Over regulated corruption

I hope some don't. If they accept everyone. Then I'm to cheap.

 

Just because the option is there doesn’t mean you have to use it. It’s there in case you make an adult decision and choose to use it. If you allow your employer to bully you into using it when you don’t want to then that’s on you.

 

Routes were deregulated. You don't need permission from the ICC to move freight after you have documented a need of customers and ICC tells you what to charge.

 

I am not defending the use of armed agents for compliance inspections, however trucking is not the only industry this is common practice in.

I am also in the auto recycling/salvage industry and in many of the states we have facilities the environmental compliance inspections are completed by armed members of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, or similar Agency. They are full police officers and in most states have the right to enter upon private land without a warrant to search for environmental compliance violations. Crazy the power the DEP Officers have in most states! Same as our Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers here in Pennsylvania, very little restriction on them entering private land, and they are the same officers that inspect most marine craft in the Commonwealth, so they are armed officers inspecting commercial vessels, just like motor carrier officers inspecting trucks.

Our family also owned a bulk beverage store selling beer by the case and other alcoholic beverages in Pennsylvania and the PA Liquor Control Board Officers are the equivalent of State Troopers and come in armed with a badge to do compliance checks.

While it feels like trucking is the only industry being picked on, in reality we are not. I am involved in several other industries that have armed law enforcement officers conducting routine compliance inspections. Even my repair garage that has a state safety inspection license here in PA has a state police officer conduct the routine paperwork audits, entering my garage in uniform with a gun and a badge just to check that I recorded all my inspection stickers properly! He is also the same guy that audits my used car dealer license, and way back when I set up the dealership and garage was the guy that inspected the premises for compliance (although today that is a different agency in Pennsylvania for the initial setup inspection).

 

You haven't been around the scrap metal recycling industry then! I know many recycling facilities, the shady ones, that will knowingly buy stolen metal including obvious things like manhole covers, street signs and fresh new copper wire for pennies on the dollar and quickly shred it to destroy the evidence. Same with knowingly buying stolen cars and shredding them within minutes. There is so much more corruption in the metal recycling industry and used cars than I have ever witnessed in trucking.

 

Yeah, I'm not a fan. Those are some great examples that never even crossed my mind actually. Not the type of government interactions one would expect from a freedom based country. I wonder what the Founders would have to say if they were able.

 

That's true. I spent a greater portion of my trucking in the food industry, and saw first hand how regulated and inspected they were. I don't recall any armed guards, but inspectors, I feel did a good job, as far as I could tell. Most places were clean.
Here's a compliance story. I used to pick up at Bagel Boys in the outskirts of Chicago. ( Melrose Park?) Anyway, not one of the workers spoke English. Jews may be surprised they aren't made by rabbis in lower Manhattan, I was. One week I show up, I don't recognize anyone. I said, what happened to Jose? Oh, big immigration shakeup, all new workers now,,,