Deregulation specifics

It's a complex subject but here's a basic rundown.
Life Before Deregulation | Estes Express Lines

 

Deregulation is a absolute and irrevocable change against the trucking industry in the late 70's I see life before deregulation as sort of "In order" with everything in place and overflowing in money. After deregulation? HA... here we are scratching to make a dollar.

 

No more Smokey and the Bandit?

Shucks.

 

Well, let's see, life before deregulation? When outlaws ruled the roost (unfortunately, we paid the price for those shenanigans) Just hearing the song fires me up. ( where's my walker) It was a great time to be a trucker, fo sho!

 

Well, the thought was that the free market would do its thing and everything would work out in the end. And that's happened for the CUSTOMERS of trucking companies. It always seems to work that way. To hell with the person doing the job, give me your service for half price.

Large corporations moved in or broke their pesky unions, and driver wages have stagnated for four decades, for the most part.

The average driver earned equivalent to 100k per year prior to regulation. The AVERAGE driver, not the cent per mile hero cooking three log books and snorting drugs to make delivery times.

Household goods miles, cents per mile pay, doing away with or cutting detention pay, if the wheels ain't turning you ain't earning...deregulation has brought truckers many gifts! All hail the free market! Lol

 

The only reason for the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 was to break up the teamsters,
It worked.

 

Well, hold on. After deregulation, it was the little guy that could finally get a break, megas came much later. It had to do with competition too. I don't think wages have stalled, drivers are making twice as much as I made 20 years ago, and it was never $100 grand before . I remember, UPS was the highest paid truck driver in the late '70's when I started, and they were making around $20/hr. while I made $10 ( $26.00 today)and that was considered average then. Deregulation gave a lot small time schmoes, like me, a chance to have their own truck and business, and I did ok, hauled many things that were once union, you think the people on both ends cared? They were glad to get a better rate, which, if still regulated, I don't think we could have made it.

 

I said equivalent to $100,000. Adjusted for inflation.

And yeah, there is always a window where things are good with capitalism. And then the large corporations show up, and you get what we have today.