The story didn�t mention the impact on the economy that would result if all truckers conformed to the laws.
I�d think an estimate of 35% more trucks required would be low.
The drivers would still need the same income so wages to them would have to increase the same 35% compounded by the additional drivers.
Companies require newly hired drivers to go thru 3-5 days of orientation much of it from the safety dept. before being released to the dispatchers who then become the voice of the company to them. The dispatchers main concern is getting the loads covered, not safety. The safety departments do a good job and some of the material covered is sobering but the dispatchers are under pressure also and unofficially their Job is to get every last mile they can out of the driver/truck.
I�d not be surprised if the non union companies with the best safety records were also the ones hauling the highest paying freight under contract. They can afford to let their trucks run legal but much the industry is squeezed much tighter than that and the US economy couldn�t stand higher rates.
Trucks are large and heavy and collisions with passenger vehicles tragic but often local laws share the blame. For instance many cities and states don�t allow trucks in the left lanes. Isn�t that really where they should be, away from entering and exiting traffic?
Often passenger vehicles pull in front of the trucks in the right lane causing the truck to brake as well as those behind it causing an accordion effect. Trucks then take awhile to regain the speed of the traffic flow, if they are just passing thru a city why should they be mixing with the local traffic?
There are some cities and states that allow trucks in the left lanes and prohibit them from the right lanes except to enter and exit; the trucks maintain a steady flow in the left lanes.
Ron Donahue (Side Track)
PS: why is this text centered?
Jessica said:
Most truck companies do background checks and do not hire illegals and ex-cons which in my opinion has nothing to do with accidents. (the accidents highlighted in the report were all truck driver fault?) The bottom line is that the average american driver is ignorant to the dangers of driving on the roads with trucks. I see people cutting them off, giving break jobs, etc. to truck drivers. General auto drivers are typically the cause of accidents involving trucks. Being a ex criminal, drug user or illegal has very little to do with accidents. It's unsafe auto drivers that need to be investigated. Sure the industry breaks the rules, but I think if you researched all the accidents you'd find that they're mostly caused by car drivers.
Shaun Snapp said:
The first comment in the post by Ron related to the ability to afford safety is a problem. It sounds as if the US economy can not afford to have high truck safety. This seems strange considering the productivity of our economy. Truck safety should be minor issue in terms of affordability. If the price of goods goes up this is a good thing as we should be paying the full cost of our consumption. Just as we need to pay the full costs of humane animal treatment if we intend to eat meat. Consumers do not have the right to impose dangerous or unethical or inhumane treatment because they want a lower price or a higher standard of living. This is as Chomsky points out, an elementary moral principle. Furthermore, there are alternatives to trucking. Much of the freight on the road could be carried on the railroads, which are more energy efficient, more environmental and the natural place for giant containers of goods. The rail industry requires revitalization in order for this to happen.
Secondly, on Jessica's comment, this sounds like a textbook response from the PR department of a trucking firm. Regulation is required in all things, not just trucking and standards must be applied. Truck drivers who have multiple drug possession convictions is not a good thing. Truck drivers who have one eye or can not speak English is not a good thing. Truck drivers who are pushed to drive too long is not a good thing. These are indisputable facts, so the fact that they are happening means we have a problem. Furthermore, on the driver side, much can be done to bring home the importance of driving differently around trucks, so there is no reason not to do both. Generally, the industry appears to be rife with abuse and requires more regulation in addition to migrating freight to railroads which would reduce the number of trucks on the road.
ad123 said:
Those who see drivers who do not speak english as a bad thing are simply narrow minded to say it nicely. It is not a problem of any kind in Europe where a truck driver goes
thru 10 different countries to deliver a load. As for driving in U.S. most truck drivers 80% are asked to brake
the law. Companies do not give enough time to deliver the loads that have crazy appointment times and drivers are notoriously forced to fix the log book. You either do this whenever needed or they say they will look for someone else who can or simply let you go. Delivering full loads from Chicago/Millwaukee area to New York/Deleware area (basically east coast) you are expected to do two trips per week. You can barely walk straight after a week like that. Recent ad posted by a company that hauls containers locally. After a little talk learned a little about working hours:
"Well... you start at 5-6am and finish around 7-8pm, saturdays its usually until 4pm.... You got to do as much as you can, you want to make money right?"
So much for hopes to work like a human being not a robot. Almost always the problem starts with the company that ships the load or a broker.The more they ship the more money they make, it is not the driver who is the problem. They give you unreasonable deadlines and that is all they have for know to ship. You try to make it if you want to have a job or a load next week. It does not
matter if you are a company driver or an owner operator. You always work for someone. Authorities, Cops, D.o.t
are simply unaware of this which is highly impossible, they are simply ignorant of the problem. They have to put the end to this by stopping the shippers, all they do is check the drivers. Driver is simply trying to keep his JOB and not get cought at the same time. In the future... someday...hopefully a truck driver will be able to work like a human being.
It is enough you have to sleep in a vehicle on a gas station all the time -what a great life.
This is the reality nobody talks about not the above report
nor the comments.
I hope this comment gets to the producers, sometimes change starts with little things.
in association with
© 2008 Educational Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
The story didn�t mention the impact on the economy that would result if all truckers conformed to the laws.
I�d think an estimate of 35% more trucks required would be low.
The drivers would still need the same income so wages to them would have to increase the same 35% compounded by the additional drivers.
Companies require newly hired drivers to go thru 3-5 days of orientation much of it from the safety dept. before being released to the dispatchers who then become the voice of the company to them. The dispatchers main concern is getting the loads covered, not safety. The safety departments do a good job and some of the material covered is sobering but the dispatchers are under pressure also and unofficially their Job is to get every last mile they can out of the driver/truck.
I�d not be surprised if the non union companies with the best safety records were also the ones hauling the highest paying freight under contract. They can afford to let their trucks run legal but much the industry is squeezed much tighter than that and the US economy couldn�t stand higher rates.
Trucks are large and heavy and collisions with passenger vehicles tragic but often local laws share the blame. For instance many cities and states don�t allow trucks in the left lanes. Isn�t that really where they should be, away from entering and exiting traffic?
Often passenger vehicles pull in front of the trucks in the right lane causing the truck to brake as well as those behind it causing an accordion effect. Trucks then take awhile to regain the speed of the traffic flow, if they are just passing thru a city why should they be mixing with the local traffic?
There are some cities and states that allow trucks in the left lanes and prohibit them from the right lanes except to enter and exit; the trucks maintain a steady flow in the left lanes.
Ron Donahue (Side Track)
PS: why is this text centered?
Most truck companies do background checks and do not hire illegals and ex-cons which in my opinion has nothing to do with accidents. (the accidents highlighted in the report were all truck driver fault?) The bottom line is that the average american driver is ignorant to the dangers of driving on the roads with trucks. I see people cutting them off, giving break jobs, etc. to truck drivers. General auto drivers are typically the cause of accidents involving trucks. Being a ex criminal, drug user or illegal has very little to do with accidents. It's unsafe auto drivers that need to be investigated. Sure the industry breaks the rules, but I think if you researched all the accidents you'd find that they're mostly caused by car drivers.
The first comment in the post by Ron related to the ability to afford safety is a problem. It sounds as if the US economy can not afford to have high truck safety. This seems strange considering the productivity of our economy. Truck safety should be minor issue in terms of affordability. If the price of goods goes up this is a good thing as we should be paying the full cost of our consumption. Just as we need to pay the full costs of humane animal treatment if we intend to eat meat. Consumers do not have the right to impose dangerous or unethical or inhumane treatment because they want a lower price or a higher standard of living. This is as Chomsky points out, an elementary moral principle. Furthermore, there are alternatives to trucking. Much of the freight on the road could be carried on the railroads, which are more energy efficient, more environmental and the natural place for giant containers of goods. The rail industry requires revitalization in order for this to happen.
Secondly, on Jessica's comment, this sounds like a textbook response from the PR department of a trucking firm. Regulation is required in all things, not just trucking and standards must be applied. Truck drivers who have multiple drug possession convictions is not a good thing. Truck drivers who have one eye or can not speak English is not a good thing. Truck drivers who are pushed to drive too long is not a good thing. These are indisputable facts, so the fact that they are happening means we have a problem. Furthermore, on the driver side, much can be done to bring home the importance of driving differently around trucks, so there is no reason not to do both. Generally, the industry appears to be rife with abuse and requires more regulation in addition to migrating freight to railroads which would reduce the number of trucks on the road.
Those who see drivers who do not speak english as a bad thing are simply narrow minded to say it nicely. It is not a problem of any kind in Europe where a truck driver goes
thru 10 different countries to deliver a load. As for driving in U.S. most truck drivers 80% are asked to brake
the law. Companies do not give enough time to deliver the loads that have crazy appointment times and drivers are notoriously forced to fix the log book. You either do this whenever needed or they say they will look for someone else who can or simply let you go. Delivering full loads from Chicago/Millwaukee area to New York/Deleware area (basically east coast) you are expected to do two trips per week. You can barely walk straight after a week like that. Recent ad posted by a company that hauls containers locally. After a little talk learned a little about working hours:
"Well... you start at 5-6am and finish around 7-8pm, saturdays its usually until 4pm.... You got to do as much as you can, you want to make money right?"
So much for hopes to work like a human being not a robot. Almost always the problem starts with the company that ships the load or a broker.The more they ship the more money they make, it is not the driver who is the problem. They give you unreasonable deadlines and that is all they have for know to ship. You try to make it if you want to have a job or a load next week. It does not
matter if you are a company driver or an owner operator. You always work for someone. Authorities, Cops, D.o.t
are simply unaware of this which is highly impossible, they are simply ignorant of the problem. They have to put the end to this by stopping the shippers, all they do is check the drivers. Driver is simply trying to keep his JOB and not get cought at the same time. In the future... someday...hopefully a truck driver will be able to work like a human being.
It is enough you have to sleep in a vehicle on a gas station all the time -what a great life.
This is the reality nobody talks about not the above report
nor the comments.
I hope this comment gets to the producers, sometimes change starts with little things.