Poll: Truckers Strike - When Will Truckers Stand Together? IF Ever?

[2xR]

1. Industry is too fragmented. O/O and small fleets are the ones taken a whuppin'. Big fleets, and, their drivers are doing okay, for now.

2. ATA mega-fleets won't support a strike because the current situation is killin' their competitors, which are the O/O and small fleets.

3. Too many drivers, like me, who basically have found a niche to serve, are doing well, and don't want to upset the status quo by telling the powers that be that the truck ain't moving for a while.

Don't take me wrong. I want to see some changes for the good of the industry occur, like the ATA loosing their footing, reasonable fuel pricing, and, a more equitable form of driver's compensation. However, unless the public notices that the majority of the trucks aren't running, and the store shelves get a bit empty, no one will get overly excited about a few hundred O/O parking for a few days. No one except maybe Bill Graves and company as they rush to fill the void at some shipper's docks.

[peanut2008]

I would really like to see a strike,but I don`t there are enough owner operators and small fleets left to make a difference.Ronnie Rayguns deregulation in the 80`s pretty much killed us off.I don`t see any big trucking companies going on strike they pretty much just pass the cost along or cut pay to O/O lease trucks till they force the rest of what is left out of business

[Carolina Thunder]

If there is to be a strike you CAN NOT PARK in the T stops, rest ares or at home!!! The only way people will see us is if we park along side of every major road and interstate....put a few banners on our trucks saying why we are parked...tell as many people out side the trucking industry as you can that when our costs go down so will what they buy in the stores go down as well then we will see a change.

If you just stay at home or parked in the T stop then this will be a wast of time!

[jailbird685]

I have read a lot of good points on the possibility of a strike here, and also a lot of ignorant remarks. I guess it's kind of a visual CB here. There are a lot of good points such as the signs and getting the media involved. But I read one that made a comment to the effect of dropping a brick off of an overpass. If a brick comes through my window you better pray to God that it kills me!

I have been doing a lot of listening lately while driving to get a feel for what is going on with the owner-operator point of view on the possibility of a strike. In one day I heard 12 different dates in a 200 mile stretch. If it is only a hand full of trucks going on strike it would be the same thing as a hand full of trucks doing a reset, it is a regular thing, nothing out of the ordinary. There needs to be a large gathering, or union in the same area. Not just a small bunch of trucks here and there.

Another tool that I haven't heard mentioned that can have an effect is if the drivers on strike put in ridiculously high bids to brokers and shippers and get their attention as well, say 5 or 6 dollars a mile. Will they side with us, maybe, maybe not. But without drivers there is no need for them!

Regardless, you need to keep it clean, safe, and legal. What good will it do to go on strike if you end up doing 2 or 3 years in jail (or more) over it? You won't have to worry about fuel prices, or the house payment your scraping to pay due to the fuel prices because I will be making your house payment for you care of the Department of Corrections.

I have also heard a few people try and reason or excuse the fuel prices. One made the remark that the government was raising fuel prices to make the products that we buy match the level of inflation. Inflation has a benchmark of 3-5 percent per year and if you look back at the prices of everything from a Coke to bread to fuel ( until recently) they have kept at a 3-5 percent rate every year. But that still doesn't explain the 200 percent increase that fuel has seen in the last year. And it has been excused by OPEC and the fuel companies with everything from the fall of Enron, to the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina,to a refinery needing a new paint job.

Now I am new to the industry but got into it with the plans to get my own truck and authority but with the fuel the way it is heading that dream is slowly becoming a distant memory. I support anything that the industry decides and will fight to the end to do anything that is necessary, within the limits of legalities, ethical and moral standards , and respect for my peers in the industry. You should all do the same or soon Mexico will take over. I don't want to see that happen because trucking is one of the few things left that is all American.

[Devil Woman]

I agree but we need a date and not a strike a "Vacation from supporting the Oil Companies for a week", that way the government cannot enforce making us haul cheap freight with their high priced fuel. Here in the West we are looking at May 1st. What do you think?

[soon2betrucking]

May 1st for a stike? thats too soon, its almost april, there is not enough time to contact, and or get a hold of every truck driver and give thm then " un-knowin " details of a stike, the west coast cant do it with the the centrail u.s the s.e u.s or the rest of the country, this has to be done as a GROUP, not as multi groups, that defeats the entire purpese of a stike. a stike is to send a mess to the right people. someone has to sit on top of the hill, and yell down to the valley of truck driver telling them the specific details on what the rules are of the stike. Parking along all major hwys and rds is much better then sitting in truck stops, clearly for the reason of been able to be seen by the passing motorist.
Someone has to take charge, contact the media from far and near, nation wide, and let them know where this will take place, for how long, what our reassons are, what will it take to end the strike and so on.
i think a week with no trucks moving would send a pretty good single out that we mean biss. and this is no joke, if i had to take charge, i would make for a busy holiday weekend, such as 4th of july, Mem. Day, Labor day. i say those holidays cause there the holidays that all the " get together " are done the most, bbq's out back/front. there wont be any hotdogs, burgers ribs beer soda etc for the regular bbq's. Like said earlier in the thread, about the parents with the baby's. we need to let the media no in advance that people with young children need to stock up on the important items for XX date, cause there will be a Nation wide Trucking Strike.

[Devil Woman]

Too soon. Hello, There are already trucks parked in PA and the Drive to the White house from Georgia is starting the first week in April. Check out the "Truck Owners ANGRY and Scared Over Fuel Costs" thread. It is already happening. We cannot afford to wait until fuel is $5 or $6 a gallon, we need to do it now!!!!!!!

[myminpins]

Just a question... maybe in the '70s truckers were more willing to strike because they knew that, even if they got fired for it, they would be able to find another job and make a living and support their families?

Nowadays, if you get fired, especially with DAC in the USA, how do you get another job? How do you pay the bills? How do you support your family?

Maybe truckers today are more "scared puppies" because they are honestly afraid of being able to find work to pay the bills and support their families?

I know it's a LOT harder today for someone without a university education to get a decent job even compared to how it was in the '80s. It's darn hard to earn a decent living these days.

???????

[ontheball]

What is THE day? I have heard the 1st thru the 3rd. Who is speaking for the truckers? We have to have someone who can tell the public what's going on and what we're going to do.

[RamblinRebel&RebelsAngel]

Originally Posted by myminpins

Just a question... maybe in the '70s truckers were more willing to strike because they knew that, even if they got fired for it, they would be able to find another job and make a living and support their families?

Nowadays, if you get fired, especially with DAC in the USA, how do you get another job? How do you pay the bills? How do you support your family?

Maybe truckers today are more "scared puppies" because they are honestly afraid of being able to find work to pay the bills and support their families?

I know it's a LOT harder today for someone without a university education to get a decent job even compared to how it was in the '80s. It's darn hard to earn a decent living these days.

???????

That is so true!

Originally Posted by ontheball

What is THE day? I have heard the 1st thru the 3rd. Who is speaking for the truckers? We have to have someone who can tell the public what's going on and what we're going to do.

I am hearing the first through the third from everyone..