Frozen trucker case

Then please post a link to the transcripts

 

I can't it is through a subscription service. I can't cut and paste either, it won't let me.

 

Ok. Understand that. Thought it might shed more light on discussion. So much inuendo and misperception going around. And so many have a biased opinion.

 

I got to tell you Cow, if any of us were to be the one thinking up questions to ask this driver, he would not have gotten a dime. There is a lack of understanding the industry and who does what, who has what responsibility but more importantly the way the truck works. What came out in the transcripts was they didn't ask the right questions, like we know the difference between an APU, Bunk heater and an Espar heater and it makes a difference, but in the transcripts it wasn't really clear what was what.

 

Was there mention of a Toaster 9000? I rest my case.

 

A right to work state is one where you cannot be compelled to join a union where the employer has a collective bargaining agreement with a union. I think you meant an "at will" state, which is all states except Montana. When employment is "at will" the employer may discharge an employee for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason, but it may not discharge the employee for a reason specifically prohibited by law. For example, there is a law prohibiting discharge of a driver because he refuses to violate an FMCSR, or makes complaints to supervisors about violations of FMCSRs.

 

The Court in the frozen trucker case was addressing whether the driver was protected under the employee protection provisions of the Surface Transportation Act, 49 U.S.C. Sec. 31105.

 

Where'd you go, man? All ok? Miss some of your input...!

 

There is a whole book about that thick which can be written, and ought to be written expressly for newbies into trucking. Winter driving for newbie dummies in trucking.

There are certain things which will happen during winter, most of it is common sense. For example Fuel = life. You filled fuel at 1/3 to 1/2 tanks without fail. If that means twice a day fueling, so be it. Just log it and make it match to miles run accurately between both fueling locations.

It's a little different for teams, we generally fueled once every 24 to 30 hours which is about what it took to drain those tanks running almost 1600 miles. I once write a story in TTR months ago where the FLD 120 for a variety of corperate decision making was not allowed to get fuel between roughly Williamette TA all the way down the coast and then east towards Tuscon where fuel finally became availible. At which time I was reduced to stopping at every exit looking for the most basic desiel fuel equipped gas station willing to walk back and forth with a 5 gallon bucket paying a 15 dollar bill each trip for a total of 60 trips more or less to completely fill the tank.

I don't know about you, the thought of transacting 60 seperate 5 gallon purchases, to be logged and delivered to the truck a block away on the highway shoulder is a bit... much. Even for me. How do you even write that many fuel stops into a set of paper logs? Also how does a electronic log log this monster to accomodate the legal requirement that you log fuel stops.

Or just pay the cash, splash enough to make the next valid operating fuel line equipped truckstop where you can properly fill the 300 plus gallons in a few minutes with the right equipment. Theoretically trucking company can have hired a fueling specalized provider to run out with his specialized truck carrying all sorts of fuels for primarly onsite fueling and servicing of heavy equiptment such as greasing fill points. etc.

Carried a bit further into ludicrous thinking is actual elimination of fueling lanes in truckstops entirely. They instead make appointments on large sections of interstate by reserved mile marker to reserved mile marker for a specific requested gallons of fuel to be transferred at 70 mph on the move from the tanker truck to the company OTR truck recieving the fueling in a few miles or minutes regardless of day time, night time conditions etc.

Motor Carriers will be able to purchase spot fuel in large blocks of inventory to protect supply prior to any future national emergency that causes the supply of fuels normally available in service stations to cease to exist. No more need for 8000 gallon tankers to run fuel. Just pipe it mini inch to the trucking facility and hold it in a sufficient above or below ground capacity to fill a ... 1000 to 3000 gallon service truck who now has to intercept 10 inbound company trucks in specific locations on the interstate and not much time to do it in. It would be better for all 10 company trucks to stack up around a refueling supply rig, get the fuel and go away now. There are others waiting.

Presto this will result in no more rage in fuel lines in truckstops. There will be no more traffic to block anything. And truckstops will have to stand or fail on whatever small amounts of markups they manage to eke out on food, coffee, gambling etc. Or do the Carls Corner Texas thing, put a little bit of something in everywhere. Cover all possible income bases. Presto prosperity.

Posts like this come out when I have all day to think about a problem and how to solve it. The problem is most people will not stop laughing on the floor long enough to commit to actually trying it out.