HOS changes and my perspective on EOBR's...

The discussions always take on an interesting dynamic on forums like these. It's like the advent of Talk Radio with caller participation back in the day, if the host needed to beef up his ratings and calls, he just started talking about abortion and gun rights. The lines would light up. All I have to do is mention the words EOBR & mandate and landstar8891 goes nuts!

17 pages later on this thread and, well, you know...

The older so-called renegades and outlaws will be gone sooner or later. The nature of logistics is changing right before our eyes. The advent of technology and efficiency are being driven by a regulatory & corporate structure that will just not allow business to be done as usual anymore. So, either through attrition or acquiescence, compliance will be brought to bear upon this industry.

That was my original point in writing this thread. The liability factors and stakes are just too high now...

On a personal observational level, it always amuses me when I read or hear some of the old timers musing about the "good ole' days..." As though they were all earning loads of money way above the national income averages for decades and now that hours of service rules have come into play, things have gone to Hades in a hand basket.

EOBRS's are the Apocalypse, you know?

Carly Simon said it best, "These are the good ole' days..."

I'll admit this much, with only a few years under my belt now driving professionally, I'm a Johnny come lately to this industry. Although I respect some and have come to know many veteran drivers, I don't respect the one's who opine for the days of popping cross tops to stay awake for 30 straight hours to make a delivery (and breaking almost every law on the books in the process) and then smoking refer and drinking heavily to come down for a day or so just so they could do it all over again. Yeah right, those were the good ole' days.

I don't care for many of the rules and regulations as much as the next guy. However, openly advocating lawlessness on forums like this where thousands of potential drivers come to read and learn is bizarre and ridiculous. The mockery towards the new drivers as stupid and sheepish is equally as nauseating to me.

Personally, I've come to really love this industry. I told someone the other day that I was born to be a truck driver, it just took me 51 years to figure it out.

I came in right before CSA2010 was getting into full swing. I was on paper for the first year and then the company I was with came under DOT scrutiny and opted to put in EOBR's. Without beating a dead horse, I had no problem with it and kept working, driving mostly OTR, building my experience level knowing that the day would come when I would find something regional and better suited for me, which I've done.

During that time my earnings were sufficient enough to stave off losing our beautiful home on 2 acres in Southern Oregon as well as gaining traction financially after taking a real hit as a contractor in the Fall of 2008.

SLAVES DON'T LIVE IN 2,300 SQ FOOT HOMES OFF THE RIVER IN OREGON. I really tire of being categorized by some of the players here as a slave because of whatever. Slaves have (and had) a very hard and treacherous existence. I make a nice living, have great benefits and have the best boss I could of ever imagined. I'm extremely content with my lot in life, what more could a person ask for?

 

Well, you could always pull out your old John Lennon 8 track and sing along...IMAGINE