Driver tells FMCSA he doesn't follow their rules

Fellers its really as simple as if truckers united together we could win the fight were all fighting. The problem is they keep getting away with it because truckers are used to dealing with this type of stuff everyday. We all get it shoved up our ### real good every once in awhile,by our company or by brokers,or by customers or by 4 wheelers, and weve been trained to deal with it because we are the professionals. So when the government shoves it up our ### real good, its just normal business. But its time we stop putting,up with this . Im telling u guys all it takes is for,all of us to band together like we should be and we can take down these clowns and all their bs rules. The funny thing is this guy was being honest, but to these politicians they will just impose stricter laws and call him an outlaw and they wont take this guy seriously.

 

It ain't that simple to band together anymore man. Many people have never known trucking pre elog or pre-modern day regs. To newer drivers it doesnt seem that bad. The guy was being honest, but he also could have aired his grievances better than that. I agree, this will motivate them to make stricter laws. He could have been way more professional. Truckers already have a bad name, and everyone thinks we're a bunch of dumb clicks, and this guy didnt help change that perception.

 

So what I heard Landis say was that he doesn't need someone to tell him when to go to bed and when to go to work. That as an adult who accepts personal responsibility he knows how to run a truck safely, with a proven track record of doing so, without a nanny telling him what to do. That since ELDs have become more widespread throughout the industry, the highways have become less safe due to the inflexibility of HOS. That the people making these regulations have no idea what they're talking about, because they don't have the requisite experience and knowledge to make decisions that affect the life and livelihoods of millions of people and businesses.

Personally, I've more tired and stressed since ELDs, than I was before. And so is my truck.

 

What could he have done more professional? He said what he said in plain everyday english even a simpleton can understand, he's a truck driver not a public speaker of you're looking for pretty words you're going to be disappointed. It'll get us stricter regs for one reason, government doesn't like being told they dont know their ### from a hole in the ground and should shut up and go away.

 

This guy ain't saying nothing that ain't been heard a thousand times. ELDS just force people to change work habits. That it. Nobody really needs to be told how to do this job, but its what it is. Accidents dont happen because of Elogs. They happen because people do dumb ish on the road. They speed, they follow too close, they do unsafe things and this isn't limited to truckers. This goes for passenger vehicles too.

 

He could have not said, "I dont follow y'alls rules." He is stupid. They hold the switch blade like it or not. It's a certain way to talk to people. Truckers are supposed to be professionals. We deal with people and businesses. If I had grievances with the these regs, I could have said it 10 times better with out sounding like a stupid idiot. I probably could have made some points and at the very least gotten some consideration. Why would you talk so reckless to people who have the power to make your life hell?

 

Everything you've just said sounds to me like a good argument to dispose of the FMCSA entirely, you do know that's the way this country was ever supposed to be right?

 

Yes it was supposed to be but it isnt that way now. It ain't going back to the way it was. We all may as well change our thinking. People nowadays as a whole cannot be trusted to govern themselves.

 

@D.Tibbitt is right though. We’ve been taught, trained, and encouraged to be professional- which is fine. BUT: this type of professional is a super PASSIVE do with me what you will type “professional”. It’s ok to be professional, it’s preferred to be professional. But this type of professionalism ultimately allows us to be a big rest area toilet bowl, allowing any and everybody to use at will. Between the fmcsa, state police, dps, insurance companies, brokers, motoring public, shippers/receivers, our kind of “professional” is a kindness took as a weakness, that has perpetually increased the ease of our separation and unwillingness to be a stronger more stiff professional.

Just look at what this mentality has done within us truckers be it owner op, lease op or company. So many of us have got so COMFORTABLE in being the ultra passive courteous Professional that this group will debate, quarrel, and argue other professionals who have a moral objection or obligation to not be so Passive. That’s all it is folks. The comfortable passive standing off (protecting their cozy system) vs the guys who are less passive and don’t want to be so easily pushed around.

it’s not just about logs; it’s about csa, csa scoring, state police interfacing, respect from the public so they can be safe from themselves, more respect from shippers and receivers (at least to be treated like a human level), more competitive parts pricing (not this 300% markup on everything), more competent techs (not this $125 an hour for a kid fresh out of school), and for company guys- more competent and respectful dispatchers, safety Dept etc.

But this PASSIVE professional almost sees none of this and encourages this behavior to continue. That’s all this is about. Remember, divide and conquer. They’ve successfully divided us truck drivers in this industry pretty good. And also remember this, to the passive professional group, a frog getting cooked in slow to boil water doesn’t realize it’s being cooked either til’ it’s to late.


yes we got things to fix within ourselves as a truck driver collective; the pee jugs, the unneeded mouthing off at shippers, the border patrol truckers who won’t show their DL, the personal body odor some of us carry, the extreme speeds, bending the log books and etc. but we also need to cut all this talk about safety when a strong 50% of company drivers don’t even know what type of motor they have- Don’t take enough pride in their career to learn the components on their truck better to spot early warning signs of certain parts failing and etc.

 

I hear what you’re saying. You mentioned “truckers” and the sad thing is... it seems they are a dying breed. That’s why it never seems like enough band together to get something done.

I’ve only been driving for 19 years and wouldn’t say I’m a veteran but I’ve seen some stuff for sure. So much has changed in the last 10-15 years in the industry that these newbies are just steering wheel holders and have no idea what the fuss is all about. They run cheap freight, let companies walk all over them and think life is good. They wear the flip flops and sweatpants...yesterday’s lunch all over their shirt, pee jugs in the parking lot, non showering...you get the idea...

Think back to the time when truckers actually communicated on the cb. Bear reports, accidents, road conditions, or just chatting it up while driving down the road. I remember that time, but it seems like that doesn’t happen much anymore. I rarely get anyone on the cb. Oh yeah, guys trailer brakes are on fire, tire off the rim, but he has no radio and he’s too busy watching Netflix on his phone while driving down the road.
Not a clue in the world.

All I’m trying to say, in my opinion, because of government over regulation and control of our industry it has drastically changed for the worse. The new drivers today have no problem being a robot for trucking companies and have no idea of what having freedom to drive is all about. My opinion...I’m sure many will disagree.

One last thought...we, as truckers, are severely regulated. And again, I agree with what the guy told the FMCSA...but how come Joe Shmoe can work in his office all day come home and drive all night in his massive RV pulling his car? No special license, no training, no regulations, no hours of service....that’s okay for him to do, but I gotta stop an hour from my house because my 14 hr clock is up? Yeah, I don’t think so.