Then the went against a couple of companies on the lease purchase deals that were screwing the driver. They “WON”! Again, pats on the back and using this as reason to “join OOIDA”! But what happened? Most companies now have a man in a back office who is “in charge” of the lease purchase deals, which “separates” the LP’s from dispatch so that dispatch has no economic control over the trucks, which was the point of the lawsuits. What changed? Not a damned thing.

And now, Todd Spencer is on the Mexican truck bandwagon, and after all his fear mongering crap had been disproven, still insists there is no control or oversight of the Mexican Truck program, and he uses this fear mongering to attract new members who haven’t taken the time to learn the truth. To date, in the past year, his membership has grown by more than 5,000 sheeple.

I have absolutely no use for this organization and cannot understand how the members would allow their membership dues to be used to line the pockets of the politicians on this non issue.

The companies I hear crying about a driver shortage also have some of the most outrageous turnover rates in the industry. And its that way because they hire newbies in the business. When they find out they don’t have to be treated like crap, they quit and either get out of the industry or go to another company. And who can blame them.

My heart goes out to Laurance and his daughter because of the bad experience they’ve had. This industry has been mighty good to me and my family. I’ve raised two kids to adulthood and stayed married for 23 years. Thirteen of that as a driver.

The only way this will change is to start busting Congresses chops over transportation related issues on a regular basis. One way to do this is to register and VOTE. Every time there is an election. Not just every four years. Another way is to join organizations like OOIDA and become active in their calls to action on legislation that is important to our living. I’m an OOIDA member.

Until drivers start being treated like humans and paid a fair wage, people will come and go in droves. Companies have to be made to understand that if they can’t get drivers, they’ll go under. Shippers, consignees and brokers have to be made to understand that we have to rest and eat at some point during a trip. And that they HAVE to get us in and out of the docks in a timely manner. Because, if the wheels ain’t turning, we ain’t earning. An appointment time should be when we’re put in the dock and unloaded. Not six or eight hours later. This is some of the kind of sub human treatment that I think Laurance was alluding to.

I’m through rambling for now. Ya’ll take care.

My complaints are against all companies who withhold part of the fuel surcharge and pay on a sliding scale using a chart which is about half the compensation suggested by OOIDA as an appropriate fuel surcharge.

While it doesn’t affect me personally, driver wages on the border are about 10% less than they are in the rest of the country. I am referring to companies who are based in Laredo.

That’s just the way it is and the way it’s always been. It has nothing to do with NAFTA nor with Mexican trucks. And if the truth be known, NAFTA has actually provided the impetus for trucking companies to become established down here.

The biggest problems I have are the dumps they call truck stops now. Not for lack of effort from the operators, but from the sheer amount of trash and garbage dumped on the lots by other drivers.

Differential in fuel prices! I returned from a trip to the Carolinas Monday and during that trip, I noticed an average of a .40cpg between gas and diesel. Something smells here.

I guess I’m blessed to work for the company I do after reading Laurance’s comments. We have good dispatchers, get paid for layover on the first night, get treated with the respect we deserve and don’t have to demand.

Guys, there are still some good companies out there. But I don’t think you’ll find them looking at the mega companies.

Sub-human treatment, abuse by dispatchers, hurry-up-and-wait, lack of civilized parking, no-idle laws (a misnomer we buy into–an idling engine is one that does nothing useful–a truck engine has several useful purposes, among them propulsion, life-support (heating and cooling, food preparation, driver entertainment, lighting, CPAP machines) and safety lighting.

And truck-hostile states (California, Ohio, Illinois, Vermont for openers).

And that is just from the company-driver’s view, O/O’s have a lot more complaints to list legitimately but I don’t have the authority to list them.