Wish I knew

Tanya, the government does not have insane power over the trucking industry. In my lifetime there has always been requirements that must be met to operate legally, taxes that must be filed, safety procedures that must be followed, etc. However, the government has created more problems for the industry and certainly nothing in the way of help. The newest H.O.S. they developed is a prime example of their screw ups, which they have been looking into, to possibly adjust with all the complaints and answers to surveys they've received. The original H.O.S. could have been tweeked to bring the rules up to more modern times; but, they came up with a new format that had been, apparently, written by guys who really did not know what they were doing. And interstate drivers have always had to log their time. If the new ELD had been programed with a more realistic, and less restrictive, H.O.S. mandate, they would have been accepted better.

Back during the Carter administration when de-regulation was introduced, the government created the present climate where companies and owner operators have entered into a race to see who can be the first to haul loads for the cheapest rate. With the huge amount of brokers in the industry now, things have only gotten worse with the rediculas offers they are putting on the table.

The power is still in the hands of carriers and owner operators. However, no one wants to do the sensable thing with finding ways to get the rates up to more reasonable and profitable levels. They are too busy thinking, 'Oh, if I requested a better rate, someone will under bid me and all I'll do is sit'. Large companies are their own worst enemies because very often they will take a load that they won't make a penny on just to get their driver and rig to an area where they would find a decent paying load.

I've spent more time with trying to help folks hauling bulk loads than I have communicating with guys running in my own area of transportation. The bulk load community, and those hauling drayage, are at the bottom of the trucking sectors. In fact, the guys hauling containers have it a bit easier because all they need is a tractor. (You will find my other posts elsewhere on the forum) I feel I've been wasting my time because, with a couple of exceptions, no one has the brains, the guts, the backbone, or the desire (laziness) to get together to help themselves for their own preservation and profitability. (It seems they just want to receive a trophy for participation. And do nothing but complain about the present state of hauling bulk loads.)

With the terrible increases to insurance rates, tires and replacement parts, labor costs, and fuel, you would think folks would want to improve their position. Operating as inexpensively as possible does not equate to hauling cheap.

Speaking of expenses, are you aware of the fact that there are programs in the market place that allow drivers to purchase fuel for .35 to .40 cents lower than diesel pump prices? I belong to one of these programs and the amount of money I'm saving when we fuel is huge. Of course, the funds (cash) is automatically deducted from my company funds after the card is inserted. They are out there for anyone willing to look.

Tanya, I have spent much time reflecting on those same topics lately, and here is what I come up with, never trust anyone who would turn their back on family, because if they throw their families under the bus, then you will be next for sure. This industry changes people, most (but not all) truckers will give up everything, to keep trucking, they will justify staying on the road for economic reasons, and ignore the real needs of family, typically going broke along the way, pulling any equity they have out of other belongings, and sticking it in their truck, thinking it’s some sort of god that needs to be worshipped with sacrifice. They trade everything they have to keep going, wives, kids, friends, etc, and all they have left in the end, is a truck without a business behind it, no actual contracts to sell. Ironically those same folks get mad at others, who try to save them, by pointing it out along the way, probably because they need others to believe the fairytale too, in order to lure them in, so they can recruit drivers, and perpetuate the cycle. Government is well aware of the trail of human wreckage left behind, but their puppet masters forbid them from interfering, so order will only come from chaos, it must crash first. With all that said, I can tell you that there are good people in this industry, and many times you will find them in the most unlikely places, and they will become a guiding light.