The News Tab - “Who wants to Own a Trucking Company”

Feb 11, 2022 at 07:35 PM CST + 9 - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. If you haven't already done so, I recommend checking out the News Tab here on Bulkloads and read the above titled story. Here's what you'll read: "Over the last four decades, trucking capacity was generally plentiful and retailers were more than happy to outsource it, explained Gary Petty, president of the National Private Truck Council (NPTC). Freight rates were low and there was no shortage of “bottom-feeder carriers” willing to haul items cheaply." I'm part of this industry not out of necessity, but by choice. I take pride in my equipment, and in doing exactly what I say even when it's not convenient. I treat everyone, like I want to be treated, and will go out of my way to help a fellow driver, shipper, and receiver, even if they don't deserve it. I run my business profitably, and professionally. I've been active here in the forums long enough to know many, no, most of you are exactly the same. (Those of you who aren't, you know who you are!) All kidding aside, the fact that anyone has the perspective described in the quote, hurts my heart, and pisses me off. This industry is a mess. What's it gonna take to fix it?

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 11:26 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Great comments Barry. Here's my uneducated opinion. We need to incentivize quality people to stay in the industry as long term careers The entire supply chain should be regulated equally as strict as the trucks. In most cases money is not good enough. Not even remotely. I love how the 30 year veterans think they had it so hard, when the facts show that they made more money per year and worked less hours (statistically speaking), and they have the audacity to accuse people of being lazy for not wanting to work for free. But money isn't all of it. Look at all the stresses that an otr driver deals with. Step one is time, zero flexibility to deal with traffic at safer times, zero flexibility to deal with weather, and loading and unloading facilities with less than banker hours. Next is traffic, when did drivers Ed begin teaching that blinkers and mirrors are irrelevant? What idiot thinks it's a good idea to have truck speed limits less than car speed limits??? Nothing more fun than merging lanes with a wall of cars constantly passing you. And time to start regulating truck stops. Every time a driver gets a ticket for parking on an exit ramp, the nearest truck stop should be fined to incentivize adequate parking for this truck shortage. The truck stop should be subject to random unannounced inspection. Pests (mice, ants, roaches) should be a 10000 dollar per day fine until dealt with. An overflowing disgusting toilet should be a 1000 dollar fine per toilet. A lack of food that doesn't literally kill us should be a fine. Potholes that damage equipment should be a fine, overflowing garbages, empty windshield washer buckets, leaking fuel hoses, pump out of order, all should be fined. Rest areas without bathrooms or garbage cans should get a 10000 dollar fine to that state ( Because they fine the lazy trucker that litters there). Now loading and unloading facilities, time to fine them until they update. If it's tight to get a box truck back in there back in 1940, it's probably too tight for a 53ft trailer. If they allow parking on the facility, time to fine them if they don't have a rest room available. Dare I say we should enforce wasting our time? This goes both ways, a truck can screw a facility that waiting on product BUT remember a lack of planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part!!! Maybe there should be more storage to allow for a delay. There's way more variables on why a truck can be late than people realize. Yes incompetence is one reason, but a blown tire can waste half a day. Time to fine facilities that pay their help so poorly that they turn into lazy crabby zombie workers....if we do all that, it should completely cripple the supply chain and all us truckers can say " yep, this is what will happen when YOU are regulated equally as WE are. To the good people and facilities out there, thank you for treating us with respect and I hope truckers reciprocate that!!!......I almost forgot, it should be a criminal misdemeanor for a dot officer to be an ass! Good luck out there!

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 11:26 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Great comments Barry. Here's my uneducated opinion. We need to incentivize quality people to stay in the industry as long term careers The entire supply chain should be regulated equally as strict as the trucks. In most cases money is not good enough. Not even remotely. I love how the 30 year veterans think they had it so hard, when the facts show that they made more money per year and worked less hours (statistically speaking), and they have the audacity to accuse people of being lazy for not wanting to work for free. But money isn't all of it. Look at all the stresses that an otr driver deals with. Step one is time, zero flexibility to deal with traffic at safer times, zero flexibility to deal with weather, and loading and unloading facilities with less than banker hours. Next is traffic, when did drivers Ed begin teaching that blinkers and mirrors are irrelevant? What idiot thinks it's a good idea to have truck speed limits less than car speed limits??? Nothing more fun than merging lanes with a wall of cars constantly passing you. And time to start regulating truck stops. Every time a driver gets a ticket for parking on an exit ramp, the nearest truck stop should be fined to incentivize adequate parking for this truck shortage. The truck stop should be subject to random unannounced inspection. Pests (mice, ants, roaches) should be a 10000 dollar per day fine until dealt with. An overflowing disgusting toilet should be a 1000 dollar fine per toilet. A lack of food that doesn't literally kill us should be a fine. Potholes that damage equipment should be a fine, overflowing garbages, empty windshield washer buckets, leaking fuel hoses, pump out of order, all should be fined. Rest areas without bathrooms or garbage cans should get a 10000 dollar fine to that state ( Because they fine the lazy trucker that litters there). Now loading and unloading facilities, time to fine them until they update. If it's tight to get a box truck back in there back in 1940, it's probably too tight for a 53ft trailer. If they allow parking on the facility, time to fine them if they don't have a rest room available. Dare I say we should enforce wasting our time? This goes both ways, a truck can screw a facility that waiting on product BUT remember a lack of planning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part!!! Maybe there should be more storage to allow for a delay. There's way more variables on why a truck can be late than people realize. Yes incompetence is one reason, but a blown tire can waste half a day. Time to fine facilities that pay their help so poorly that they turn into lazy crabby zombie workers....if we do all that, it should completely cripple the supply chain and all us truckers can say " yep, this is what will happen when YOU are regulated equally as WE are. To the good people and facilities out there, thank you for treating us with respect and I hope truckers reciprocate that!!!......I almost forgot, it should be a criminal misdemeanor for a dot officer to be an ass! Good luck out there!

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 11:26 AM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. The biggest problem is money, consider how hard it is to find a truck wash these days, they all shut the doors because they can’t pay the help on what a trucker is able to afford, as for repair shops they seem to be following the same trend, constant turnover with employees, owners are unable to control the employees anymore, If they say anything the help quits, it’s become a total joke, guys milking the shit out of the clock taking three times as long it should to do a repair, and then still managing to screw it up. The fact of the matter is that as a industry we are so broke that we are now taking those around us down that we depend on for support to survive, real resterants at the truck stops now gone, truck washes gone, decent repair shops with quality control, dissapearing fast around us just like those restaurants did, we are way past the driver problem a long time ago, to a everything problem.

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 11:26 AM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

The biggest problem is money, consider how hard it is to find a truck wash these days, they all shut the doors because they can’t pay the help on what a trucker is able to afford, as for repair shops they seem to be following the same trend, constant turnover with employees, owners are unable to control the employees anymore, If they say anything the help quits, it’s become a total joke, guys milking the shit out of the clock taking three times as long it should to do a repair, and then still managing to screw it up. The fact of the matter is that as a industry we are so broke that we are now taking those around us down that we depend on for support to survive, real resterants at the truck stops now gone, truck washes gone, decent repair shops with quality control, dissapearing fast around us just like those restaurants did, we are way past the driver problem a long time ago, to a everything problem.

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 11:27 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Great post that my friend is a million dollar question I to will still stop and help another driver in need as well as go out of my way to deliver the load on time every time. I love this industry and have seen many changes both good and bad, unfortunately there have more bad than good. We may only be a small part of what makes this world turn but i feel we are an important part. It is hard to see in collapsing right in front of your eyes. I wish we had an answer to fixing the trucking industry.

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 11:27 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Great post

that my friend is a million dollar question I to will still stop and help another driver in need as well as go out of my way to deliver the load on time every time. I love this industry and have seen many changes both good and bad, unfortunately there have more bad than good. We may only be a small part of what makes this world turn but i feel we are an important part. It is hard to see in collapsing right in front of your eyes. I wish we had an answer to fixing the trucking industry.

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 09:56 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. How bout a sit down strike to start the conversation? Now is the time. We don't need the attention of Washington DC. We need the attention of the public. They sure noticed how important we are at the beginning of this pandemic. If even a third of us could leave them parked for a few days we'd have their attention. What is the worst that could happen? We get fired? There's jobs all over. A lot of them are better paying than the ones we have now. A convoy to D C just pisses off the locals.If you want results, hit them where it hurts, right in the pocket book. Shut it down!

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 09:56 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

How bout a sit down strike to start the conversation? Now is the time. We don't need the attention of Washington DC. We need the attention of the public. They sure noticed how important we are at the beginning of this pandemic. If even a third of us could leave them parked for a few days we'd have their attention. What is the worst that could happen? We get fired? There's jobs all over. A lot of them are better paying than the ones we have now. A convoy to D C just pisses off the locals.If you want results, hit them where it hurts, right in the pocket book. Shut it down!

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 09:57 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Thanks for the responses so far, hopefully others will chime in as well. Even if the trend of manufacturers setting up their own trucking and logistics divisions, takes hold, it won't solve their problem. I believe they will quickly feel the pain we do. They will have to acquire equipment, deal with all the fed regs, try to keep drivers, and have their time wasted just like we do. They will face the same issues Dale described in his post. I don't think they will find the greener pastures they are looking for. I think we need a stronger voice, it doesn't seem OOIDA is cutting it. If over 90 percent of trucking companies are owner operator and small fleets, why does the media and government only listen to the ATA? It makes no sense, unless the plan is to run us out. If they do, they will take the brokers, and dispatchers down as well. Mega fleets have sales teams and their own platforms. But, even they can't move it all. Additionally, I'd like to know how do they differentiate between good carriers and the bottom feeders they describe? Have a good weekend everybody!

Replied on Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 09:57 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Thanks for the responses so far, hopefully others will chime in as well. Even if the trend of manufacturers setting up their own trucking and logistics divisions, takes hold, it won't solve their problem. I believe they will quickly feel the pain we do. They will have to acquire equipment, deal with all the fed regs, try to keep drivers, and have their time wasted just like we do. They will face the same issues Dale described in his post. I don't think they will find the greener pastures they are looking for.

I think we need a stronger voice, it doesn't seem OOIDA is cutting it. If over 90 percent of trucking companies are owner operator and small fleets, why does the media and government only listen to the ATA? It makes no sense, unless the plan is to run us out. If they do, they will take the brokers, and dispatchers down as well. Mega fleets have sales teams and their own platforms. But, even they can't move it all.

Additionally, I'd like to know how do they differentiate between good carriers and the bottom feeders they describe?

Have a good weekend everybody!

Replied on Sun, Feb 13, 2022 at 01:39 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Barry, OOIDA has been a disaster for a long time.

Replied on Sun, Feb 13, 2022 at 01:39 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Thanks for the responses so far, hopefully others will chime in as well. Even if the trend of manufacturers setting up their own trucking and logistics divisions, takes hold, it won't solve their problem. I believe they will quickly feel the pain we do. They will have to acquire equipment, deal with all the fed regs, try to keep drivers, and have their time wasted just like we do. They will face the same issues Dale described in his post. I don't think they will find the greener pastures they are looking for. I think we need a stronger voice, it doesn't seem OOIDA is cutting it. If over 90 percent of trucking companies are owner operator and small fleets, why does the media and government only listen to the ATA? It makes no sense, unless the plan is to run us out. If they do, they will take the brokers, and dispatchers down as well. Mega fleets have sales teams and their own platforms. But, even they can't move it all. Additionally, I'd like to know how do they differentiate between good carriers and the bottom feeders they describe? Have a good weekend everybody!" Barry if the headlines would have read BROKERS BEING SQUEEZED OUT as customers move their own freight, would you still be so pissed off? The article seems to be nothing more than shippers complaining that freight costs have gone up 30% in the past two years, well guess what I just had Drums and shoes done I my steer axle and it was $1200.00, where as two years ago it cost me $650.00, does that translate into me making more money? No doubt these shippers think trucking is expensive but I seriously doubt they will get away paying less for trucking by starting their own fleets, unless they are autonomous like the Driver our project currently being implemented by Union Pacific and Tu-simple down in Arizona.

Replied on Sun, Feb 13, 2022 at 01:39 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Thanks for the responses so far, hopefully others will chime in as well. Even if the trend of manufacturers setting up their own trucking and logistics divisions, takes hold, it won't solve their problem. I believe they will quickly feel the pain we do. They will have to acquire equipment, deal with all the fed regs, try to keep drivers, and have their time wasted just like we do. They will face the same issues Dale described in his post. I don't think they will find the greener pastures they are looking for. I think we need a stronger voice, it doesn't seem OOIDA is cutting it. If over 90 percent of trucking companies are owner operator and small fleets, why does the media and government only listen to the ATA? It makes no sense, unless the plan is to run us out. If they do, they will take the brokers, and dispatchers down as well. Mega fleets have sales teams and their own platforms. But, even they can't move it all. Additionally, I'd like to know how do they differentiate between good carriers and the bottom feeders they describe? Have a good weekend everybody!"

Barry if the headlines would have read BROKERS BEING SQUEEZED OUT as customers move their own freight, would you still be so pissed off? The article seems to be nothing more than shippers complaining that freight costs have gone up 30% in the past two years, well guess what I just had Drums and shoes done I my steer axle and it was $1200.00, where as two years ago it cost me $650.00, does that translate into me making more money? No doubt these shippers think trucking is expensive but I seriously doubt they will get away paying less for trucking by starting their own fleets, unless they are autonomous like the Driver our project currently being implemented by Union Pacific and Tu-simple down in Arizona.

Replied on Sun, Feb 13, 2022 at 04:35 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. I’m not pissed at all that shippers want to have their own trucking companies, I’m pissed they classified carriers as bottom feeders. Is it because they knew the rates were too cheap and thought only suckers would haul their product?

Replied on Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 02:05 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Barry if the headlines would have read BROKERS BEING SQUEEZED OUT as customers move their own freight, would you still be so pissed off? The article seems to be nothing more than shippers complaining that freight costs have gone up 30% in the past two years, well guess what I just had Drums and shoes done I my steer axle and it was $1200.00, where as two years ago it cost me $650.00, does that translate into me making more money? No doubt these shippers think trucking is expensive but I seriously doubt they will get away paying less for trucking by starting their own fleets, unless they are autonomous like the Driver our project currently being implemented by Union Pacific and Tu-simple down in Arizona." Shippers have tried, in the past to do this very thing but have always found it is cheaper to hire it done. To the naked eye, trucking is just pure profit! Get a truck, put fuel in it and watch the money roll in! Then we get to the truth, the hidden expenses, the breakdowns, the insurance increases and all the other aspects of the industry that the common man has no clue about. When I started driving truck in 1986, we had a tough job that garnered respect. With the dumbing down of the education system, the weeding out of the small farmer and the conglomerations being built, people somehow forgot that everything in their lives is delivered by a truck! Instead the grocery ferry just makes their groceries appear in the grocery store. Trucks are now thought of as a hinderence to society and just in the way! To fix this problem, people need to be educated and respect restored to this industry! Last but not least, Autonomous trucks! I will laugh when they start running in the cold country! It WILL NOT WORK! You will see trucks sitting in the middles of freeways shut down. Salt will errode wiring and there will be no one to fix the problems. Who will pump the fuel? Will they run on 100% number one fuel? There will be no one to change fuel filters, add treatment to the fuel. Maybe I am short sighted but I have seen many changes in this industry and have been told many things that look good on paper or on a computer that just don't work in the real world! Be safe and prosperous! Keith ET Trucking

Replied on Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 02:05 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Barry if the headlines would have read BROKERS BEING SQUEEZED OUT as customers move their own freight, would you still be so pissed off? The article seems to be nothing more than shippers complaining that freight costs have gone up 30% in the past two years, well guess what I just had Drums and shoes done I my steer axle and it was $1200.00, where as two years ago it cost me $650.00, does that translate into me making more money? No doubt these shippers think trucking is expensive but I seriously doubt they will get away paying less for trucking by starting their own fleets, unless they are autonomous like the Driver our project currently being implemented by Union Pacific and Tu-simple down in Arizona."

Shippers have tried, in the past to do this very thing but have always found it is cheaper to hire it done. To the naked eye, trucking is just pure profit! Get a truck, put fuel in it and watch the money roll in! Then we get to the truth, the hidden expenses, the breakdowns, the insurance increases and all the other aspects of the industry that the common man has no clue about.

When I started driving truck in 1986, we had a tough job that garnered respect. With the dumbing down of the education system, the weeding out of the small farmer and the conglomerations being built, people somehow forgot that everything in their lives is delivered by a truck! Instead the grocery ferry just makes their groceries appear in the grocery store. Trucks are now thought of as a hinderence to society and just in the way! To fix this problem, people need to be educated and respect restored to this industry!

Last but not least, Autonomous trucks! I will laugh when they start running in the cold country! It WILL NOT WORK! You will see trucks sitting in the middles of freeways shut down. Salt will errode wiring and there will be no one to fix the problems. Who will pump the fuel? Will they run on 100% number one fuel? There will be no one to change fuel filters, add treatment to the fuel. Maybe I am short sighted but I have seen many changes in this industry and have been told many things that look good on paper or on a computer that just don't work in the real world!

Be safe and prosperous!

Keith

ET Trucking

Replied on Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 05:04 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Shippers have tried, in the past to do this very thing but have always found it is cheaper to hire it done. To the naked eye, trucking is just pure profit! Get a truck, put fuel in it and watch the money roll in! Then we get to the truth, the hidden expenses, the breakdowns, the insurance increases and all the other aspects of the industry that the common man has no clue about. When I started driving truck in 1986, we had a tough job that garnered respect. With the dumbing down of the education system, the weeding out of the small farmer and the conglomerations being built, people somehow forgot that everything in their lives is delivered by a truck! Instead the grocery ferry just makes their groceries appear in the grocery store. Trucks are now thought of as a hinderence to society and just in the way! To fix this problem, people need to be educated and respect restored to this industry! Last but not least, Autonomous trucks! I will laugh when they start running in the cold country! It WILL NOT WORK! You will see trucks sitting in the middles of freeways shut down. Salt will errode wiring and there will be no one to fix the problems. Who will pump the fuel? Will they run on 100% number one fuel? There will be no one to change fuel filters, add treatment to the fuel. Maybe I am short sighted but I have seen many changes in this industry and have been told many things that look good on paper or on a computer that just don't work in the real world! Be safe and prosperous! Keith ET Trucking" Absolutely, well said!

Replied on Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 05:04 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Shippers have tried, in the past to do this very thing but have always found it is cheaper to hire it done. To the naked eye, trucking is just pure profit! Get a truck, put fuel in it and watch the money roll in! Then we get to the truth, the hidden expenses, the breakdowns, the insurance increases and all the other aspects of the industry that the common man has no clue about. When I started driving truck in 1986, we had a tough job that garnered respect. With the dumbing down of the education system, the weeding out of the small farmer and the conglomerations being built, people somehow forgot that everything in their lives is delivered by a truck! Instead the grocery ferry just makes their groceries appear in the grocery store. Trucks are now thought of as a hinderence to society and just in the way! To fix this problem, people need to be educated and respect restored to this industry! Last but not least, Autonomous trucks! I will laugh when they start running in the cold country! It WILL NOT WORK! You will see trucks sitting in the middles of freeways shut down. Salt will errode wiring and there will be no one to fix the problems. Who will pump the fuel? Will they run on 100% number one fuel? There will be no one to change fuel filters, add treatment to the fuel. Maybe I am short sighted but I have seen many changes in this industry and have been told many things that look good on paper or on a computer that just don't work in the real world! Be safe and prosperous! Keith ET Trucking"

Absolutely, well said!

Replied on Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 02:21 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Shippers have tried, in the past to do this very thing but have always found it is cheaper to hire it done. To the naked eye, trucking is just pure profit! Get a truck, put fuel in it and watch the money roll in! Then we get to the truth, the hidden expenses, the breakdowns, the insurance increases and all the other aspects of the industry that the common man has no clue about. When I started driving truck in 1986, we had a tough job that garnered respect. With the dumbing down of the education system, the weeding out of the small farmer and the conglomerations being built, people somehow forgot that everything in their lives is delivered by a truck! Instead the grocery ferry just makes their groceries appear in the grocery store. Trucks are now thought of as a hinderence to society and just in the way! To fix this problem, people need to be educated and respect restored to this industry! Last but not least, Autonomous trucks! I will laugh when they start running in the cold country! It WILL NOT WORK! You will see trucks sitting in the middles of freeways shut down. Salt will errode wiring and there will be no one to fix the problems. Who will pump the fuel? Will they run on 100% number one fuel? There will be no one to change fuel filters, add treatment to the fuel. Maybe I am short sighted but I have seen many changes in this industry and have been told many things that look good on paper or on a computer that just don't work in the real world! Be safe and prosperous! Keith ET Trucking" Guys like me will just stop driving the trucks and start doing road side repair, I am more than happy to Change fuel filters and replace sensors for a $800.00 service fee plus $200.00 a hour travel time, and $150.00 a hour once I arrive on site.

Replied on Tue, Feb 15, 2022 at 02:21 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Guys like me will just stop driving the trucks and start doing road side repair, I am more than happy to Change fuel filters and replace sensors for a $800.00 service fee plus $200.00 a hour travel time, and $150.00 a hour once I arrive on site.