Trucks- John Oliver

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Speaking of inflation...
I have heard very little recently about the recent minimum wage hikes and it's effect on inflation.
Granted, it hasn't been an official minimum wage increase, but companies are paying the bottom tier of workers a lot more now.

That was big talk a couple years ago when this all started, how raising those wages - especially by that much - would only lead to higher prices for everything.
It is a trickle up kind of thing.
The left says pay those people more so they can live on minimum wage, the right says doing so will lead to higher prices for everything and that advantage will be a very short term solution.
Who was/is right?

Part of the blame for the current inflation rate has to be put on those lower tier jobs getting so much more money.

 

One solution to the detention problem would be to stop pandering to those companies that do it to us.
Almost any grocery DC that uses lumpers and makes them count everything and re-pallet it before they cut the driver loose, Amazon (I can think of one that has a driver there for 6-8 hours for a live unload, even if the driver is there on time for THEIR appointment time), and so many others.

Stop taking their loads until they can clean up their act and do things correctly.

 

Although it was very good, I've been thinking and feel he left out some other important issues. My perspective is from OTR trucking where I basically live in my truck. Folks doing local or regional who have more routine routes and schedules, this may not be as much of a problem.
Anyway, missed topics:
1. PARKING!!!! Simply not enough parking where needed most. Causes drivers to have to park in places with no services, potentially dangerous places and drivers often end up having to work their schedule around being able to get parking.
2. 4 Wheelers. In general the public seriously needs more education on how to drive and behave around trucks.
3. Better road markings. It would be quite helpful if truck routes and no truck roads, bridges, underpass, etc were better clarified. Most professional drivers don't have too much of a problem with this, but I'd bet almost every trucker with any time under their belt found themselves somewhere they shouldn't or couldn't go and better markings sure would help.
4. More standardization among the different State DOT web sites for road conditions. Almost every State has a DOT web site with road condition information. However, none have any similarity to the other and can be a pain to actually find. Standardizing web addresses and general site layouts sure would make it easier to keep abreast of road condition information.
5. Boost the power of trucker CBs. Allow truck drivers to have more powerful CB units to have additional range. I know many truckers these days don't even have a CB. Their loss. But, current CB units only have an effective power range of a couple miles. Extending that distance for CB traffic would often be helpful during inclement weather especially!

Anyway, I was just thinking about how good his video was, but disappointed it missed some things. I thought of these things that could make trucker life easier and safer.

 

The government getting involved won’t do anything to help the inefficiencies of the supply chain. All there will be is unintended consequences, just like many things the government “fixes”. The 14 hour rule, for example, OOIDA had everyone and their cousin writing comments about how they can’t stop for a break or to eat or anything because of the 14 hour clock. I’m sure they were hoping it would go away, only instead the 30 minute break was mandated.

Let’s say the government steps in and has rules for shippers and receivers. Let’s say they regulate detention pay. Now let’s say you get caught in traffic or something and miss your appointment. Then what happens? My guess is they’d charge for every minute you were late and they’d keep charging up until the new appointment time they give you.

The government rarely renders positive aid to anything they touch. I don’t see them trying to regulate what goes on between carriers and private businesses as a good thing.

 

Sigh ...