FMCSA Article on pending rulings. Big changes coming...

Regs have ONLY been used to tip the playing advantage to one party or another. That's the history of trucking in a nutshell going back to the 1930's and transportation (railroads) back to late 1800's, spring forward to 1980's (Motor Carrier Act that deregulated trucking).

What matter's who's out and who's in. Drivers have too long (since 1980's and before that FLSA 1934) been the misbegotten step children. An attempt is being made in courts and governments to change that.

 

Until the pay structure is changed so that the average driver can work fewer hours and still make a decent paycheck, cutting a driver's ability to put miles on the truck HURTS THE DRIVER. European regs won't work here in the states, where many of our states are bigger than their countries. Simply put, an American driver has to put more miles behind him on each trip to complete the run. If the driver is only allowed to work the European 50 hour week, what's the OTR driver going to do with the other 118 hours that week he's out on the road? Sure, 6-8 hours/day will be spent sleeping...that STILL leaves the driver stuck in BFE unable to work (which is the sole reason for being away from home in the first place) for 70 or so hours when the driver is awake and perfectly capable of working and earning money.

Besides, 50 hours at 50 mph is 2500 miles. That is the MAXIMUM...but we all know that a 50 mph truck won't average 50 mph, and you have other job-related duties to perform. A trip from LA to NYC and back would take nearly a month at that pace.

I've NEVER looked to the European model for ANYTHING and thought, "We ought to follow their lead." There is a reason America became the economic powerhouse it was in its relatively short existence...and this path down the European model of laziness and dependence upon the government ain't it.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Get out of my way, and let me be free to pursue. THAT is what made America great.

 

Here’s how a typical speeding ticket (in this case a ticket from Indiana that we paid though our Traffic Justice Program) is divvied up:
State Courts: $49.00
County Courts: $18.90
City Courts: $2.10
Law Enforcement Fee: $4.00
Jury Fee: $2.00
Highway Work Zone: $0.50 (??)
Auto Record Keeping Fee: $7.00
Document Storage Fee: $2.00
Infractional Judgments: $99.50 The fine!
Public Defense Administration Fee: $3.00
Judicial Insurance Adjustment: $1.00
Judicial Salaries Fee: $18.00: Do you think murderers and rapists pay this fee too?
DNA Sample Processing Fee: $2.00 Very common service for traffic tickets.
Court Administration Fee: $5.00
Total Cost Of Ticket: $214.00
- See more at: http://blog.motorists.org/where-does-the-money-from-a-speeding-ticket-go/#sthash.LFC8FuB6.dpuf

 

That's what the diesel bear told me during a casual conversation.

 

Funny but true!

 

so rates are going to be $4 a mile by 2020?

 

I was joking about the library saying, "What's that".

 

Soon or later, all those laws, mandates, government, and etc crap will repealed. Declaring war of our own. TRUCKER WAR against regs

 

Trucker war...
Was reading another thread "FMCSA investigating driver harassment with Elogs"... and according to most there, no matter what drivers say or think, FMCSA will do WHATEVER they want... So, we all better bend over and take it... and get used to it... Quite depressing...

 

I agree it does sound strange and unusual, but remember I'm in Michigan.