This is the blonde again!

If all truckers could agree that the sky was blue..it would be a miracle!

YOU are right...if the trucking industry would shut down, the Taft Hartley act would kick in and the government could take over the trucking industry and find out that they could not handle what all the truckers do.

Therefore changes could come about!

 

Unfortunely: It is so hard to gather a "strength in numbers, I am just new to trucking, I will be staring school this month...being older 55 I have seen this sceanario played out over many times..I have been working on the water all my life as a Commercial Diver until the downtrend in the 80's (loss of day rates, schools pumping out baby divers)..then as now the Commercial Shipping industry..we have lost almost all American Flagged ships to foreign enterprise..(cheaper to employ foreign seaman, Flag in a foreign country like Liberia) I have been working for Military Sealift Command USN, but now there is a 70% attrition even there...recurit anywhere turn them over...I think it just comes down to "Looking out for me!" and me only...different generation..I hope I can make a living otr,
at least the rack is bigger in a Peterbilt than what I had on board!
Hope all can be resolved, so WE can ALL,make our livings and get home safely.
Thanks,BOATS

 

The list of "demands" would be the stumbling block to any proposed organized shutdown of CMVs. I'm certain the American, or should I now say, North American truckers would end up in an internal feud over which issues are important enough to seek relief from. Would it be rates? Maybe HOS? How about foreign competition, or, highway taxes being used to balance the general budgets of the Federal and State governments instead of fixing the dang roads and bridges? There are other "pet" peeves that would need fixing, as well. Who gets to decide what we'd be bargaining for? It'd never work because the industry is too fragmented.

On the other-hand, those sissy azzed Frenchmen manage to pull a successful strike every few years and get some concessions dolled out. Maybe the commies do have a better system.

 

I am new to the industry, still a student, so I realize I have only this sites info. to go on. I make these statements almost as an outsider still, so forgive me if I am incorrect. But it seems to me that the only real way to get any changes is to join OOIDA or another similar organization. It is true that there are many different "pet peaves" that would need to be addressed, but if everyone only worries about themselves and their concern, our elected officials will only hear tiny voices of protest from what they feel are a few. They need to hear ONE RESOUNDING voice from an INDUSTRY of disgruntled workers. THATS when we are going to be heard! Its simply the way things are done today, by both parties.