Why Not Strike?

I run a lot along the 401 , Quebec border to Toronto area and have yet to experience the 1 hour to pass 20 trucks , guess I get lucky , would be nice when they get the service areas reopened , slower than dead snails on the construction work.

 

A strike would be great. Unfortunately there are just too many drivers that can't afford to or won't shut down for a few days.

There are many other initiatives that could do the same thing without the disruption in traffic. One is,Start lobbying safety oraganisations/governments for the mandate of onboard recorders(electronic logs) and do away with paper log books(lobbyists managed to get trucks in Ontario governed to 63mph).
With OBR's people can begin to see where the time is truly lost and what drivers do illegally to deliver freight. A good driver can plan his run,an incompetent driver will be late regularly. Who's going to get the work and who's going to paid better for that work?

Paper logs are killing us in lost time and wages........it's time for them to go.

All of this lobbying can be done right from your computer. Send out some e-mails. Somewhere there is always someone looking for a crusade and you might just connect with one.

 

Funny all the CRYING about the 63 MPH speed rule but not hardly a word about the companies pulling the DOUBLE 53'ers in Ontario , Quebec , lots of jobs lost there or how they hold up traffic.

 

The DOUBLE 53 rule is an initiative of the OTA. Those can only run outside of the GTA and major metropolitan areas for now......basically the corridor between Toronto and Ottawa.
Look at the saftey record of some of those companies that qualified to haul the doubles.......hmmmm.

One tractor,one driver,one trailer.........that seems adequate.

 

i wonder what the price would b american manufactued products i would pay extra and do try 2 find american made harder evey day

 

Has nothing to do with it ... what a crock ...

 

If we don't do something there won't be enough of us left to make a difference. I have been turning down freight because I can't get the rate high enough to make up for fuel spike. Looks like 2008 all over again.

 

A nationwide strike of almost any industry is impractical let alone one that is not unionized. Added to that is the fact that modern strikes in the US haven't had great success (IMO).

Then you have to ask what are the aims of the strike? Better pay - sorry this is semi-skilled work, pay won't go up as long as there are warm bodies willing to work for the BFIs. Better working conditions - part of the aim of idling laws was to force companies to install APU or similar devices; part of the 14 hour rule was to stop drivers from being held hostage in the dock and being forced to drive when tired; restrooms at shippers/consingees - when drivers stop vanalizing restrooms will become availible again. Few of the issues facing us could actually be solved from striking.

I agree with the poster about mandatory EOBR will improve the life of the average driver in the long run. I run an EOBR and when I'm getting screwed by shipper/consignee I can tell my dispatcher and you'd be amazed at how quick I can get loaded/unloaded when the warehouse gets a call from management asking why its an hour after my appointment time and I haven't even been given a dock assignment yet. When my clock is up, its up. Its forced me to plan carefully and my dispatcher to run me intelligently. If I'm late due to someone else's problems I have a witness that will support me.

I also have to ask the question "whats the difference between a Mexican driver and a Canadian driver driving in the US?"

 

okay, I read a few posts and that was all I could stand. The truth is most would not strike due to the fact, they are living paycheck to paycheck and have family to support. We don't need everyone, just the mojority. Anyway, another problem is that drivers don't feel a sense of pride in what they do. I do! I know that without me and others like me, there would be not doll for Susan and no GI Joe for Johnny. That is the bottom line, period! Without us drivers materials would not move and I don't understand why most don't feel that, or maybe they do but are scared to do anything. I for one am tired of being controlled when we have the power. Just my 2 cents....

SheepDog

 

You sound like someone not even from the US, much less a US driver.

Or a driver at all ...