DOT and the State Boys have gone Mad!!!!!!!

Yes we are always hiring. A civilian inspector that works with me has a extensive background in the trucking industry. He has a mechanical and driving background. I love to watch some driver's try to B.S. him about the condtion of their truck. He was the head mechanic for a large company that went under about 9 years ago. Before that he drove for about 15 years and still has his CDL. He finds some major defects that other inspector's miss. He has definately showed me a lot over the years.

 

IN had bears riding with truckers around the Indianapolis loop not long ago to nail unsafe drivers . This has also been done in KY and WA .

 

Whilst I don't condemn people for feeding their families and wanting to do business where it pays, (comparatively) I hate what has happened to the construction industry, just like trucking. And the excuse of "we're doing the jobs nobody wants" doesn't wash any more in the recession, and they're buying equipment now and taking over the other industries, not just labor. They killed the rates in the SW and are now doing it here in the SE.
The fact that we allow so many illegals to work here and legals to work for pauper's wages is what is bringing us down, not to mention the crime and crap that always comes with it.
On the mid-levels, I have to compete with immigrant foremen who will do my job (const. supervisor) for half the money. They're getting away with it since there are so many latino/asian crews here. Especially now there are few jobs to supervise.
End Rant.

 

I am based in Northern California I used to travel into the SF Bay area daily the condition and looks of those port trucks is awful. I have wondered why they are allowed on the road most of them have huge oil leaks missing radiator grills hood fenders falling off or held on with duct tape. I try to keep my truck in excellent shape but the Minority drivers are driving rates down even further i had a bid on a haul for $40.00 dollars a ton mind you it was a bit over 300 mile haul the customer wanted the load tomorrow morning I said I can go load it right now mid afternoon and have it there by 9 AM i go and hook up my trailers he calls me back and says he talked to his normal carrier (Assume it is a hispanic) Says his carrier can haul for $25.00 a ton wants me to match that I said tell your carrier to do the load then Customer then says I want you to match that rate my carrier cannot do the load for a couple of days I said my truck will stay parked get your own He says I need material tomorrow my last words were I can do it for $ 40.00 a ton he hung up on me.

So here lies the problem with these type of O/O they are operating I believe at or near a loss. I am hoping the emissions law on the horizon will eliminate some of these guys my guess is they will get a waiver while I will either have to retrofit my current truck Or fork out over 100 K for a new one that will require more upkeep. I am by the rules I am in a alcohol and drug program I am in the BIT program (California Biennial terminal inspection program) I have my 2290 etc.etc. I wonder how many of these others are not! I have never had a OOS violation I have had a couple of minor things but really nothing major never had a brake out of adjustment Mainly non working light or once for a couple of torque arm bushings on a trailer which I had corrected that day!

I truly believe the CHP here in Cali are afraid to crawl under these guys truck and place them out of service and face being called a racist. Every time I go through a particular scale they pull me in for a paper work check or a reweigh never get me for anything.

These people have ruined the trucking industry!

 

I agree. I am a log hauler here in West Virginia. I have been pulled over, weighed, and fined 6 times in the past month with fines from 200.00 up to 900.00 dollars for overweight. NOT ONCE have the dot checked my truck over for anything, just weighed, and fined.Log trucks are very easy targets, the load is open to see, u have no way to know how much u have on, and u cant run 50- 60 miles out of route to weigh your truck, but I will admit, I know im heavy every trip as do the DOT. You simply cannot load a legal load and make a profit, they know this, and it is why the DOT is pulling log trucks over left and right!!

 

Randall:

You're lucky that the state enforcement officers don't require you to reduce the load to make it a legal weight which they have the absolute right to do.

And how do you make money paying all those civil penalties (fines)? Seems like running legal would be more profitable than what you state you have paid in fines.

 

Ohio has a tolerance for log and coal haulers, as long as they are coming out of the woods or pits.

 

Well sir, If you saw my paycheck after a legal load you would know why. I own and operate a triaxle log truck. I am light weighing in around 32000. Becouse of the lenght of my truck I am only allowed to gross 59500 on interstate. That doesent even halfway load my truck. Now on primary and secondary roads they will allow me 77000, thats with the 10% added on they have to allow you. Even at 77000 the cost of operation is to high. This is something the DOT officers around here DO understand. They havent always been so hard on us. The pullovers and fines used to come in spurts and go away for awhile, but latley if you are seen loaded, you will get weighed and fined. Seems like their attitudes towards the industry have changed. The last time i was stopped, I went through a melt down. I shut my rig down, handed my license to the officer, and told him to keep them, and that I wasnot paying anymore fines. As I started down from the truck, I told him I would walk from there. He said "Now just hold on, You dont have to be a prick to do this job, and I'm not out here to put anybody out of buisness, but I know that sum of the guys working for us are". He talked with me for awhile, explaining his side, and listening to mine, we even talked about fishing, lol. (wish there were more like him) I walked away from there with a warning for being overloaded. This was on a Friday. The following Monday as I was going down the road, My jake stopped working so I pulled to the side and was looking through the fuse box when GUESS WHO knocks on my door. Yup, The same officer. HE weighed me and I bottomed out 2 of the scales, lol, should have seen the look on his face, I told him I thought sumthing was wrong with his scales, he just laughed, asked me what I thought I was grossing and I told him prob about 85, He said well I call it 80 and write a warning. This is a perfect example of a DOT officer that understands. But, I have been running across several officers that couldnt give a hoot, and they make it perfectly clear. Fact is sir, These laws were designed to be broke in my opinion. As for your question about running legal being more profitable, It has been tried by many, and many has failed. As I begain to notice the DOT becoming down right nastey, I have also tried. Weak before last I hauled legal all weak. Ihad to buy 2 tires, which came to alittle over 400 dollars that weak, and after fuel, I cleared 50 dollars for a whole weaks work. Would you work 60hrs.+ for 50 dollars? Nah, I dont think. Neither will I, or nobody else for that matter, and its just what they are counting on. So my question for you sir is, What is a man to do? QUIT? Sign up on welfare? What else can a person do, but what he has always done? I started driving when I was 16yrs old hauling coal on strip, its all Ive ever done. There is no quiting for someone like me, There is no money to park it, like some can. Now, back in the day, as some say, we loaded heavy, and drove fast. As for now I'm alittle old for the driving fast, but I will continue to load heavy, run at night, and try to sneak by. I know some people would say that doesnt sound very professional, but I submit to you all, There is nothing professional about what I do! I am a TRUCKER, not a Professional Driver, And there is a very big difference! (Not a spelling teacher either, but youll get it!)

 

While I find you and diesel bear's posts vary good reading lets not over look the fact that some of us have to deal with the same things. While officers, EMT's and the like see way more lose of life than any human being should ever have too.
While you see it after the fact and have to piece it back together to figure out how and what happen, some have to deal with the fact that they were in it.
Case in point; 1996 I had a drunk driver hit me head on late one night in a curve on a lonely 2 lane back road in the middle of no where. The driver died on impact and the passenger died in my arms shortly thereafter some 30 mins after I had call 911. For 30 mins I was there alone with two guys who just died because of there actions. A state trooper was the first one there and he asked serval times if I was all right. He gave me his card and told me if I ever needed to talk to him to give him a call and to this day I still have his card.

 

I agree, to a certain extent. By the way I must say your record is very impressive. Almost to impressive . Never had a oos in 12 years, WOW! If what your saying is true my guess is you have been riding in 100k rigs since you started. But as I said I do agree, but to an extent. Perhaps some of the people you are talking about (the minority) just cant afford a nice rig, such as yours, maybe they cant get a loan for a nice truck, maybe they are just trying to feed a family. Maybe they are coming from nothing, and trying to make something. Fact is, sounds like your in pretty good shoes, But ask yourself, why would they cut the haul rate when their trucks are falling apart? My guess would be becouse they know they need that haul, they have to have that haul. Maybe they want out of that rig thats falling apart. I think you have to agree, Their trying, even if it is wrong their not just lying around on welfare. They have a dream to, sounds like their just starting out a little lower on the ladder than some of the elite. You have very good points that I agree with, But lets not forget, There are two sides to every story. If your woundering, no I'm not hispanic or minority.