American trucks are so much better than European trucks

American truck pre 1990 maybe not this tonka toy plastic we have now .and too many electonic issues and other stuff. Half the time if you notice if you see a truck on a hook it will be a newer model .(Real trucks do not require a computer to run , and also has a manual transmission )

 

This Nationalist comparison is foolish and a distraction away from the real struggle between owner operators and big corporate fleets. I've traveled a lot around the world and find that trucks are basically designed and built for the conditions wherever they are. European trucks are low emission, fuel efficient, low profile tires because roads are very good, but are designed for tight turning and very difficult docking in old retrofit neighborhoods. Latin American trucking (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina), in contrast, has less regard for emissions standards because there are none, focuses upon extreme engine reliability because of poor or infrequent access to service and poor fuel quality, and multiple axles because the roads are so poorly paved or potted from punishing and extreme tropical weather. Some of the same is true in Africa and Asia, as far as I've seen, except that the cab comforts for the driver are even more spartan. Only the USA has had a strong tradition of owner operators driving comfortable rigs, due I believe to the self-sustaining "frontier" independence tradition, which has also produced cultural oddities like the Harley Davidson motocycle. The distances are long in the USA, and rigs are big and comfortable compared to Europe, but more low tire profiled than Latin America due to better highways. Like any industry, corporate giants--not the government--really threaten small businessmen, and so many, if not most, so-called owner operators in the USA are really indentured servants leased to bigger carriers. If you own your own tractor but aren't hauling your own trailer, you are in this category. If you are in a lease contract, you are not really an owner operator. Nevertheless, the popular political sentiment in the USA still remains with the owner operator, and so OOIDA and those, like myself and thousands of others who write to their congressman, do have a strong voice that is heard in Washington and Sacramento. If one reads the CARB webte pages, it reports in plain English (and Spanish) strategies to coop owner operators into emission reducing equipment. Supposedly, fleets with 3 or fewer vehicles still dominate with 51% of the marketshare of carrier operations. That's why the larger fleets have to upgrade their equipment two years or more ahead of the owner operators.

While I have met many shade tree and even a few dealership mechanics who are frustrated by today's increasingly complex engines, I have never met an engineer who has argued that computers reduce engine life and reliability. Rising emissions standards due to rising quality of life requirments in urban areas of the USA definitely adds challenges and complexity to engine design, but computer regulation of fuel injection and variable valve intake/exhaust control clearly has made engines live longer with less maintainance.

On the other hand, like GM and Ford, USA truck manufacturers are unfortunately slow learners in the emissions and alternative fuel vehicles demands, preferring to hire attorneys to lobby against standards in Washington than to hire engineers to figure out how to meet new standards. But, because American trucking is BIG, all the major American companies are financially big enough to buy or partner up with European and Asian manufacturers to produce reliable, powerful, and low emission engines. And, they ought to do this oriented toward the cost basis needs of the modern American owner operator.

 

The euro's have braking systems that put our compression brakes to shame.

 

Well said, I agree almost completely. There is just that one thing...
There are only two comparable "Worlds" with 300 milions people and highest prosperity - Europe and USA. Throwing in other examples of trucking "Worlds" is nothing but distraction, since all the rest is just too poor.

I hear communists (call them democrats if you prefer) selling this BS about how USA should be more civiized, more modern and educated and caring - the way the Europe is.

Well, let me tell you guys. Let me tell you why actually creature l am would run from all that Euro-Paradise. The reason is that I DONT WANT anybodys ##### help. I want to live my life my way. USA used to be last place in the World where tough people could take care of themselves. If they chose to be truckers, which is absolutely one of the hardest ways to make a living - they would eventually work with truck makers demanding what they wanted. And those would run like crazy to deliver better machine than competitors. No government intervention, no tax incentives, no #####. Be the best or die (i.e. crappy Sterling). Simple as that

Not so much in Euroland. Their Supergovernment (bunch of scumbags pushin for 1984) is shuffling bilions of tons of peoples TAX money killing real competition between the countries introducing their supertechnologies which are to save us from oncoming catastrophe...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkjA1_6IxjQ


and we.... still can enjoy sights like this... still having diminishing but real chance to own it some day....



There is no place like States
We are falling, but are not fallen yet.
God bless America for being so much behind European "advancements".
The People Will Wake Up and kick them ##-ers out of the Manhattan and Washington.
Its gonna be all right.

 

The problem with US owner operators (and most employed drivers) is they just want to look cool, no matter how little money they make. PACCAR was willing to make cool looking inefficient trucks for them and makes good profit because of it. Like HD, overprized POS, but someone thinks it's cool.

European Union is like USA, we were doing better before joining it. (Europe and European Union is not the same thing if you didn't know.)

 

Problem is you In European Union dont understand ownership anymore, since you guys are socialistic mumbo-jumbo. Lenny, I got nothing against you and really like your posts here, but you are the one who dont understand whats going on.

Tell us, how great Austrian Owner Operators are doing and how they love driving efficient, overpriced rigs and pay those beautiful taxes, because Britts arent that lucky being owner drivers, despite how "well" your economy is doing, according to this post:

Hello Robbie,

Not wishing to put you off....

You will need:
1.Access to a minimum of £40000
2.A CPC
3.An operating centre
4.A maintainance contract
5.At least £10,000 per lorry in the bank for the last three months

that's before you even apply for your Operator's licence.

Once you have your Operator's licence,then you need to find a firm offer of reliable work.
There are plenty of sharks waiting to snap you up,not many owner drivers have not been ripped off at some point by non-payers.

If you have achieved all this,then,finally,it is time to consider buying or leasing a lorry and possibly a trailer.

Then you have to be prepared to work about 60 hours a week driving and another 20 or so doing your books,looking for better work etc.
Don't plan a holiday or even a day off for a year or two.

Over the past 35 years,I have had several opportunities to become an owner driver,and passed on them all.
At the moment,I am the International Transport Supervisor for my employer and am doing regular trips to Spain.

The other day,I was waiting for a ferry at Caen and talking to a couple of owner drivers.
One had been forced to sell his trailer to survive after a customer failed to pay him and the other has a Scania Topliner which had just cost him £18000 in repairs to the engine and still had an oil leak which was set to cost him another £3000.

The bottom line is that you will attract a huge amount of debt,risk and stress and earn very little,if any more money than you will as an employed driver.

If this hasn't put you off,then the very best of luck to you.

Regards,
Nick.



BTW, £18000 at current rate is like $28800

 

It is easy to think you have the best when you really do not know what is out there. There are options in europe that we do not have, such as aux braking unit.

 

your right, we do want to look cool. Everybody combs their hair brushes their teeth and polishes their shoes, you can't fault us for that can you. Just kidding Lenny you are right.

 

The cities are MUCH older and tighter than the US. You wouldn't get to far with a long nose Pete in Europe.