving 80,000 lb. big rigs throughout every community in America

I don't get it....haven't the Teamsters always drove 80k lbs trucks legally ?

[Captainpaintball]

What is the problem? don't hire any arabs. I wouldn't.

[quantim]

If I were a commie/socialist with a bent supported by dimwit taxpayers this is the first place I'd start.

Hello.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

What an odd title. Unless I'm seriously missing something, there is nothing in the article to back it up-- only moaning and groaning that commerical driver's license applicants aren't fingerprinted, and so on. Actually "article" is too kind a word for this-- it's more of an infomercial or something. Shame on AP.

[Radix]

I have a CDL license, I have had one for many years now.......

This article is absolutely bullshit.....


Fingerprinting CDL drivers? What a crock...

Why would anyone post such nonsense?

[umgud]

See the basic TSA program here; http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=4&content=0900051980028ee5

[hombre_sincero]

Welcome to Highway Watch®

http://www.highwaywatch.com/

Highway Watch® is the roadway sector's national safety and security program that utilizes the skills, experiences, and "road smarts" of America's transportation workers to help protect the nation's critical infrastructure and the transportation of goods, services, and people.

School Bus Anti-Terrorism Training Program Announced

Highway Watch® Tops 100,000 Mark

http://www.highwaywatch.com/

[F16Fighter]

Any excuse to abuse the privacy and rights of law-abiding Americans because the Federal Government refuses to enforce laws against criminal border-crashing illegal invaders in the FIRST place.

[Newtoidaho]

Fingerprinting for hazmat drivers was initially to begin in 2003, it was delayed several times by the TSA, who can't seem to get their act together on anything. The program is now in place, all hazmat endorsed CDL drivers renewing/transfering/obtaining this endorsement must be fingerprinted. This affects possibly 10% of CDL drivers (there are about 3.5 million CDL drivers in the US). So far only a handful of drivers have lost their hazmat endorsements. If they are found to have a criminal record under this check, they only lose their hazmat endorsement, but they keep their CDL and can still drive a truck, the only restriction being they cannot haul a hazmat load.

In addition to Highway Watch, there are a couple of other US government programs/regulatory efforts designed to tighten up security in the trucking industry.

First, most trucking companies that haul hazmat must have written security plans in place that address personnel/access to facility/en-route security steps. Also, companies that haul hazmat must train their drivers in security awareness.

Second, there are voluntary Food Safety/Security guidelines from the USDA, as well as some FDA security measures in place.

As anyone in the trucking industry knows, there are indeed a lot of unsavory characters floating around. Trucking companies are hamstrung (cost & difficulty) in their abilities to adequately check applicant backgrounds; even a person's driving record can be difficult to obtain, not to mention a person's complete criminal record.

It's probably only a matter of time before this industry is used by a terrorist group in this country.

[advance_copy]

Breaker, breaker one-nine. Don't profile muslims on New York subway lines! Get them truckers instead. Cuz we know they're the good buddies we gotta get.

[TruckingSolutions.com]

Hello.

I discovered this discussion thread via a google search referring URL that I traced from my website hit counters and then on that google page I saw a link to this thread.

Even though it's a security advertisment, he's definitely correct about the threat level. It's actually WORSE than
what he describes and what a little company like his is capable of even addressing on any large scale.

DIRTY BOMB (RDD)
Stolen 9700 Gallon Gasoline Tanker, 3300 Gallons Rheocrete plus spent fuel rods missing:

http://kyw.com/Local%20News/local_story_316001720.html

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/stolentanker.html

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/congress-docs/correspondence/2004/markey-06242004.pdf


The entire system is frought with incredible security issues
(just like pre 9/11 with the airlines) due to the substandard conditions that the American Trucker is forced to work under so that we all have stocked shelves at Walmart. Example: Walmart is legally allowed by the federal government and the DOT to awaken their drivers during their DOT rest periods to WORK and be forced to switch out Walmart equipment.

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/walmart.html

The conditions in most trucking jobs are brutal.
The method in which you are addressed as an employee is often hostile and combative due to delivery pressures and guarantees on time sensitive shipments. In addition, the entire system is on the verge of a collapse due to a severe driver shortage (no wonder) and especially now with pump prices upwards of $3-4 per gallon for diesel and so forth.

When you understand the true logistics of the
trucking industry, how truckers are *exempt*
from the fair labor standards act (FLSA)
and how violating DOT regulations is a way
of life as mandated by most major carriers, you get
a flavor for just how serious the problem actually
is nationwide.

To make matters even worse, the American Trucking Associations which is the trucking "cartel" on capitol hill, is actually responsible for the policing of the trucking industry. That's right folks, the corrupt K Street lobbyists of the industry's trade association are technically in charge, delegating security as they see it, and how it is ultimately applied inside the trucking industry, NOT Homeland Security or TSA. See, most of Congress is bought lock, stock and barrel by Whit Whittinghill (ATA's senior lobbyist) and he and the board member companies of the ATA were able to convince congress to allow the racketeering trucking industry to self police itself from terrorists.

http://www.highwayisac.org/

So ATA and Homeland created the "Highway Watch" program, and have "tried" to educate some drivers, but beyond the hoopla, less than a few thousand out of the nation's 3,000,000 truckers have actually received any training to "spot terrorists" or avoiding situations whereby a driver can be killed or highjacked, especially with a HAZMAT load. Such as idling in a truck stop, and leaving the cab to get a cup of coffee after fueling and not shutting it down and taking the keys. Training? Please, truckers are on the road moving freight and commodities, they aren't in the trucking company's terminal office with a certified TSA trainer or ATA security rep learning to spot enemies. That's nutty.

The REAL danger is that the good drivers are being targeted, fined, threatened with jail and silenced as part of the industry's evil doing in DC to save itself from federal oversight. Drivers who refuse to violate DOT regs and insist on doing the job legally and safely are being terminated in record numbers. There is a fever pitch in this nation behind the corporate trucking walls to target drivers who are "trucking whistleblowers".

These links should get you started.

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/intro.html

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/southeastmilk.html

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/hoursofserviceproposal.html

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/eaglecrash092004.html

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940CE5D8123CF937A15753C1A9649C8B63

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/terroristusingtrucks.html

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/coverup.html

http://www.truckingsolutions.com/walmart.html

Daniel S. Somerson
Webmaster
http://www.truckingsolutions.com/