What’s worse for driver safety: skipping your lunch break, or being drunk behind the wheel? It seems like a no-brainer, but according to the CSA, you’re more of a menace to society if you didn’t take a break than if you’re so drunk you can’t see straight.
A change was made to the CSA scoring system recently when a new violation was added to CSA profiles this past week. A carrier will now receive seven points on their BASIC score if drivers fail to take their federally mandated 30-minute break. A DUI/DWI will earn a carrier five points.
Another change that was made is to add a new violation that would add three points to a carrier’s BASIC score if a driver has alcohol in the cab with him. This change came at the request of law enforcement officers who previously had to add a five point alcohol use violation any time that a driver had an open container in their vehicle.
This of course means that the CSA thinks that a driver who misses their 30 minute break is more than twice the safety risk as a driver who has an open bottle of whisky sitting next to them.
Next Story: Recruitment Scam Steals Truckers’ Identities
Source: overdrive
I forgot it a few days ago. Old habits are like something….
Would love to know what their logic is. I am guessing CDL drivers in general don’t usually drive around drunk, so they gotta come up with something that the average driver will screw up on (especially since this law is so new).
Since when did the CSA start conducting clinical,medical and physiological analysis?
Ah roadtoad you forgot the most important part. It’s the gov. LOGIC PLAYS NO PART with them. They have no clue. It’s just another way to SCREW the driver.
This doesn’t surprise me. When you have a bunch of people justifying the existence of a branch of government by pumping out rules and regulations not mentioning no real experience in the industry, ignorant reckless conduct like this is the result. Good job big brother.
Absolutely! They have to justify their budget so they keep coming up with more regs that takes more people to enforce and maintain and defend against. The Federal Gov. is broken and there is no way to fix it.
I was going to comment, but this pretty much sums it up. The biggest part of this problem, overall, is we have all these paid federal regulators sitting around and they have to keep coming up with things like this to justify their existence. Maybe we need an FMCSA, but maybe it ought to be set up more like a board that only meets every couple of years? Maybe it should include some industry folks, engineers, medical types, safety experts, and so on besides these government appointees, whoever they are. Yeah, Ray LaHood and Anne Ferro. Basically, appointees. Maybe they’re approved by Congress, and maybe they have some relevant experience, but they’re still political appointees. Along with, I guess, a lot of the higher-ups under them. So, maybe instead of sitting around there in these DC offices, they meet just every couple of years, (part-time pay/part-time position)s, assess any emerging issues/problems and then goes back to whatever they do with themselves the rest of the time? And, furthermore, there ought to be some experienced drivers on this board, too.
I agree!! As a Owner/Operators wife, I cannot believe how they (rule makers) with NO trucking experience can make rules for something they have not experienced and lived. Just by being in the truck, on the road with my husband, this is quite ridiculous. And yes, it is another way to get money… Go after regular drivers (the four wheelers), they are a big issue of negligence. I cannot believe how stupid, and ignorant and unaware they are…drives me crazy!!!!
I do get pretty dangerous if I haven’t had my meatball sub…I could take out a bus full of nuns.
Wow, I just passed subway, i think im geting a buzz.
Nope..
just a paycheck.
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
I will be so glad when we finally wise up and go on strike.
I agree. I know it will lose some a lot of money but look at an overly average of how much this can and will cost everyone. Pay now or pay later? Your choice but if you choose later… Think about how you’re effected after you wasted that much time following this dumb rule.
that will never happen way to many drivers need to eat pay a mortgage health insurance how do you justify a strike when no one suffers more then the children or family of a driver, by the time the public suffers drivers are back on the road with there tails between there legs giving up more freedom,, this industry is lost! rail can do what we can do,,,,
That describes Americans in a nutshell. Sucracorp, wins! (Fictional, from TV show Supernatural). As long as comfort reigns over freedom, we will consume, consume, consume.
Its not the loss of pay that is preventing a strike. Its communication which is odd since we have more social media than we ever have had. We can’t all get on the same page. I say conduct roadblocks in every major city. Start with Washington. Need a couple thousand trucks to go straight to capital hill and park. Lock that city down. And just sit. I’ll do it. If we have community support. In a heartbeat.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Its like the schoolhouse bully. He just keeps pushing til somebody busts him in his mouth. Then he mellows out.
I have said it before, without breaking laws and parking in downtown, simply have enough trucks to circle the beltway, nose to tail. Stay in the right lane where we are mandated to be anyway, drive the 50-55 mph speed limit. No one gets on or off the $(% capital beltway and we are following the traffic laws they set. Will shut DC down when the officials can not get from their homes in the outlaying areas. Momma can not go shopping downtown, Mr. congressman will start to listen.
Nope that’s not how , the best way and I do mean this as it would put the public in our game field as they could join us but start at every scale plug it full then where ever we can park the rigs that is safe off the roads pull out the bbq the lawn chairs and cause we are parked get someone with a pickup to bring out the beer “or the whiskey” invite any one that would like to party with us and have a great extra long weekend
A better alternative is to boycott the movement into or out a specific geographic area. Let’s say anything inside the capital beltway. No food, fuel, or toilet paper for a few days. Nothing in and nothing out. Real easy, just refuse to p/u or deliver any loads in that area. I bet it would take about 2 days to get our point across!!!
1/2 an hour a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year = 125 hours a year at whatever your hour of work is worth. Just $10 an hour means the FMCSA has now cost you $1250 per year. Think about it driver. Your rights can’t have a dollar value put on them but your time surely can.
Rail can do what we do? Really?
Let’s see them back into a dock at a hospital with no tracks. Oh wait hospital is a quiet zone can’t have trains there. This isn’t about laws. This is about money, plain and simple!! When smoking got knock out of public buildings it was because politicians accepted money (bribes) to vote a certain way. Want to change things ? Pay the ntsb and a few others and things will go in our favor. How hard would the general public cry if they were subjected to our rules?
Hope you have a nice day.
That is true but rail cant get it to the stores. But you have it right it would cost us more in the long run. But it might be worth it!
Takes a train a week to go where a truck goes in a day .And how’s that train going too get gas to the gas station
It’s been over a hundred years. I haven’t seen the “wising up ” part happening yet.
That’s the hold over everybody. They’re all more afraid of losing their jobs than losing their freedoms. Well, if these regs keep coming down un-opposed, they’ll be regulated out of a job anyway. I am not for unions, but we need toorganize truckers into a cohesive group. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to descend on Washington, clog all the roads, surround the capitol and hold those crooks hostage until they remove these stupid, unsubstantiated regs. Of course, we’d have to give our trucks a thorough washing afterwards to remove all the scum that will accumulate…..maybe that’s why it’s called WASHington.
I agree Chris. I live close to DC and would definitely join the cause and park my rig on PA ave.
Michael – Were you on the road when you wrote that?
A strike or EVERYONE just go on a vacation at the same time ?
that is the main plan every one go on vacation together we all take time to go on vacation so lets just do it together and start a huge nation wide party a strike only puts a sour taste in the publics mouth towards us that way but invite them to join us on a vacation hell ya
go on strike will never happen drivers today are robotics and this is why we have these fine rules to follow. If this industry ever got a back bone and drivers where to become actual drivers we could plan a great weekend holiday across north America “this can include Canada” . Get all drivers to park and enjoy a long weekend just like any other 9-5 worker and see how fast these big rule makes would be crying that they can not go out cause all the supplies are gone, hell this could be more entertaining then a cheap movie
There is too many puss-n-boots out here to strike. I own my trucks and I am knee deep in debt. But I would still shut all three of them down.
Drivers will never stick to together ….and never organize much less strike …Even if they ever actually did….They would scab their own strike..
I left driving long ago…I can’t compete with guys who will work for free…
So… in theory, according to the CSA at least, we are better off taking a break, downing a 6-pack while were stopped, then getting back on the road because. that way were careful not to have an open container in the cab and getting 8 points for DUI and carrying alcohol.
I want to know where they get the statistics that justify this change in laws. Seems like just another way to screw the hard working drivers. Have any of these law makers ever driven a truck or have any concept of what the job actually entails? my money is on a Big ‘Ole HELL NO! This industry is being run into the ground by the ‘powers at be’ what is it going to take for things to turn around? Or will we all eventually be out of work and replaced by these driver-less trucks the mining companies in Australia are already using?
they get thehere statistics the same place the Medical companies doo, through paid experts who will say what ever you want for a big enough paycheck. the thing i find alarming is that our laws have a process they are REQUIRED to go through to become laws, its called due process. the FMCSA has NO due process, they just say “trucks are green” and then they better be.
We have to put a stop to this ! It has already cost me money and I am sure its costing others. Any way what happens to the people that make the rules if they skip lunch or work through the weekend without taking a 34hour restart for 2 days between the hours of 1 and 5 ,NOTHING because they think we are just stupid Truck Drivers and we dont have any say in this!!!!! It would be reel hard to pull off a nationwide Strike, But this is one Professional Truck Driver Who Would STRIKE! And Remember to Vote These BUMS in this admin out of office!!!!!!!
We need to leave the industry…. its over
You are right, Dave. It is over. After driving for 34 1/2 years, it’s not fun anymore. The boss is riding in the jump seat and can see out your passenger windshield. The Good Ole days were fun. We had a good run. Now let the new breed of driver take it and run. They have no clue. Yeah Dave, you’re right. I’m Done.
I don’t know Mark. I’m a pretty new driver, and maybe I was just union for to long in my past trade, but I think these rules hit the fan before landing on us.
As soon as I qualify for medicare (14 months) I’m taking my 43 years of NOT running over folks (despite their best efforts at hari-kari) and heading for the house. It definitely ain’t any fun any more. When your own gov’t. becomes your biggest enemy, something is big wrong!
Voting them out will do nothing. Aren’t half the people on the board company owners?
Its time to send out the minions….too many stupid people in charge
When are we truckers going to get enough of this crap? Shut-em down is the way to get they’re attention.
Do you think they care?
Yes, when food stops getting around and the other freigh stops moving, something/someone will give.
They would care; this country moves by truck, and if the trucks stop, the country stops! A NO brainer!
According to federal highway association in 2009 there were 1.2 registered cars per 1 truck. So we are almost 50/50 on the road. How many of the people making these laws have been involved in an accident with a car (probably all of them) how many have been involved in an accident with a truck (probably none of them)???
Quit your bitchin and join ooida if you want a voice
OOIDA and ATA lost the last round with the feds, and the reason this conversation is taking place!
Enuff is enuff!! Time for the Gov’t to BACK OFF, LET THEM JUST DO THEIR JOBS!!!!
Strike… Theres that magical word again. The only way a strike will work is if you could get the mega carriers ( Swift,Schneider, Werner…etc) to get on board. Because unless they are in on it, all a strike will do is make them bigger and a lot of owner ops out of work. And we all know that drivers always agree on everything …right? Ha!!! You cant even get just two drivers to agree what time it is or whos got the biggest radio!! But yes, in theory a strike would work, if people found the shelves empty, no new cars to buy, no feed for livestock, heck no livestock either…then it would make a statement
If we ever want to accomplish anything, we’ll need to unionize again. Unfortunately, many truck drivers have been brainwashed to believe unions are bad. You can’t have a movement without leaders. Unions are powerful precisely because they can speak and act for everyone as a whole. A million individuals can accomplish nothing, which ought to be obvious by now. The only people the feds take any input from are the trucking companies. Because, while they’ll tell you unions are bad, they themselves have organized into trade associations so they can lobby for laws that benefit themselves.
There are unions IE teamsters (The biggest of them all),,And they are behind the government they voted this government in Why would the teamsters help the drivers they get more concessions from the government
that is so correct they just climb into bed with the government even more so the best is to plan a great long weekend and have a great time drivers enjoy a free bbq so lets have one
The Teamsters represent very few drivers nowadays. Remember, members vote on this kinda stuff. If we were all members, the outcome might be different.
This csa crap is a bunch of crap i have one thing on my lisence and no one will hire me.the government needs to keep to their politics. they screw that up everyday. stay out of the trucking industry. they are trying to put owner op’s out of business. and companies are so worried about their score they are hiring non experienced drivers over experienced drivers and that’s why we are seeing more crashes than ever before. all i want to do is drive and no one will hire me and all i see on the road is kids driving big trucks and you can watch them drive for two minutes and can see they don’t know what they are doing, it really makes you wonder.
What’s that one thing ? How can you be contacted ? My company doesn’t use the csa system and pays off the odometer at .40 cpm to start. Waltergrogan1971@Gmail.com
I’d grab onto that Kevin. Hard to find anyplace that pays by the odometer and doesn’t use CSA. I’d be all over that myself if I wasn’t right now trying to find a local job as I need to get off the OTR for a while.
The federal government decimated the manufacturing sector, then meddled with real estate until both the RE and construction sectors collapsed. Next came healthcare. Now it’s time for the transportation sector be destroyed. What will the government dismantle next?
Your government doesn’t care about you. It only wants to enslave you.
Think about it. How free are you, really?
Is the break a needed item or just a catch to allow the DOT to be able to write more tickets and generate more income? Hmmmm. We all safely operated a truck for years without it right? I think we should all slow down to 50 MPH for three days. Look at all the traffic jams and late loads, then let’s see what happens.
Well You see Drivers have no idea what goes on out on the road! The Government has to tell Us that its unsafe to go down a Mountain in neutral (to save fuel) while enjoying a Rum & Coke, not to mention all the Special Interest Groups putting they’re 2 cents in because We are Big Bad Truck Drivers who would surely not be smart enough to avoid accidents on Our own!
Granted there are Idiots out there, and Training does not include Courtesy anymore because the Company could be Sued if You flash Your lights to let a Driver in, but all the Accident Statistics I’ve seen say that Most Truck Accidents are Caused By Cars!
But over the years Truckers have been relegated to an Inferior Species, Hell even the People We Haul for have No Respect! Cities don’t want Us to park anywhere, even considering that City Wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for Trucks!
Then the Leaders of the Country decide Truckers Need More Sleep specially since Now they have to drive 10hrs but lets make them do it within 14hrs and Slow them to 65mph with the odd 55mph and make them Log On Duty when at a Shipper or Receiver!
But No that’s not enough, lets have Entire States at 55mph, and Have Rest Areas too Small and add No Overnight Parking, No Parking on Shoulders and the Famous NO IDLING Vehicles over 3 tons!!! While I let My Cop Car Idle All Day so I Don’t get To Hot or Cold!
Now lets see who can Make Money in Trucking, Anyone But The People Actually Doing the Work (the Drivers) is fine!
So all in all Truck Drivers are apparently No Longer part of the workforce but a Sub Species to be Controlled by People who wouldn’t last a day in a truck! Who think Slower is always better (till your trailer tries to pass you) People who would have you arrested for leaving a dog in a car but are willing to dictate that Trucks Cause All Air Pollution and Must Be Stopped even if People have to Live in them after all its just Truck Drivers, they can handle 20 below and 100 Degrees and still Drive Safely!
Because We, the Pencil Pushers Say So!
AMEN brother!
Your random use of capitalization is a bit puzzling, but I agree with your sentiment.
Wow, that is the best comment I’ve seen yet and I’ve been reading for an hour from the top.
I like that sarcastic way of making a good point, sounds like something I would have said myself 5 Stars to Scooter 🙂 Good comment Scooter, it’s like you drew a picture that everyone can understand
I was just saying to a friend of mine yesterday for an “Unregulated” Industry, Trucking is “Regulated” to death…
So all in all Truck Drivers are apparently No Longer part of the workforce but a Sub Species to be Controlled by People who wouldn’t last a day in a truck! Who think Slower is always better (till your trailer tries to pass you) People who would have you arrested for leaving a dog in a car but are willing to dictate that Trucks Cause All Air Pollution and Must Be Stopped even if People have to Live in them after all its just Truck Drivers, they can handle 20 below and 100 Degrees and still Drive Safely! That is like almost biblical…
Scooter i agree we won’t have to worry about this much longer robots will be taking over in less than 15 years.
Hell you guys have got easy!!
Don’t come trucking down under
The mob I pull for has 2 trackers wired into my truck
They can see everything from there, air bag pressures, brake pressure, rest brakes hrs done for the week and total for the fortnight
Then there is our DOT its called the RMS down here
They can randomly plug into your ECM data port at an inspection station or single you out in heavy traffic and check speed limiter, speedo pulse and any over speeds that may have occurred rolling off hills. If they find something wrong with the speedo pulse setting its a defect, they won’t let you drive the truck you have to get a hook and leave the load behind
Your going off like CSA and DOT are both organizations, you are half correct, DOT is indeed an organization DOT = Department of Transportation however, CSA is only a term used by the DOT measuring driver/carrier compliance with their stupid rules. CSA = Compliance, Safety, Accountability
And not a peep from OIDA. How much longer are trucker’s going to waste their hard earned money on the most worthless organization ever to be created for truckers??? But the top dogs just purchased a new summer resort in Hawaii. It’s time for that worthless organization to go away.
I’m ready for a change. If anything is to be done or anyone have any great ideas send me an email.
99.9% of the time I’m in 100% agreement with Drivers….. But I have to tell you this is the 0.1% of the time I disagree with most of you! I NEED MY BREAK AND IF THE TRUTH BE KNOWN, SOMETIMES I NEED MORE THAN 30 MIN! When you get my age you will need your 30 min too! The problem here is MONEY! If drivers were adequently compensated, nobody would be worried about working themselves to death, keeping your teeth to the pavement till you drop or killing yourselves to make up 3-4 hours lost waiting on your trucks to be loaded or unloaded for ZERO PAY! I thank my lucky stars everyday for these new regulations, its been a long time comming!
When drivers figure out that we have “OWNERS”, companys and corporations OWN US, then we need to park our trucks for 3-4 days for BETTER PAY!
Companys and corporations (corporate AMERICA) are very happy to sit back and let drivers bash the government for placing restrictions on their own PAY! GET THIS, THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT, THE PROBLEM IS CORPORATE AMERICA!!!! WAKE UP!!!
When Drivers ban together and demand better pay for these new regulations, uncompensated time for waiting and low pay in general, ONLY THEN will our pay go up up. We need to stop being part of our own problem and start being part of a REALISTIC COMMON SENSE SOLUTION to get Driver Pay INCREASED!!!
We need to shut down our trucks for 3-4 days to get the attention of corporate America! Just tell me WHEN! Thank You!
AMEN!!! If drivers were even reasonably compensated for the job, they wouldn’t care about the rules, they’d still be making a living. Honestly, 30 minutes in 8 hours shouldn’t be a big deal, come on, really, eight hours, don’t you have to pee, (NOT in a bottle), aren’t you hungry/thirsty, you still have plenty of time to drive your 11 hours. If your bitchin about 30 minutes, it’s cause your looking for something to bitch about, which alot of people, drivers included, are doing. It’s easier than being happy. Strike, shut down, organize somehow, whatever, but get together and get some pay, then shut up and drive or find a new job. I’m tired of being taken advantage of, but I’m equally tired of listening to all the bitching!!! Somebody starts a movement, I’m in. Done.
I would just prefer to have the option to break up those 30 minutes. Even before implemented I stopped for a 15 every two hours to pee, stretch the legs and get the blood flowing again and grab something to eat out of my cooler. So for me…the 3o minutes is a waste of my time.
You wanna take your 30 minute brk then take it,take an hr take a couple days off but leave the other drivers alone.The Government thinks they know so much about the drivers and think they just have to take a brk.They want to control us like children then control every motorist by making them do logs and take brks then ill be satisfied with the stupid laws only targeted to the truckers and the industry.Its not just about corporate greed and you know it.Who made corporate greed in the first place,our lieing greedy politians did.I hate them all,now those are the greedy ones.We’re working for poverty wages while politians keep taking our money from us.Yes corporate greed also plays a roles.Its not just about the truckers either,every blue collar worker is taking a huge hit.As long as America doesn’t take back their beloved country and not let the government own it its only going to get worse with each passing day.So plz come to our side and give the government the one finger salute.
Thank you “wake up” that is about the best sum up out here so let me know when the bbq is on and I will gladly enjoy the long weekend with you as well
All you have to do to get the attention of the idiots in dc is too shut down the fuel trucks for at least a week. No fuel, USA goes crazy. Done deal.
Don’t know what was wrong with my post but it’s gone. I feel unloved.
I’ll state again; since law enforcement can request this sort of rule and get it, without any thought or study being involved; I’m requesting, on behalf of truckers, that law enforcement start getting tested for steroid usage. Have you seen some of these guys. They ain’t natural. I suspect many of them would lose their jobs. I’ve also seen them when they go all roid rage. Why is there no regulation of these guys but truck drivers get nothing but crapped on? I bet my request goes nowhere.
We’ll see if this gets deleted again.
I delete comments containing vulgar language. I need to do a better job of drawing attention to our commenting guidelines, sorry that it wasn’t clear.
Thanks. Didn’t see anything vulgar there though.
Perhaps the editors team FMCSA etc?
I don’t understand. Can you rephrase your question?
lets make them fill out a daily log like us and have to show it to us if they pull us over lol
Pen worth, that would never happen. Police unions would intercede on behalf of the “thin blue line” and keep random testing from happening. They shouldn’t, but the double standard is a time honored tradition.
Maybe these officers will next have to learn how to drive trucks because they are quickly putting alot of folks out of work.dont get me wrong, I know that there dirt bags out there messing it up for us all out herr but this is not fair to those who are clean but are stuck between making a damn living or sitting for 30 minutes before quitting time.and then they dont know why drivers are quitting the damn industry all together.
I am wondering since I am retired and not keeping up with the whole thing but does the 30 minute break take away from the 14 hours or do they give you an extra half hour to still get your full work time?
Brother Bob: The 30 min comes out of your 14hr window, you get no extra time to extend it out. 14-11dr hr= 3hr left to do breaks, PTI, etc. Of course you don’t have to use all your 11hr driving time each day either, you can be logged off duty and not driving for any amount of time.
See my other post about setting the cell phone. Some EOBR’s have a system where it counts down the 8hrs and you need to have a break in, the break reset’s the system and it counts down the balance of your hours.
You can take a rest break at the shipper/receiver, as long as you are off duty and needed to be on the dock watching them load. Make you a sandwich or whatever, get out and take a walk if possible, if they have a drivers lounge that is even better. You just have to take the break far enough along where you don’t have to take another one if you go over 8hrs during one time frame.
Hope this helps, just don’t make a mountain out of it if you don’t have to.
Can’t strike unless you’re organized. It takes a lot of time, money, and effort. There’s OOIDA but I don’t see their numbers rising. So just cry and eat what you’re served. If you think whining on the Internet or worse yet, the CB will get “somebody” to do something you are sadly mistaken. Don’t like OOIDA? The start your own campaign. When I see a real grass roots movement set up tables outside truck stops then I’ll believe it. I know I’m not going to be the one to start a movement. Are you? No? Then get back to work. Do what you’re told. But go ahead and complain amongst yourselves. There is no power in that. Lawmakers don’t listen to CB’s.
Truckers are always at truck stops. The organization needs to start at the truck stops with the truck stops support. Pilot, ta, loves, they need to be on board. They could shut down the pumps!
I dont know whether to laugh or cry at how stupid the ppl dictating the movements of drivers are…please drivers…..SHUT’UM DOWN
Rules don’t go far enough.
Should be 8 hours driving 11 hours on duty and 50 in 7 days. No mandated 30 minute break.
30 minutes on the road is a lot of money and who ever makes these laws have never been on the road do they know that you are paid by the miles you drive not by the hours you sit
It is indeed strange that missing a meal break counts higher than having alcohol, only goes to figure how stupid the laws are, they seem to have a lot of boneheads running the roost.
For those who may forget to take their break, try setting your cell phone alarm for 5 hrs out and then you can start keeping an eye out for a suitable area to stop and take your break. It will help to know what is in the area about 5 hrs or so down the road, that is where you can google the route and see about where you will be and plot if you may be need a truckstop or rest area or whatever.
Of course being able to take one at a shipper/receiver would be possible too perhaps.
It seems to me that this is all by design. These regulations written by bureaucrats and agencencies
with untethered power to make rules that cripple industry and economic prosperity cause more problems than they solve. I just don’t think that there are as many bad trucking outfits and drivers out there that are causing catastrophic accident etc. This new system of regulatory compliance is in force to create a bottleneck in the economy and the drivers and companies are on the receiving end of its authority I do not believe it helps anybody and I do not know why anyone would ever want to enter into driving anymore. It is just not worth the hassle and unfortunately I believe that is exactly what their means to an end is,because get rid of American trucks or at least hinder there ability to service, and get Mexican trucks do our work for us without as facing as much regulatory rules and you know they can’t enforce our regulations elsewhere.
We are the Borg, you will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
The sad part I see is everyone of you are correct. This is a complex socioeconomic problem with more than one cause and multiple fixes are needed. Or in trucker language…. Need big rock… go boom boom on head.. 🙂
Sorry had to do it.
A strike would work for the simple reason that even the largest companies would be hurt in the first day. Since it is the only interest of the corporation to make profit, as soon as something threatens it, they must react. When the corps react then Govmt reacts because the economy is affected negatively. It’s a chain reaction. We don’t need the companies to get on board, we need to convince their drivers to strike, and that is the hard part. Our system has set up “employees” that get paid just enough to live and those “employees” can’t strike without losing everything. So it’s a paradox. You can’t strike without losing everything and you can’t fix anything without losing everything. It’s a win win for the corps and Govmt. What we the people have allowed to happen in the last 100 years is Slavery. Until it gets bad enough for it to be worth losing everything to do the right thing and take back what has been “given away”, they will keep doing what is profitable for them.
A plan? you ask for a plan? How about you start saving 100 bucks a week for a year for a strike. Make room for it in your budget. Don’t make excuses, just do it. And one year from today everyone that has saved will go on strike. It’s just that simple. One year from today I will bet not one driver stops driving.
AND THAT IS THE TRUE PROBLEM!
We have become a country of people that want someone else to solve our problems because it’s too inconvenient for me to do it.
You want something to talk about? For the next year keep talking about saving that money: in truck stops, over the CB, at the shop, in the forums, get your family involved. Be like those Doomsday Preppers you see on TV. What your prepping for is about the same thing.
No road blockages, that just angers the public. Better to take a week off all at the same time- no trucks on the road, no food in the stores, no gas at the pumps, etc. Maybe then, people will see our value. But, unfortunately, we are a divided bunch, saying “Yes sir, no sir, three bags full,sir….” One can only hope…
yup no food in stores and all that great stuff BUT lets make sure that at every major parking spot we have that fine trailer load and enjoy the long weekend with the public joining us
Problem is, non of these fools making all these bs laws and rules, ain’t not one of them EVER driven a Semi … it doesn’t directly affect any of them and as long as they get their groceries, etc .. they could care less!
I had to stop and take my thirty minute break just ten minutes from the receiver last night because I would have been in violation by a couple of minutes. Instead of delivering at 12 a.m., it was closer to 1 a.m. which put me driving that much later into the wee hours of the morning after delivering. I guess because I got that 30 minute break in I was not supposed to be fatigued. Haha.
Yeah this new rule really helps. Put’s me off duty later than before. Good move big government. Your rules suck!
Brilliant! If this doesn’t underscore the stupidity of the current mindset of those in the rulemaking process….I don’t know what will.
Too many drivers out there with too many different opinions,no organization,everyone going this way and that,which spells——–no worries for the jackwagons in DC!!!!They don’t have to listen to you because quite simply,there’s not enough of you standing together to make a difference.They know that,the owners of the trucking companies know that and most of all,they know most of you won’t stand and fight for what you believe in,so complain to your hearts content,if it makes you feel any better,life will go on like it is———unless all of you can come up with a leader that can bring you all together and give you a reason to stand up for what you believe in,and instill some backbone in some of you that need it!!!Until that happens,ladies and gentlemen,your nothing more than a bunch of truck drivin’ lab rats going in every direction looking for the prize. Now,who among you,who has driven long enough will honestly say it isn’t so? PS no disrespect meant to any of you,it’s just that I’ve been trucking long enough to know what I’m talking about.
And just think how many years it didn’t make a difference if you skipped a lunch break. The Feds are a really stupid bunch.
Once they turn it into a 9 to 5 job, where you can’t make any money, and no one wants the job, then they will be happy.
What we need is to be strike smart and were not. We need to plan a strike where some can and some can’t. The more that can must be supported by those who can’t. How do we tell teh is difference? Honor system and don’t get cynical about it unless you really believe this is a bad plan. Then you’d better have a better one or keep you trap shut.
First, take care of the family, the wives/husbands and kids and their needs. If you got to keep rolling to do it, do it. However, you can avoid the areas where those other drivers, those of us who can shut down then you’re helping. And those of us who can, help those who need to keep going.
Make a strike TRUST FUND and GET SOME ATTORNEYS involved. FMCSA are attorneys or did you think they all only had to have a GED to get their job? Fight a gunslinger with another gunslinger. We know this scenario but what’s your alternatives? Either you fight for your career or you don’t. And you know what that means.
Communication stopped when we stopped using our CB’s. Now we have the internet. This is good. get an app for it and use it.
Add more to this plan or shut up.
Like my father once told me when it comes to wages and rights. They’ll have to be literally starving to death before the people will get together and do anything. He was a coal miner, and knew allot about how the mining companies screwed the miners in his time and before. And the only thing that’s ever different is the occupation, the fight is always the same. I read comment’s for strike and comments with lame excuses not too, and comments about needing the break (he is right, you do need it, but also deserve a fair wage as he also stated) they give you JUST ENOUGH to barely cover the bills and keep you in fear so you won’t strike and as time has went by, you see how they keep taking more and more for themselves while you end up with less and less.
Seriously guys, when do we hire on some high powered lobbyists to represent us?
Gee, spending so many unpaid hours at a shipper or receiver is not punishment enough. Now I have to add yet another 30 minutes a day to it? Really? Do any of the people at the CSA ever spent even a few hours in a truckers shoes?
I read about this a couple of days ago and still just mystifies me. I don’t understand this logic in the slightest. Unless they’re using the 7 points for the break as a way of weeding out the violators to get them off the road faster. Because let’s face it, you have to answer to your employer or pontential employer for every single point on that CSA system.
Stupid is as stupid does. So this travesty in the points system PROVES just how stupid CSA is.
All of these comments and it still comes down to WE as operators of class 8 vehicles won’t stick together . We can accomplish getting realistic changes made if WE would lobby as a group. I would be interested in forming a driver’s CO-OP where WE can work together for ourselves, I do not mean forming something that trucking companies can be and part of because we all know who they really look out for…. That’s right their bank accounts.
. it’s time to take control of ourselves again and stand united.
This of course, is more bureaucratic nonsense. This is the result of our litigious society; lawyers and law-makers are able to create ridiculous laws with impunity, and slowly but surely, our society is breaking down. Nothing more than a grab underwritten (no pun intended) by the insurance industry.
Strike how we love to throw that around even the people who ask for it know its not going to happen it’ll never happen. how about we use the word boycott pick a state don’t buy nothing there travel right on through everybody continues to do their job just like they do every other day of the year local guys will have to buy fuel local guys will have to eat doesn’t mean I have to stop there I’ve been boycotting Illinois for 4 years don’t buy nothing there not a can of soda not a gallon of fuel nothing could you imagine 200,000 drivers a day going thur (pick your state) and not purchase anything I think it would be a short time before somebody would like to have a conversation about the situation. That way there the people that have to buy, have to use services of a given state will continue to use them. Those of us who don’t drive right on through. Just a thought.
I don’t know what you are all talking about. Breaks? I sure as hell didn’t need them while hauling ordinance, toilet paper, cutlery, etc down MSR Tampa in ’07 in the middle of the surge(mostly at night with NVG’s, and not knowing if the next dog carcus, pile of trash, wire, sedan with kids, or hole was going to send your truck in the air and a folded flag to your mom), and that was when the govt. was actually my employer. Paying me me $800 a month might I add. We would run for DAYS at a time. Did we have to? No. We wanted to because if we didn’t someone else would suffer.
Now I pretty much do the same thing with slightly more sleep, alot more money, no goat loving sand people, and no bombs. I break the law EVERY TIME I get in that seat. Scales don’t excist if I don’t want them to and I fill out my logs when I need to. If I get to tired I take a nap. If the business owner is pushing me too had I ask for and receive a break or tell him to eat it and still take a day off. I see a lot of these other truckers driving for big companies with elogs whom I know take their 10 hours, and they are looking like they’ve been sitting on a couch eating KFC for the last 20 years. We don’t need HOS rules. We need to get rid of all of the cry babies and “heart attacks waiting to happen”. If you aren’t fed up enough with your job to quit then shut your mouth and soldier on. Or motivate yourself, get off your ass and do something else. Make me worth more. I like money.
Lets not forget that they are gonna force electronic logs on EVERYONE(it will happen) so the days of cheating on the logs will be gone. These bureaucratic A-holes just can’t fathom the idea that you sleep when you are tired, not when someone says. So…log on duty while you sleep at a dock so that when you are rested up, you are now sitting awake for your break…then you are good to go on hours…but now you are freakin’ tired, causing you to have to drive tired. Am I the only one that sees the stupidity here? They need to learn they cannot control everything. They need to get input from DRIVERS…not statistics that are WRONG! How many wreck statistics are actually caused by cars, but as we know, the trucker is the one that gets cited!
Killing someone in an accident is only 3 points. Driving “while fatigued” is 10 points. Makes sense to me.
yeah, what he said.
so sick of this crap.
just like a speeding ticket you will never get out of, but murder you are inocient until proven guilty. follow the money. Enough is enough
Hi Everyone, I just got my Class A CDL last week and I’m looking for a Job… I have a problem though… I got a DUI on November 2nd, 2010 and I see that most companies say you can not have one within the past 5… As a Class A holder with no experience on the road and a DUI what’s the best place for me to start and build my experience…
If we are 50/50 then strike like it happens every where else in the world where people protest
We one day announce it, drive till hour 0 and then block every single road in America
I’m sure people is going to listen let’s make it memorable haha
i dont think this article is entirely accurate. it was explained to me that its not a dui/dwi thats weighted less, its if they smell alcohol on the driver, i.e. been out drinking the night before and you smell like booze, but not drunk.
How many points do you get if you take your 30 at a bar?
The CSA is so messed up, and full of paper pushers and bureaucrats that it is not funny. anything to substantiate their jobs. get some people in there with common sense. not college degrees. I feel more points should be for DUI/DWI instead of not taking a 30 minute break. Besides, if a driver is tired, a 30 minute break is not going to help. Being professional drivers, we know when it is time to get off the road. If the feds want to reduce accidents, start going after 4 wheelers. they are more likely to drive tired and unsafe than we are.
Amen driver. The 30 minute break actually makes me more restless when I start back driving.
We need to go back to the old days when the Teamsters were a union and was run by the good ole gang. I would be happy to pay union dues to a group who will really look out for our best interests. These rules didn’t exist back then.
We need to go back to the old days when the Teamsters were run by the good ole gang. These problems and rules didn’t exist back then. I would be happy to pay union dues to the new “old’ Teamsters who had our interests at heart.
It would be nice if these people like at the CSA or DOT main offices went out and did the work they are trying to make safer. It is embarrassing to me that our leaders make such uninformed and just plain dumb statements in public.
The regulations are getting so bad…you can’t hardly move without getting “busted”. The government wants to make every one have a criminal record…so they can control them,and use this record against them at a later date when needed. Sure you only got a small fine,but now YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD ! When the attorney who was against me in 2006 ,got my driving record from my state (with the help of a court order from a judge) it had all my violations from 1964 ! They wanted me to look bad in court. So don’t think it can’t be done !
CSA is not about safety, it’s about government control of the means of production. The latest HOS rules change is not about rest, it’s about creating jobs and providing healthcare.
By taking 30 minutes away from each of us, every day, and stretching our restart out to potentially 57 hours, companies are forced to hire more drivers, to accomplish the same amount of work, provide them with healthcare and so on. It should serve as a lesson to all who desire to use the power of government to “grow” their business.
The ATA has largely supported the exploits of FMCSA, because it has taken much of the competition out of the game. The cost of compliance is too high. OOIDA has fought the good fight for the small business trucker with limited success. The two are rarely on the same side. The latest rules change, and the aggressive enforcement the States have engaged in, entirely for the money, is an example of the monster the ATA helped to create turning to bite the hand that has fed it.
As for US… our government is our child. It will engage in whatever behavior WE let it get away with. Parking your truck to protest the high cost of fuel, as was the talk in 2008, is foolishness. Parking to protest federal usurpation of your 4th Amendment right to be secure in your person, house (or truck), papers, and effects is patriotism.
Scott A. Rupert
Truck driver and independent US Senate candidate, in Ohio
it seem that they are trying to make truck driving a 9- to – 5 job. sorry to say it will never happen
the 30 min brake is gonna take a little getting use too. its like all the new rules they keep coming up with just have to conform or quit. if you are like me quitting isnt a option. Been driving for 18 yrs dont know what else i can do.
my understanding is you must show a 30 min break after 4 hr of on duty time but cant go over 8 hrs without a break. I just work it in with my loading or unloading time and make sure i indicate this on the line also that way they cant misunderstand when or where the break is
Good luck to all and always God Bless ya and keep y”all safe
You must take a 30 minute break before your 8th hour on duty or driving. Which ever comes first! Be safe and take care!
I don’t drink so , doesn’t apply to me!
Schneider trucking didn’t let me take my 30min break…I decided to leave the company,horrible staff at the charlotte oc location!!!
I drive linehaul for years, I wanna know when the government is gonna reimburse me for the extra 30 minutes theyve added to my day. Coming up on 5 yrs now, my company didnt pay me for that extra 30 minutes, so I figure 5 yrs at 5 days a week at 30 minutes @$11 per half hour since I make $22 hr federal government owes me a little over $13,000, not to mention the parking space I take up while I watch you otr drivers drive thru and leave because you want my spot that im taking up a spot, REAL SAFE!