HOS VS Brains

Where will they draw the line? What is the goal?

They could limit drivers to 1 hour driving, 2 hours on-duty and someone, somewhere will still fall asleep at the wheel...

 

Yeah... from the pure boredom of waiting around for the 1 hour to roll around!

 

There are more voters driving cars than there are voters driving trucks. Most people that drive are scared of BIG TRUCKS. The polititions listen to the larger group of voters every time. The goverment regulates industries because it's a self sustaining employment system. The more regulations, the more personal need to enforce those regulations. To the average four wheeler ANY accident involving a big truck is the truck drivers fault. It's not right or realistic, but thats the way they see it. The goverment, insurance companies, and the trucking companys we work for will continue to dictate to us how this will be because we don't have a central voice to give us power.
My dad drove in the 60's and 70's and I remember him having to sit for the big Teamsters strike back in 74? 75? I don't remember what the strike was about, but I do know they practicly shut down the country for a week or so. I beleive their demands were met because they had the ability to organize the drivers so that they could all band together and have a say in the industrie. This is not meant to be a pro union speech, just stating facts as I see them. I doubt that the goverment, insurance companies or the carriers would allow us to organize anyway since that was part of the reason for the deregulation of the trucking industry to begin with. They want it that way. You know? They pay us what they want, tell us when we can and can't drive,
ect,ect. They want us to just shut up and drive. It's not all bad, I'm making a halfway decent living, Mama can stay home and raise our babie's, and for the most part we are getting along. But it does irritate, their attitudes and high handed ways.
b

 

I think that strike had something to do with casual labor. In any case, it is probably responsible for the trucking industry being deregulated, at least as far as rates were concerned. I believe it was Jimmy Carter that actually signed the legislation that deregulated the industry around 1980. It essentially broke the back of the Teamsters since those carriers who were unionized could not compete in the marketplace when there was competion from non union trucking companies. The Teamsters lost the gripe that they had on the industry. They have gone downhill ever since that strike. They were responsible for many trucking companies going out of business during that time and the years that followed. It is also the Teamsters who are very involved in pushing for shorter drive days and EOBR's. If they can stop drivers from working as hard they will begin to lose money since they won't be able to drive as many miles. They would like to see drivers being paid by the hour. It would open the door for hundreds of thousands of new union members and billions in new dues.When you cut through all the BS about EOBR's and hos you will find those who push for these regulations stand to profit. There is always a profit motive. FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!

 

Ellsworth try not to use math it isn't your strong suit. Second all those fines people claim are for revenue can be quite simply avoided by following the #### law.

Pretty simple huh?

 

Need to check your math. BTW totally the state of Texas "DOT" (CMV Enforcement officers) consists of 442 commissioned officers, 115 non-commissioned vehicle inspectors, and 12 non-commissioned compliance review investigators.

Why would those responsible for regulations give a rats behind about giving politicians and the police the opportunity to say anything?

Even though everyone's body is not the same there are enough studies of sleep, sleep habits and sleep deprivation to have some idea of what an average person needs in regard to rest. Studies are not an exact fit for each individual but do form a basis for expert opinions on the subject.

As far as one's record determining if you ever drove again, would that then have be be after one ran off the road and centered a tree, or after they killed your family but before they killed mine?

 

From the state of Texas CMV enforcement website. Of course I guess they could be lying.

We are not discussing what I ever heard in regard to police and crime. I questioned your statement that HOS were in place for two reasons and number two as you stated it was "If gives the police and the politicians the opportunity to say "they are doing something to help make the roads safe for all." If you can produce an instance of this please feel free to do so.

Why would the need to study every person to conclude what an average person needs?

So you would prefer to wait until after an accident and determine fault rather than attempt to prevent an accident in the first place.

Now you are attempting the reddest of all herrings. Placing falling asleep as the criteria rather than including lack of awareness, memory performance, moodiness, alertness and other cognitive and brain functions as well as the increased production of stress hormones, all which are and can be factors in accidents.

Keep digging