I want your opinion... Possible step towards unity..

Would you like an organization that would benefit BOTH the company driver AND the Owner/Lease Operator?

How much would you be willing to pay as a membership fee for such a service?

What Ideas do you have that we could use to help our image, and unify an industry?


Thanks for taking a look

This is a brief outline of what I want to accomplish. I am already in communication with a lawyer for this purpose.

List:

1. Organize public service advertisements, and Newsmedia appearances/advertisements
   • Commercials explaining good driving habits around trucks, truth and consequences messages, etc...
   • Have a spokesperson that could explain our stance on major news programs
   • Write articles for "mainstream" magazines and newspapers aimed at the non-trucker
2. Go to bat with the Federal and State governments about hours of service, and possibly setting up rules for different sectors to be more appropriate for the job that is being performed.
   • Team drivers should not be forced to drive for 10 hours straight, when they did it safely for years on a 5/5 schedule.
   • Local drivers should not be required by a company to work 14 hours a day simply because "it's legal."
3. Orchestrate LEGAL methods of public display of the upset within the independant sector, jointly with company driver members, that won't get them fired.
4. Provide a website with news, and information about the industry.
   • Read information that will help them decrease expenses and increase profit.
   • A section for truck specing..
     1. Provide reviews on new truck models as they come out, and actually delivering loads over say a 6 month period.
     2. Fuel economy advice, how to set up a truck for best economy
     3. Data on older truck models as well
   • Product reviews section. Will provide independant reviews of how well an addative, or device for the truck works, if at all.
   • Truck Tech section for helping drivers with communication technology.
   • Allow drivers to post personal reviews, or responses to the site reviews.
5. Provide "group rates" on independant insurance for the owner/lease operator, and conversely, property insurance for the company driver.
6. Eventualy get a fuel card account which independants can sign onto, which would provide "Big Company Spending Power" for fuel, tires, maintenance, etc..
7. Appearances at major truck shows throughout the United States and Canada for recruitment, and industry awareness and support.

I have more ideas that I would like to accomplish, but this is the short of it at the moment.

Bottome line, is that we need to get together to make this environment better for ALL commercial drivers on the road in the US today. I am aiming at a primarily online community site targeted specifically for the CDL holder. There will be physical membership cards eventually once funding allows, and linked to these cards, I would like to include discounts on purchases at the major truck stops throughout the country.

The fuel card program is perhaps the single most important thing that I want to do, this could make it possible for the independant driver to get the spending power of the large companies when it comes to consumables that are required for the job.

This is NOT a union, but if set up right, it can provide some of the best benefits of a union for even independant drivers.

Let me know what you think, if the response is positive enough I will get the ball rolling. I will also be asking drivers in trucks stops, and other places. Feel free to ask questions, air concerns or whatever, I will respond when I get a chance.

 

Ideally, I would love to offer it for free... The reality is that some of what I want to provide is going to come at a heavy cost (fuel card program, truck reviews) and require massive amounts of time. So I have been tossing around the idea of a "tierd membership" system. It would offer the premium costly services to top-tier members who would need to pay a fee, yet allow others to join and show support for free. It's all in the brainstorming stage so far, but it's something I think we truly need.

While I'm on the subject of costs and volunteerism. I am leaning heavily on an anual survey of driver's income after expenses. The median income would set the salary for the "executives" which would mean they stand to gain no more every year than the average driver. This would not only ensure caring individuals, but give them the inspiration to make the improvements that need to be made.

I really want to create something the driver can believe in, without all the posturing, and corporate politics crap going on. It has to help the industry or it's pointless.