Petition that explains our plight as truckers

you can get all the petition you want and all the signatures you want and send it to washington and all they would do is throw it in the trash and ignore it .
they know of our plight and have for a number of years they simply dont care and that is a fact we are just a ###### old bunch of truck drivers what can we do.
and the fact is we can do somthing we just wont we dont care enough and that aint gonna change any time soon.
SOUTHER PRIDE

 

that attitude is the reason we all cant come together to get some changes made in our favor for once!

 

The international brotherhood of teamsters? Granted they wheren't and aren't a government agency, but an intentity of their own right.
I am reading a book written by one of the leaders of the IBT. It's about how they came into true power (though they existed before then) in the mid 1930's, in Minnesota.
Farrell Dobbs authored the book I am reading. You can think him for the modernized IBT.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teamsters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrell_Dobbs

 

We must stop looking for others to solve our problems. Congress don't give a rat's patoot about drivers. That's not where the power is. Every single driver needs to become a member of OOIDA. With 3 million members and as many associate members as possible... that is strength!

Then as members we have to demand that OOIDA sue the hell out of anyone and everyone that makes life rough for us.

Those cops in Virginia that write tickets for parking in rest areas for more than two hours can be sued! There is a federal law called official oppression! those cops have discression to write or not write a ticket. The laws states that they can be held responsible for following an unlawful order. You veterans know what I'm talking about!!!

No idle laws are unlawful as well because they put the driver and the public at risk. Now they cal mandate that trucks have APUs or clean technology. Bit as we know this is about money just as split speed limits! SUE THEM!!!

Make these cities and town that zone a factory or warehouse in an area then put no parking signs all over are extorting drivers that have to park there. SUE THEM!! Not just the town but each person that voted for that stupid law and the mayor that signed it as well as the #### cop that writes the ticket!!! Make it cost them!!!

Sue the states for closing rest areas that are paid for with trucking taxes. Sue companies that knowingly waste our valuable time, for not installing APUs and expecting truckers to suffer. SUE THE HELL OUT OF THEM!!!!!

Get the public on our side, Imagine how the public would react along I81 in Virginia if they knew that the State Police were forceing truck drivers to drive tired! Putting everyone in danger! Imagine if the average peron in Ohio actually knew they were being put in danger with split speed limits? Imagine how the average person would react if they knew that drivers were driving tierd because theycould not sleep in a hot truck without an APU? That's where the power is!!

We just have to get OOIDA off thier behind and do this. And we can't demand they act if we are not members.

 

Keep blowing OOIDA's horn.

I joined them many years ago. Was real impressed with the work they did. (NOT)

Seemed they were only interested in renewing the dues. Heard from them on that issue for 6 months prior to expiring and for 2 years after I declined.

 

What can one individual do ? Very little. But one individual can call/email his/her representative on the state and national level. When enough of us can express our concerns not just complaints some action may be taken. Start circulating/posting your petition. I will sign it. This isn't just about APU's it's about being treated as professionals.

 

Great idea but as usual--getting truckers to organize and agree on something is like herding cats,,,you need to drop a big net down on them!

 

The problem is there are so many new drivers who bought into the recruiters speeches. Not enough old timers left to really educate the new drivers. The future of trucking isnt in hauling freight. It is in re-educating adults....governemnt grants. As long as people will sign contracts and work for pennies these companies can just push the minority right out to pasture. The veteran is a dieing breed out here. No I am not one of them. I have been around trucking all my life so I do know enough to realize this business has changed and will continue to change. We were once a commodity in high demand. Now we are a number on a computer screen. Dont like your job? Good!!! The company has a long waiting list of cheap labor to fill our seats.

Yes I think something needs to change. But how do we compete with big business? Coperate America now owns the highways and the freight. We are no longer a spoke in the wheel. They have figured out how to run that wheel a few spokes short.

 

I'm not impressed either with OOIDA. Nor am I blowing the horn for them. But the truth is without some organization with the needed resources to unite under we cannot get anything done. If you got a better idea let's hear it!