Is OOIDA worth it?

We think alike and I agree that the government big brother programs need to be watered down or kept away. But after deregulation's and other events things have become pretty bad, I do also agree that small honest brokers will take a hit but they will adjust to this in time.

Now not sure of most brokers but the few I know and one is huge in produce, all of them have over 10 million a year of reported revenue and all started out as truckers.

 

I would think in the long run, a higher bond would actually raise rates. Lets say there are 1 mil brokers out there. Raise the bond, and 500k go under. thats 500k less brokers trying to cut each others throats. I know the the numbers are actually way different but just using those numbers as an example. All the brokers are fighting each other for freight to move. If you have less brokers, then the ones that are left have less competition, there for can get more out of the shippers. Hopefully a portion of that extra would be passed on to the drivers.

Now if my thinking is way off base here, please correct me.

 

Never thought of that but you have a solid point, wonder if it would slow down triple booking loads also?

 

Well , the halfway part was pretty close . If you want to talk about people sitting around griping and doing nothing that pretty much describes OOIDA members . They think paying their dues and letting OOIDA be their voice is doing something . Case in point -When ATA petitioned NHTSA for speed limiters over 3,000 supporters replied to the request for comments . How many members does OOIDA have ? I bet less than half of 1% bothered to post an opposing comment . So now FMCSA will push speed limiters through partly because

http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stor...had50lowerspeed-limiterrelevantcrashrate.aspx

 

Well, I did post comments regarding limiters, and my congressman, for one, actually took to the house floor and advocated for no speed limiters or EOBR's. It is even a video on Youtube. That fact that he also holds a CDL was not a bad thing. But my Senator also advocated the same way. Not sure that my calling them had a big hand in the broad scheme of things, but i would like to think that it helped.

OOIDA is a mixed bag. On some things, they do pretty well. On others they seem like sitting in a truck stop lounge and listening to the complaining. I have to admit, I did get my monies worth recently. They had a $500 rebate from Freightliner on glider truck purchases this year. My new glider goes to work this next week, and the $500 I get in the rebate covers anything I might have spent on OOIDA.

I stay a member. OOIDA has much in common with a blind squirrel. Even a blind squirrel will find a nut once in a while. Even OOIDA will actually do something meaningful once in a while. I sure don't cotton to everything they advocate, but they do quite a few things right. I have no problem sending emails to Angel and others in OOIDA when I think they are wasting their time on something, but when they do have a real issue that they are targeting, I will step up to the plate and call congressman and other stuff to help carry the ball.

 

Ok. I use an EOBR. I like using it and want nothing to do with paper anymore. I am also an OOIDA member. I don't advocate one way or the other for their use. But, would you please explain to me how having an EOBR on board will actually make anyone safer? It most probably will make some more compliant with the regulations, but safer? That is a wee bit of a stretch to say the least. It is not logical to equate compliance with safety. Most accidents, according to the FMCSA and other groups, shows that a higher percentage of accidents occur within the first two hours of legally compliant driving. But how can that be? Paper or EOBR have no effect on actual safety. It just gives those who want the government to mandate their use warm fuzzy feelings that they are doing something. And, of course, it lines the pockets of those that make them.

And EOBR will not stop someone from violating hours of service. It will not prevent someone from cutting off that 4 wheeler and causing them to eat the ditch. It will not stop or prevent anything that causes unsafe acts to be performed. Sure, it might help with prosecuting someone, but it is faulty logic to equate the prosecution of someone for an unsafe act as preventing an unsafe act. It is the same faulty logic that police will help stop crime. Crimes will occur. Cops can't stop squat. They can only investigate what happened and maybe go after the person(s) who committed the act. Regardless, the victim or victim's family will never be compensated justly.

I like using an EOBR. It makes my life easier, and makes compliance reporting easier. It actually saves me money and time (time equates to money also). But I am also a realist. It is not a cure all for what ails trucking. And it is not called for as a mandate. For those that cannot keep their act together, then I could see a mandate on them. But for a broad, across the board mandate? That is not justified. I have a hard time supporting OOIDA's logic for advocating no mandate, but I do support the idea of no mandate. Might just be the Libertarian leanings in me.

 

rick, the purpose of a pac is to represent the opinions of its members. i contribute the ooida pac, and i also use the provided ooida pac card that lists my senators and congressamn address phone number and e-mail addy's , makes it very easy to respond to them on issues.

and what about you rickg , were you one of the 3,000 respondents? I was.


and concerning brokers bonds, you have to ask yourself this. if a broker cant afford the increase to his bond, how financially able is he to meet his obligations?? one has to understand that while a broker owes you less than 10,000 , he may owe a combined 100,000 or more to many owners and drivers. it doesnt take long for a 10 grand bond to be sucked up. a switch from a 10,000 dollar bond to 100,000 or 500,000doesnt take 90,000 or 490,000 dollars. so an increase isnt a big a hit as most would think.


truthfully, if a guy doesnt qualify for or cant afford a 100,000 dollar bond or one for 500,000 even , you probably shouldnt do business with them


bill by any chance are you also a freight broker?

 

bill after, a few more trucking years as a owner and after you try to get taken by a broker or two, let us know how you feel about a 10,000 grand broker bond.

and i know your take on manging your credit risk etc. , i know you got a better plan than most of us, but really in about 10 years you may have been screwed blued and tatooed a few times by both lease ops and a broker or two.


10,000 bond is a joke , and even at that it pays to verify the jokers bond is still in force.


and are you also a freight broker lokking at a higher bond?

 

Ahhh now it makes sense!