I just received and watched a DVD called Coal Bucket Outlaw.

It is about coal truck drivers in eastern Kentucky and how they have to break the law to remain in business. Has anyone else seen this short documentary? I bought it from a company called Appalshop Films and I would recommend to anyone.

Is this a new thing or has it been out a while?

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Z-Lady's devoted hubby.

YouTube has a clip of the trailer on there. I'm just too lazy to post the link.

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"I must say as to what I have seen of Texas, it is the garden spot of the world, the best land and the best prospects for health I ever saw, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here" - Davey Crockett

copy past submit reply, well at least your honest about why you did not post the link

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Pumpkin Driver - we got problems but so does every one else
Army Driver
"Wars come and go, but my soldiers stay eternal." tupac

I live in the areas mentioned in the film. I hauled coal for several years in eastern KY and southern WV. This is not an accurate account of your typical coal hauler by todays standards. Many years ago, it was required by the truck owners to run severely overloaded (in excess of 150,000 pounds) to make money. Today, most of the carriers here run compliant, besides, both KY and WV now have permits allowing 126,000 pounds legally on a tri axle trailer. As well as an automated enforcement network that monitors the scales at the loading point and unloading point. If a driver scales in overweight, his info and weight are sent via internet to the authorities. West Virginia has now started mailing violations to the trucking companies. The coal companies have raised rates considerably, but still not enough to make a fortune on.

I will admit that there are still a handfull of rednecks in trucks here that run completely illegally but, for the most part, they are all compliant.

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The film was made in 2002. I'm glad the situation has improved for those truckers.

as of yesterday one more is complying, i saw one about to get weighed with the portable scales on rt 23. he was rounded up pretty good, so i would guess they bad mouthed him.lol

I'd say so... I'm glad I'm out of it myself.

BTW, I see you are in KY, and you mentioned travelling US 23...
Where in KY are you? I'm here near Pikeville, and work in Ivel, KY for R/S Godwin Truck Body Co.

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Pretty Soon rates are gonna skyrocket for Coal Drivers.

In the next 10 years, i believe it was estimated that Coal will jump from 51% to 73% of our Electricity Source. Cheap, Effective, but still polluting.

Anyone else think we should go more toward Nuclear??? It requires Water, Storage for the Waste, and a guy running a laptop.

Nah, General Electric has a super smooth invention called the Clean Coal power plant. That, and the way the coal is mined plays an important role in reducing pollutants. (I know it sounds stupid "clean coal" right? I mean, coal is, in fact, dirty). But selection of low sulfur, high BTU coal is now the mining companies goal. Beleive it or not, the mining companies reject about 40% of what they mine because it doesn't meet EPA criteria.

Freaky Huh??

So much science goes into hauling a little black rock around...

Ok, I admit it, I'm a nerd trapped in a truck drivers body... OK!!! There I said it...

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