Truck Owners ANGRY and Scared Over Fuel Costs

[Working Class Patriot]

Originally Posted by broncrider

"Don't panic-use your heads-become educated-become involved-communicate" from ron-mars

i think thats what we are trying to do here,what are your thoughts on how we would best be served in this current predicament?

the non-native trucks thing had crossed my mind but i somehow forgot to include it in my list....canadian and mexican

cyber has stressed runnin legal in the past....has anyone actually stayed with it as of yet??

5 mph below is a good idea, but i see problems with joe-driver not thinking he will make enuff ( 30 miles a day really gonna kill ya?)
and yes i know im not one who should be talkin about daily mileage or slowing down but i can and will if thats what is decieded on...i have already dropped speed hoping for less fuel consumption

so lets discuss and come up with the best plan we can

• Run Legal

• Be professional-that means when a 4 wheeler cuts us off, wave and say "Have a nice Day" You can curse them under your breath

• We can organize without becoming a union but let's include the union drivers too.

I say run your miles and maintain the fair price for freight-If enough of us pressure for reasonable cpm and stay within a range (that means if it should be around $1.75 pm, we run within 10 cent range plus or minus of each other as not to commit collusion).

[Matthews]

You all are going to think Im wimping out and backing down but I am CLUELESS at this point. I'll Watch and participate in the thread but literally you all I don't know what to do!

I've got people lives and familys that count on me and my choices. Those choices could distroy familys HOMES and even bankrupt them. Here's where I stand back and take all this in!

I AM 100% backing what ever dicision that seems the best for us ALL and Im going with it! As shaky as it may soundbut the people I trusted and questioned in my business are all gone. I burried my father in June of 2007.

Im 32 and I am LOST in what choices I should take now!
Im leaning on you all.. And LEtS go with it...

SINK or SWIM DAMMIT! I'll listen UP!

All the best,
Matthew

LET me know about getting JOE to RANT about this!
He'll DO IT I have faith in that one... This is a NATIONAL ISSUE!

[gearjammer-2000]

I have just got done looking at several different trucking sites and a few news sites, what I am seeing is that the word strike is being used a lot!!!
the way it looks its not a matter of IF but WHEN. what worries me is the longer it takes the uglier it is gonna get and lets face it even the die hard it will never happen crowd are changing their tune, news sites in CA,TX,ME,GA, NC all had news of groups of truckers saying that they are about broke and are ready to strike.
I think what will light the fuse to this powder keg is there is going to be a small group of truckers that are going to shut down somewhere and make the news that will set off a chain reaction that will end up with everyone shutting down.
In 74 it basically started that way with a few trucks just shutting down all lanes of the highway somewhere and it snowballed from there and it did get ugly, I was hoping that it could be done with someone setting up an agenda and having the backing of most of the drivers out here but I think that it is going to just happen spontaneously.

[Dannyboi]

Originally Posted by Matthews

Dannyboi,

Not trying to boost your EGO buddy but reading your post just got me wanting to send you a gift cirtificate to the "PILOT" ROFL! Just got me going MORE! 10-4?

??????????? I must be tired.

[Dannyboi]

Anybody know someone at CNN, thats global and on at practically every truck stop i think!!

Definitely a good way to get the word out on a broad spectrum and fast!!

[broncrider]

matthews.....there aint no backing down...yer an intelligent man..you hafta be to run the business you do...so nope i aint letting you sit down....get up and start thinkin, typing and helping this discussion along

the sponanaity(sp) idea would probaly work....but we need enuf guys willing to pay the fines to get it started, and of course ensure enuf poeple are willing to follow or evean that will turn out like the rest of the BIG stikes we have talked about on this very site

everyone in this industry is worried

and yes i understand supply and demand, but i also understand artificialy high prices

evryone agreeing on a fixed rate will only last so long...sooner or later someone will undercut it and then its back to the races for the poorhouse

[Working Class Patriot]

Originally Posted by gearjammer-2000

I have just got done looking at several different trucking sites and a few news sites, what I am seeing is that the word strike is being used a lot!!!
the way it looks its not a matter of IF but WHEN. what worries me is the longer it takes the uglier it is gonna get and lets face it even the die hard it will never happen crowd are changing their tune, news sites in CA,TX,ME,GA, NC all had news of groups of truckers saying that they are about broke and are ready to strike.
I think what will light the fuse to this powder keg is there is going to be a small group of truckers that are going to shut down somewhere and make the news that will set off a chain reaction that will end up with everyone shutting down.
In 74 it basically started that way with a few trucks just shutting down all lanes of the highway somewhere and it snowballed from there and it did get ugly, I was hoping that it could be done with someone setting up an agenda and having the backing of most of the drivers out here but I think that it is going to just happen spontaneously.

That's why we have to use our heads.
Trucking is like any other business...it has to make money.
Truckers come from all walks of life and from every point of this great country.
Why can't we be intelligent about our situation? Those of us who are O/O's are small business owners. We have to make decisions everyday regarding our operations no matter how large or small. A business is a business. Why is that we can make a decision to put off or fix something immediately, and yet we're stymied at this situation? This is no different except it is at a much broader scale. Let's stop the competition for now and start working together to resolve this issue.

Is it possible that we can first draft a letter to our congress to permit drilling in ANWR and off the Coast of CA? That's a start. Remember, we are not just voters, we are constituents who are organized and we can recall every politician. If they want to continue as our elected officials (They're not leaders in my book. They sure don't act like leaders. Just look at Spitzer) then they will do the bidding of their constituents to remain in office.

[Matthews]

Originally Posted by broncrider

matthews.....there aint no backing down...yer an intelligent man..you hafta be to run the business you do...so nope i aint letting you sit down....get up and start thinkin, typing and helping this discussion along

the sponanaity(sp) idea would probaly work....but we need enuf guys willing to pay the fines to get it started, and of course ensure enuf people are willing to follow or evean that will turn out like the rest of the BIG stikes we have talked about on this very site

everyone in this industry is worried

and yes i understand supply and demand, but i also understand artificialy high prices

Is everyone agreeing on a fixed rate will only last so long...sooner or later someone will undercut it and then its back to the races for the poorhouse

I didt mean im gonna be quite. Im a DRIVER thats not possible! 10-4?

What I meant was I am LOST in thought and needa Direction to follow by more older, years under their belt O/Os. And worried? Worried isnt the word for it hand Im SCARED! And Scared for YOU, ME and everyone else that own trucks these days.

2 Good friends of mine just LOST there trucks!
I DONT have the WORK for them! In fact my business is now LEASED to BEEMAC Trucking in Ambridge,PA.
FLATBED - STEEL " CHEAP ### REPUBLIC " Steel!

I've come to the conclusion from what I've been reading?
It's only a matter of TIME before all the O/O's just SHUT DOWN or GO broke?

My COMMENTS on the US GOV allowing the Mixican's to haul in a state of National disaster when this DOES happen?

I am with another hand who stated in another post!
I've GOTTA GUN, And I've GOT bricks! Aint NO Mexican taking my brotherhoods freight!

I'll DARE them to hook to those WAGONS in front of me...
I would GOTO Jail!

AINT no way the Mexicans have the GUTS to ride in the states with a full blown TRUCK STRIKE in effect. They would be CRAZY!

[Matthews]

Idea: We need to convince Wiseone to do a vbulletin Announcement regarding the current threat we all here face. It's not just an O/O issue right? its an Industry issue..
A vBulletin Announcement will display in every FORUM we have HERE and it will be listed ABOVE any sticky topic! Thats a VB announcement for anyone who didn't know what it is...

THAT ALONE will put the word out about a possible STRIKE or SHUTDOWN.

We get Thousands of surfers and visitors per day that just " LURK " or READ!
But those READERS, have mouths! They TALK! Too....

Comments?
To tired, now im thinking crazy....

[gearjammer-2000]

Originally Posted by Ron-MARS Trucking

That's why we have to use our heads.
Trucking is like any other business...it has to make money.
Truckers come from all walks of life and from every point of this great country.
Why can't we be intelligent about our situation? Those of us who are O/O's are small business owners. We have to make decisions everyday regarding our operations no matter how large or small. A business is a business. Why is that we can make a decision to put off or fix something immediately, and yet we're stymied at this situation? This is no different except it is at a much broader scale. Let's stop the competition for now and start working together to resolve this issue.

Is it possible that we can first draft a letter to our congress to permit drilling in ANWR and off the Coast of CA? That's a start. Remember, we are not just voters, we are constituents who are organized and we can recall every politician. If they want to continue as our elected officials (They're not leaders in my book. They sure don't act like leaders. Just look at Spitzer) then they will do the bidding of their constituents to remain in office.

RON MARS your idea has merit unfortunately I think its about six months too late.
I have been an outspoken advocate for several years in that we should band together as one and present our issues logically my latest appeal was trying to put together a boycott of Ca. it would have had the desired effect of stopping what Ca. was doing to us but more importantly it would have showed the powers in charge that there is only so much that the truckers were willing to take and they would have addressed all our issues,

I am still in disagreement on striking for fuel costs I truly believe there needs to be regulations put into place to stop the unfair practices that certain businesses in this industry use to make incredible profits at our expense, and contrary to what some would have us believe they are not going to stop and treat us fair until we force the issue.

Frankly i am now to the point that i will shut this thing down at the drop of a hat it the shutdown happens then so be it I can only hope that when the smoke clears that enough people have enough sense to fix all the problems at one time that plague this industry.
You All want to shut down then bring it on I am with you