Julie VMar 28, 2008, 3:01 PM
There isn't enough room on this page to describe how badly OTR truckers are treated in the USA. Let's start with the "new" hours of service rules. Would someone please tell me what other profession mandates a 10 hour, uninterupted, sleep break? And what healthy person needs, or has time for, 10 hours consecutive sleep a day, every day? I don't know about you but there are many nights that a 5 hour sleep is good stuff for me. But 10 hours?! Come on! Emergency help professional, ie, EMT's, Ambulance drivers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, law enforcement, you get the picture, have no restrictions or enforced guidelines placed on how long they can work and how long they sleep. Educators, lawyers, factory workers....everyone that drives to and from work is at risk of causing an accident if they drive when they are over-tired. OTR drivers know when they need to sleep. I work for a trucking company which employs anywhere from 25-40 drivers at a time. My drivers have no problem pulling over when they need a break. It's the mandatory 10 hour break that forces them to drive when they are tired. Example, go on duty after a 34 hour break, let's say they load at 08:00 and for some reason it takes 6 hours to load (not as uncommon as you might think), which we have to fight tooth and nail for to get compensated for the drivers time but that's a different complaint altogether. So the driver already has 6 of his allowed 11 hours on duty used, which leaves him 5 hours to drive. He has to drive 500 miles to his delivery location which has a 06:00 a.m. appt the next day. Let's see, loaded at 14:00, drives until 19:00 and has to stop. He maybe has driven 225-250 miles and has to stop. Now he has one hour left on duty (no driving!) to fuel, eat, paperwork, etc. then it's off to bed for 10, yes 10 hours. No phone calls, no interuptions...the rules clearly state he/she has to be in the sleeper berth for 10 consecutive hours. It's then 05:00 the next morning and he has to drive another 250 miles in one hour. Now he/she is tired but has to drive. I don't think he's going to make it. Missed delivery, has to be rescheduled, misses his reload. All this for $1.50-$2.00 a mile. Keep in mind at today's fuel prices it takes a minimum of $1.15 a mile for fuel and drivers wage. That doesn't even begin to cover fuel taxes, insurance, license, authority, and so on. I'm only getting warmed up. So a truck strike, yeah, I'm all for it. All you 4-wheelers out there, give the big rigs a little room, a little respect and maybe a shout out of thanks once in a while. I guarantee you if you bought it off a shelf, recieved it in the mail, or ordered it via the internet, it was on a truck somewhere at sometime. A three day nationwide truck strike would shut this country down. And to all you underhanded freight brokers out there (that isn't all-inclusive, I deal with some really good ones!), shame on you for keeping what doesn't belong to you. When you've cheated yourself out of a job, don't come crying to me. Ok, 'nuff for now but I'm really just getting warmed up. And for all you doped up, wanna be truckers, I hope you all get caught. (Yeah, you heard me, I know there are bad truckers too but they definately are the minority).
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And lets not forget the stopping of privatizing of highways(toll roads). We pay taxes that built most of the roads. We pay fuel taxes that help maintain these roads. So why in heck should we have to pay to drive on them. Would you build a house, then hand over the keys to someone that will rent it out, and keep the money? Enough is Enough, Shutdown May 1st-8th
Let's not forget the wives and girlfriends who sit at home waiting for the return of their significant other, while they are steady kept out longer than promised to them! Companies forever lying about home time, finding 101 reasons to with hold bonuses, and always messing up paychecks
My fiancee is a driver, and I support this movement 100%. If there is anything us spouses can do to help with this, please let us know! I am sure there are many more just like me out there who is willing, ready, and able to help ya'll. Just a few years ago, he was bringing home $1,000 a week. We are lucky to see $600 a week now! What is happening to the economy that we forget about those who make the world turn? What I mean is, without all you drivers, everything would come to a halt in no time. People don't realize the crap ya'll get and take on a daily basis. 4 wheelers thinking they can cut you off on the freeways, companies thinking they can talk to you any kind of way, and people who hold a degree thinking they are better then truckers talking crap about the work ya'll do! The U.S needs to realize that we eat because of truckers. We drive because of the fuel that was delivered from truckers. We sleep on mattresses that truckers brought to the stores and so on. Good luck guys and gals, and as I stated previously...if there is anything we can do to support our men and women of the roads...call us out! There are many of us who will stand up for you all! God Bless
There isn't enough room on this page to describe how badly OTR truckers are treated in the USA. Let's start with the "new" hours of service rules. Would someone please tell me what other profession mandates a 10 hour, uninterupted, sleep break? And what healthy person needs, or has time for, 10 hours consecutive sleep a day, every day? I don't know about you but there are many nights that a 5 hour sleep is good stuff for me. But 10 hours?! Come on! Emergency help professional, ie, EMT's, Ambulance drivers, doctors, nurses, firefighters, law enforcement, you get the picture, have no restrictions or enforced guidelines placed on how long they can work and how long they sleep. Educators, lawyers, factory workers....everyone that drives to and from work is at risk of causing an accident if they drive when they are over-tired. OTR drivers know when they need to sleep. I work for a trucking company which employs anywhere from 25-40 drivers at a time. My drivers have no problem pulling over when they need a break. It's the mandatory 10 hour break that forces them to drive when they are tired. Example, go on duty after a 34 hour break, let's say they load at 08:00 and for some reason it takes 6 hours to load (not as uncommon as you might think), which we have to fight tooth and nail for to get compensated for the drivers time but that's a different complaint altogether. So the driver already has 6 of his allowed 11 hours on duty used, which leaves him 5 hours to drive. He has to drive 500 miles to his delivery location which has a 06:00 a.m. appt the next day. Let's see, loaded at 14:00, drives until 19:00 and has to stop. He maybe has driven 225-250 miles and has to stop. Now he has one hour left on duty (no driving!) to fuel, eat, paperwork, etc. then it's off to bed for 10, yes 10 hours. No phone calls, no interuptions...the rules clearly state he/she has to be in the sleeper berth for 10 consecutive hours. It's then 05:00 the next morning and he has to drive another 250 miles in one hour. Now he/she is tired but has to drive. I don't think he's going to make it. Missed delivery, has to be rescheduled, misses his reload. All this for $1.50-$2.00 a mile. Keep in mind at today's fuel prices it takes a minimum of $1.15 a mile for fuel and drivers wage. That doesn't even begin to cover fuel taxes, insurance, license, authority, and so on. I'm only getting warmed up. So a truck strike, yeah, I'm all for it. All you 4-wheelers out there, give the big rigs a little room, a little respect and maybe a shout out of thanks once in a while. I guarantee you if you bought it off a shelf, recieved it in the mail, or ordered it via the internet, it was on a truck somewhere at sometime. A three day nationwide truck strike would shut this country down. And to all you underhanded freight brokers out there (that isn't all-inclusive, I deal with some really good ones!), shame on you for keeping what doesn't belong to you. When you've cheated yourself out of a job, don't come crying to me. Ok, 'nuff for now but I'm really just getting warmed up. And for all you doped up, wanna be truckers, I hope you all get caught. (Yeah, you heard me, I know there are bad truckers too but they definately are the minority).
Is this forum only for O/O? If not I can add my say and yes I support the truck drivers. You guys and gals are wonderful!
The discussion on the actual issues is encouraging. Wages, hours, and working conditions are all discussed. Seems like there is a new labor movement in the making. Congrats to all of you. ernie
I am an owner operator. I have been home for 2 weeks waiting for the price of freight to catch up enough to pay for the trips. The brokers are not offering any more than they were 3 years ago. They can not tell me the shippers are not paying more.. Yes the brokers will go up some but what are they thinking trying to keep the fuel surcharge and all the increases... My point is Without truck drivers brokers would not have a job. They fo not get it.. It should be mandated that we always.... yes always know how much the shipper is paying and what the shipper is giving for the fuel surcharge and know the amount/percentage the shipper gets. It is sad but true some get ..you ready for this... 50% or more.. yes. This needs to stop. It is sad when your income goes down yearly because of this. It is not just a small percentage of brokers it is the majority from our experience. You have to call and call and call until you find the one willing to pay what the load is worth. No matter where the price of diesel goes without the brokers giving the increase to the driver the loads will end up staying where they are... The trains and boats can not back up to the door of the doors.... Good luck to all....
Robert GOOD POST. this is true i saw a load 1 day that a broker made a profit of 85% of the load. There is NO REASON this should ever happen. This is happening everyday. I just don't understand how this can keep on happening. I WILL NOT EVER haul for any broker that would pull some dumb!@# stunt like this.
Lord help us all if Obama gets in the office, we want have to worry about trucking, think he'll have a social program for the truckers, whose going to pay the taxes for it?
This so called " Shutdown " is for the weak.... It will be good for the industry to get rid of the deadweight !!! Go ahead " shutdown " lose more money, while we go and take away your customers !!!!!
Many shippers are paying the price. My freight finder checked a load several times through different brokers as it came up on her screen. Each time it went up in price. The last time she checked it out it was the shipper who posted the load brokers had skimmed as much as 33% before the broker fee. Shipper freight cost should be on all paper work as well as time to pay. At least this way we could tell just how much of a crook the broker truely is & setting broker limits is a good idear. Shippers posting loads themselves could solve some broker thief problems. Not all are but it only takes a few just like everything else. As for the meatball who posted the degading comments to truckers & thinks he would like to see us all out to have trains take over. I hope you like wiping your ass with your finger we deliver shit paper as well as everything you see & by the time your food reaches the market it will be over ripe GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be shutting down on may 1, 2008 my truck & I are due for a short break. I will be at home with my lovely wife to be and our 3 lovely children maybe we can take off for a few days hope it makes a differnce.
Hello, I am new to O/O side of trucking. I bought my truck Feb. 07. I think things are tight but thats business (getting started and all). I am confused by the request to shut down in May? If I was going to shut down in protest I'd do it June 3-5. Thats when DOT is working 72 hours straight doing inspection. If we pull the trucks off the road what will they inspect? They would be sitting on there buts inpected the pavement! (that might get some roads fixed) The counrty would get the point to respect what we do. Afteer all 3 days of nothing being delivered would make things so tight that Pres. Bush would go on the airways and tell us that we are not allowed to go on strike and cuase a hick up in the economy. ( like his administration did not do this already). Most people have told me that I should have never have bought a truck because of the fuel prices. I don't think that is the biggest issue. I have only fould one broker that I felt was not stealing the fuel surcharge that they are charging the shippers. At todays prices that an easy .45 cents a mile! The company that I am leased to does alright by me. I can make 2500.00+ after paying for fuel per week. I feel thats doing pretty good with fuel where its at but I would like to see what more experienced o/o have to say. Looking forward to hearing from you all.
Well I have to say I'm all for this to happen. My husband was a truck driver and he quit because we could not make it. He was a company driver making only 500 or less a week. about 4 years ago he was making close to a grand. It is times like these we should all work together and make this happen. I know it would be tough for a few days or week but this is what this world needs. We all depend on so much. Everyone says that North America is the Best place to live. I my self wish we didn't have a lot that we have today. A lot of people in the USA is over weight and buy cutting a lot of thing off would only do us some good.
On another blog that I was reading they are saying that truckers are shutting down April 1st through the 6th.
My family owns a shipping biz. Ive seen many a night my mother stayed trying to talk companies out of more money for a driver. My father is also a driver and they know what it takes to deliver a load. Ive seen times when they ended up making 50 dollars on a load after several hours of work trying to get a driver more money. So not all companies are the same please keep that in mind. There are times when they do make money yes, thats survival. But there are times when they go in the red to make a company happy that too is survival. And trust me, they arent making 1k a week either. That is why my father went back to driving, to make ends meet while she is out there trying to find you all loads at a reasonable pay rate. Stacy
I liked the list someone posted about shipper supplying pallets, receivers paying for unloading, GETTING PAID WHILE WE WAIT, displaying what the shipper is paying for the load. I used to work for a company that paid percentage. I was a company driver and they could and did tell me whatever they wanted to about what the load paid. I caught them several times paying less than what I was supposed to get. The first few times I got my money but toward the end they said that's the way it is. If I didn't like it, it was time to move on. Well I did move on. Then i wrote a letter to the state d.o.t. outlining the crooked crap they were doing and making the drivers do. Most of the drivers there agreed with me until it was time to actually do something. Then they all got scared for their job. There comes a point when you just have to say freak it and do what's right. Not to mention a little personal satisfaction when d.o.t. walks in and audits their butts. Drivers as a whole are being screwed and this is nothing new. O/O, company, whatever. Its time to get what is ours. We sure as hell have worked for it.
God bless you Chris
One for all all for one the trucking industry starts with us without us this world would be devasted,i read and listen to people say the drivers are the ones who have messed up the highways,and there the number 1 reasons for accidents and whats going on now with the strike is bull s---t but thats people who dont relize how there world turns,I have some freinds who are indepented o/o and they really wish they could be right there involed but if they dont pay the truck pym it falls back on (mom) who co-signed and how could they let some one take from her. need to get someone in the media to push this show it write about more coverage