There are already threads around here with just general discussions about a strike. Gripes and groans. I would like to see a few of you list relevant reasons for a strike and identify remedies to correct some of the things you believe would make this a better, safer, and more profitable work enviroment. Be specific and leave the rambling chatter to the other threads please.
Getting the HOS to a reasonable point. Keeping the 'Safety Groups' out of the mix. They need to just butt out!
ok here's a couple of ideas.......1. make it mandatory that when sitting at a shipper or receiver we get paid. Why do they expect us to say we are working when we don't get paid.....that constitutes an unfair labor practice ie....indentured servitude. 2.allow our 14 hour clock to stop when we have our ....LUNCH BREAK......trucking seems to be the only industry where the federally mandated unpaid lunch/dinner break is not taken into account. The whole HOS thing needs to be simplified and fixed so that it benefits everyone. Pay is a serious issue that is crippling the work force. In my opinion these are the main reasons truckers should stand up and say something about.......unfortunately the ATA...anti-truckers-association care NOT for the driver but the owner.......
H.O.S. I saw this in a different post and I think this guy has the most common sense approach to it. http://www.truckdriversunited.com/hours_of_service_changes.htm Enforce it, make it a "zero tolerance" policy and take the sleepy drivers off the road. Most of the professionals driving would rather be held to a higher level of accountability then told, "get it there and make it work on paper" How 'bout this? You doze off and wreck a truck? End of career. And how about this as well? When a carrier or company pushes you to not do the right thing, how about someone who listens to a driver's genuine concerns, and takes them seriously? We're not always the bad guy like people make us out to be. Fuel. Instead of a fuel surcharge, figure out a way to allow heavy trucks to not pay the same amount of tax as a non-heavy vehicle, ie: a diesel pickup. I'm kind of an idiot as to how that works, but I can't see the gub'mint not continuing to line their pockets. What's the military pay for a gallon of diesel these days? Anybody know? Shipper loads/receiver unloads. Instead of making a driver be a lumper, or an inventory clerk as the product goes on the truck, make the people on the dock do their job, not you. Give the driver an opportunity to secure the load, if it's temperature controlled, utilize recorders or a PAR monitoring system, seal that puppy up and let the receiver break the seal upon arrival. Federally subsidized governed trucks saving big on insurance premiums. Okay, we want to save fuel. Fair enough. But the poor sap doing 61 mph in a 70 (or better) is impeding traffic, and not being fairly compensated for his less miles per day he can drive. That adds up and for the most part, from what I see and hear, the driver takes it right in the keester. I've driven trucks that can go the speed limit, and do better on fuel than the ones governed. If they insist on giving you a pitifully slow truck, pay you by the hour. Ya, right. On the flip, to give back to Joe Motoring public, make a serious speeding infraction in a CMV ( 15mph+ over the limit) and instant disqualification to drive a rig.
Labor laws are in effect to protect the worker. Yet truckers are exempt from many laws. I would like to see truckers treated like everyone else. I would also like to see truckers get real per diem instead of the we'll just make some of your wages tax free and you get screwed down the road because your true wages are hidden. Class C license holders should have to mandatory retest every license renewal. Thus making the roads safer for everyone. Right now their only concern is what they can do to make truckers safer. Kind of one sided to a growing problem of stupidity and forgetfulness. One good example is the new texting laws banning truckers. What? 16 year olds in a 4 wheeler can do it better? This boils down to the FMSCA having no control over 4 wheelers. Gov't depts need to work together. Shippers and receivers need to stop calling the shots for appointments. They have no concern over a drivers schedule. Trucking companies are built on fast service. So you'll get it as fast as I can legally get there. Be ready when I get there. More strict hiring standards need to be put in place to get the psycho's off the road. DOT needs to do random scalehouse drug testing. Too many druggies are getting around the present system. We'll test them after they wreck. Doh! Every town over 10,000 people should be required to provide adequate truck parking. This deliver and magically disappear is BS. All industrial parks should be required to have 5-10 acres set aside for trucks. Every rest area should be designed to hold 200 trucks minimum. I could go on and on. We'll stop there. I have to go
The hiring standards are already more strict that most companies. There are more psychos on the road in 4 wheelers. I'll agree to more drug testing for truckers as soon as they implement drug testing for welfare recipients. *hijack over*
This could clean up the few remaining drivers w/ a drug problem. There isn't as many as before testing but there is still more than there should be... Post accident testing should also be expanded to everyone on the road! Right now it is only done to the trucker after a fatal -or- after the trucker is cited for an accident w/ injuries.
Don't worry ... the way they're goin' ... we'll all be blowing a tube thru every scale house soon ...
