Opinions on the Blue Ribbon Task Force initiative

Discussion in 'Canadian Truckers Forum' started by TheGrimReefer, Feb 23, 2015.

  1. TheGrimReefer

    TheGrimReefer Bobtail Member

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    Hey everyone,

    What are your opinions on the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Driver Shortage?

    Here is a link to the website

    http://www.drivershortage.ca/

    I agree something needs to be done, but what is your faith or thoughts of something like this actually going to be heard by the Government?

    For me personally, companies are fighting each other way too much on prices to shippers. Which as a whole, has to stop, companies need to be responsible for making profit.....FOR THE DRIVERS as well. Shippers and consumers need to know why they pay for shipping, and how exactly it gets there. Appreciate the fact that a truck, driven by a human, brought it.
     
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  3. Pullin2

    Pullin2 Crusty Canuck

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    Truthfully boys and girls, I'm personally pretty sick of the argument. Time for new blood to pick up the rage ! Good luck. I've been squirming since the days of de-regulation in the late 80's.

    You're banging yer collective heads against the wall. I've screamed and yelled for years, and all it did was black list me in many places. I'm giving my banged up head a chance to heal before retirement.

    I'm a great source of information, but people have to come look for it now, I'm not beatin down doors anymore.

    Cheers
     
  4. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    All a bunch of crap

    You can believe there is a shortage when product isn't on the shelf and the reason is "we couldn't find anyone to deliver it to us"

    BULL ROAR!

    The only shortage is a shortage of drivers willing to put up with everything we put up with as truck drivers, all the while every angle of it is negative, the public generally hates you, whenever you are even near an accident you are at fault, "how could the truck driver have prevented this?" - give me a break, shippers/receivers don't care about your time, and the government continues to pile on the regulation. And then we turn around and wonder why so many drivers, past or present, tell other people (their kids) not to ever get behind the wheel of a truck.

    Only shortage is people willing to do this job for less than the current going rate.

    Remember - all the trucking is still getting done. So ... where is this "shortage" ???
     
  5. TheGrimReefer

    TheGrimReefer Bobtail Member

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    I agree, the shortage is the pay. The problem is companies making profits off inexperienced drivers willing to work for nothing.
     
  6. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    How is a company making a profit a problem?

    Don't forget an inexperienced driver will cost more to insure, and is more likely to cost the company a similar amount as compared to a more experienced driver who will run over less curbs, bend fewer bumpers, know how to load his truck so the weight is good and no problems at scale houses, etc. ...
     
  7. TheGrimReefer

    TheGrimReefer Bobtail Member

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  8. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    I have to disagree with your part of "they get paid pretty much the same"

    New drivers almost never make the same as experienced drivers, and the difference is more than a few thousand per year.
     
  9. TheGrimReefer

    TheGrimReefer Bobtail Member

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    I agree,

    But I said good and bad drivers. Experience doesn't necessarily mean better. You could get experienced drivers who treat equipment like ####, cost the company more because they speed, and get #### fuel mileage, and are picky about where they go. You could have a less experienced driver, knows what he is doing, is willing to go wherever, drives the equipment right, but still gets paid the same as the bad driver, or less. That being said, I don't have tons of experience myself and don't know how much of a problem it is.

    I don't know how many companies actually track their drivers and look out for these guys.
     
  10. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

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    I read that wikipedia and it was interesting.

    I think the idea of "average" drivers can be applied along the same linear graph as experience, as experience grows so does the quality of the driver. There will be outlyers in any statistical analysis.

    There's also more than just experience level, there are costs to recruit and train drivers. Lots of smaller companies that pay more to the drivers tend to have longer driver retention, which saves the company money. When the driver is paid above average and is happy with the work environment he will likely stay for longer. Some people (myself included) believe that if you run the best equipment (379/389/w900L) you get a different kind of driver. One that will likely care about having a clean truck and not drive the hell out of it. A driver who will really treat that truck as his own. Take a look at how Kaiser out of WI works ... or tri-corp in Ontario canada, also Genuine in ON, CA ... they run ONLY the best equipment and at the same time pay their drivers close to 100,000 ... company drivers! They are a very difficult company to even get an interview to work for. They do not have a driver shortage at all.
     
    TheGrimReefer Thanks this.
  11. TheGrimReefer

    TheGrimReefer Bobtail Member

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    Thanks for pointing out those companies, I am sure they are geared towards a more sustainable long term business plan than short sighted companies who cycle through employees.

    Also, I am glad you liked the wikipedia article. It is interesting, and I am sure you can apply it to a few things.
     
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