To change our image and earn respect is impossible when the trucking industry has turned the drivers pool into a convicted sex offenders paradise. Does anyone read the news? Everyday there are stories in the headlines;
Trucker, female friend face mountain of charges, including rape
The Trucker - May 29 8:40 AM
CARYVILLE, Tenn. — A Detroit truck driver and his female companion — both of whom reportedly are convicted sex offenders — have been arrested in Caryville, Tenn., for allegedly raping and beating a woman hitchhiker.
Woman raped in moving truck
The Times - May 27 6:29 PM A 24-year-old woman alleged that she was raped in a moving truck
16 migrants, hidden pot found by agents
Tucson Citizen - May 31 12:10 AM Sixteen illegal immigrants, two with criminal records; 2,600 pounds of marijuana; and female human skeletal remains were found by Border Patrol on Thursday in a tractor trailer, authorities said.

On any given day you can read about truck drivers who are convicted sexual offenders, drug runners, pimp daddy's selling children or child porn. The trucking industry would rather train a convicted sexual offender then to pay the pennies per mile an experienced driver receives. SAFETY IS NOT IN THEIR BUDGET.

The ATA and the major trucking companies work real hard degrading the experienced drivers and then make false DAC reports to justify the use of the sexual offenders lists for training new drivers. It has become so common now that they even set up teem drivers with both sexual offenders, a fleet manager claimed if I did not like them pimping the white single mother in Memphis in the bobtail I should quit.

How do we change our image?

There is statistically no more predators or criminals in trucking than any other occupation, so I fail to see your point.

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I pretty much agree with Roadkill on that one. Although I hate to see truckers portrayed in a negative light I would think that if you look at any occupation you will find a certain percentage of people who's behavior is deviant or criminal. Teachers, law enforcement, politicians and grocery store clerks to name a few. The publics opinion of truckers may be a little different simply because even though there are so many drivers unless you are a member of that culture or know someone who is it can seem mysterious and different if you don't really know anything about it. I would see where the lifestyle could be very attractive to someone who is interested in commiting criminal acts simply because you are constantly on the move and harder for law enforcement to catch. It is a shame that the drivers out there who do good and even heroic deeds are often overshadowed by the bottom feeders among us.

Yep there will always be bottom feeders, no matter what ya do!!! Unfortunately in all walks of life, doing all kinds of jobs, like I mentioned in another post, there are alot of sickos out there .

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The reason for the DAC is to keep the bottom feeders out of trucking because they are on the move. These reports of log violation, bad conduct for refusing to drag a flat, walking out of orientation, are not criminal violations. This is why the DOT wants to take over all screening of all CDL drivers, which also includes the medical eval portion. The DAC service is only a justification of the industry hiring bottom feeders; durring the medical eval portion the trucking supervisors are handing out whole cloves of garlic to those who have heart conditions. The trucking industry is all about cutting the drivers pennies per mile; even to the point of hiring and training criminals. Home invasions seems to be on the rise with these bottom feeders along with the kidnapping and rape of these duct taped women being found in sleeper berths. So, just like the public school district; look the other way, there are not enough teachers.

As I stated: criminal elements in trucking are no more statistically prevalent in trucking than they are in any other occupation; and again I fail to see your point.

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Discuss ways for truckers to improve their image. How do we change our image and earn respect back? Do you really think Urine bottles, and litterbugs are more of a problem then the front page newspaper declairing: Two truck drivers caught in home invasion and accused of raping of a 14 year old. My point is; this image has been created by the suits in the office making deals with the Department of Corrections Parole Division for more federal training moneys. They are called High Risk drivers and the big companies have High Risk Management teams. Once your image as a truck driver left "safety of the public" and became "budget cuts" and "trainees for lower rates," your image went down the toilet. You really think the bullet proof glass and electronic security are home office improvements?

This is the very thing that I had a "discussion" with Wiseone and Cybergal over at another thread earlier. It's that 5-10% element that makes us look bad to to the public. Never mind that truckers every day come up on accidents and radio, call in, and even stop and render aid which for the most part is appreciated, but is usually underreported.

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The trouble with the world is not that people know too little, but that they know so many things that ain't so
- Mark Twain

Let's support our new president,
but Obama should remember one thing,
Gray Davis.....

"Trucker Bombs" and litter are HARDLY just from truckdrivers, many of them are thrown out by car drivers as well. Two drivers blah, blah, blah.....that was TWO out of 1.2MILLION. Trucking companies aren't hiring more than a handful of Parolees, for a couple very good reasons

1. Felons can't go to Canada
2. Felons can't haul hazmat
3. Parolees can't cross state lines

The percentage of criminals in trucking isn't statistically higher than the General Population.
SO, what again is your point? I mean other than the obvious attempt at smearing honest hard-working truckdrivers and fear-mongering.

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Where is the justification in fear mongering or smearing honest hard working truck drivers? This is about improving the truck drivers image. Are you saying your image is improved because trucking companies aren't hiring more then a handful of Paroles each orientation. Your justification of the percentage of criminals in the trucking industry to the general population degrades the possition of commercial truck drivers. Now, if you told me the trucking industry was hiring Parolees with multiple sexual offences into the dispatch and recruiting departments I would be ok with that image.