What If There Is A Strike!!!

Lower fuel prices number one
Lower insurance cost
Roll back the Reagan tax increases that no one talks about,that was the reason for the last strike back in the 80`s he called out the national guard on us.REMEMBER THAT
Cut out weight distance taxes
Pay fuel taxes at the pump instead of every three months in every state.
Do away with split speed limits.
Stop the DOT from pulling us over just because they want to.
NO MORE BACK HAULS it costs just as much comming back as going.
Teach dispatchers math,a truck needs more than 3 hours to travel 500 miles.
I can think of more,but it is early.

 

AMEN!!!!!!!!!

 

I don't think that we will ever see enough truckers get together and be able to come to an agreement on a strike, or whatever you want to call it. There will always be too many folks out there who are just to hungry to go along with it.

And you would NEVER see the big companies involved. Hell, they would just love to have all the independents out of their way.

I don't know what the answer is, but I don't think we will ever be able to be strong enough to make a difference.

 

Concerning Brokers, maybe you could just boycott the brokers for 2, 3, or 4 days nation wide. Their shippers would not be too happy. Then maybe that would give you the chance to air your complaints about them.

A broker boycott. Thats it! A nation wide broker boycott.


MMMMM.

Who knows.

Just a thougt.

 

I dont think the brokers would like to see us go. Maybe that is where the shutdown needs to be focused. Of course it is esentially the same, but at least you are blaming the brokers and not the nation as a whole. Then maybe you could get some attention once the shippers start asking the brokers why they can't get their product moved.

Put the blame on them. Besides fuel prices, which I don't think we could ever change, I think most people would be a lot happier if they were getting a fair price, considering.

 

I've been reading these posts on strike, shutdown, or whatever you want to call it. Ok, I'm a newbee, but I think I have some common sense. So here it goes.....

1) Blocking highways = Bad idea. Gives drivers an even worse image than we already have in the eyes of the public. Like it or not we need publc support for something like this. Besides you'd have to get the tow operators to refuse to move the trucks to do any good. Then you pay the fine, the tow bill, ect.

2) Take a vacation = Good idea, but can we get enough of us home at the same time? Can we afford it?

3) I like the idea of contacting the shipper either before or after accepting load. Ask what thier paying the broker. Tell that shipper next time contact me direct, (give biz card) I'm sure the shippers would love to pay almost any percentage less than they are paying the broker, while we make a better profit too boot. I'm sure that we could all broker our own loads with out help from the so called professional (middle men) brokers.

3a) one of the posts above said Shipper paid $3600 to broker. truck got $1700. Someone please explain what the broker did to deserve $1900??????

Just some thoughts from a newbee...... Yes, I drive a company truck right now, but would like to go O/O. I have been looking to go that route, but not going to make the big leap until I'm sure I can make it work, and have learned enough here, and elsewhere to make the right choices when I do decide to take that leap. I'd like to work for a small O/O for a while to get a-lot closer look at how the biz really works.

That said, This is one company driver that would support any shutdown if the time were to ever come. To #$!!#$%# w/ my company. Go ahead fire me..... I'll survive!!!

 

Some brokers will send you a contract where it would say that you cannot contact their customer/shipper for a year...if you do? legally he can take you to court...some brokers do not have that in their contracts...in addition if you are in a business for more than a year it is not that difficult to get your own brokers authority that ofcourse if you find a good shipper/customer to work with.

I just don't see why we even need the middle man..

 

OK!!! we must stick to the basics. Tho only real problem is we are not making the money we need to... Logs, speed, etc... have absolutely nothing to do with this issue... If we strike on issues like that we WILL NOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!!! Rates, FSC and brokers. These are the three major things that effect our bottom line.
1. Rates... wait, let's go to 2.
2. FSC... should be manditory and pass directly through to the truck period... who ever owns the truck gets the FSC.
3. Brokers- 10% max period!!! When a load pays 500 and the truck gets 200, well you get the picture.
Now, back to rates... if you do the other two the rates will come back in line... for sure with fuel where it is now plus the driver you are talking $1 to $1.30 just to move the truck... not to mention the other expenses.
These are the things we can and should demand and DO NOT BUDGE!!!
To recap:
Manditory FSC passed through to the truck on every load for every type of freight.
Regulate brokers to 10% for making phone calls and nothing hauled for under $2 per mile plus FSC.

PERIOD!!!!!!!!!
If you need to know how to do this check out the trucker strike in Argentina when they emptied milk from tankers into the streets because it was spoiling... Get serious and let's do it !!!!!! OH and don't worry about image- people will get over it....

 

If enough of us refuse to pull freight for the brokers that have a no contact provision, they will either eliminate the no contact, or the freight will go to those that don't have the no contact...... my way of thinking may be to simple, but in either case, eventually, we win.

Or am I not seeing the whole picture here????