Trucking Company Catches $75,000 Fine for Moving Banned Carp

Trucking Company Catches $75,000 Fine for Moving Banned Carp
Posted: Jan 23, 2014 03:28 PM | Last Updated: Jan 23, 2014 03:57 PM

EDMONTON, AB — An Edmonton trucking company and a truck driver from Markham, ON, got some hefty fines last week after being caught hauling invasive, banned carp into Ontario.

On Jan. 25, 2012, a truck carrying grass carp and bighead carp from Arkansas entered Canada via the Ambassador Bridge at the Windsor-Detroit border.

At the time, the Canada Border Services Agency contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources to assist with the inspection of the truck and seized all of the fish after they discovered that some of the grass carp were still alive, according to a report from the Toronto Star. 

It’s been illegal to possess live invasive fish such as bighead, grass, black and silver carp in Ontario since 2005. All four types of fish, known as Asian carp, threaten Ontario’s lake system because they reproduce rapidly and replace native species of fish. 

But only a month after the Jan. 25 incident, the same truck and driver again entered Canada at the Ambassador bridge, this time carrying 6,350 kgs of bighead carp, some of which were still alive. Officers held the truck until all the fish were dead.

Alltheway Trucking Inc. and Yong-Sheng Zhang were each found guilty last week under the federal Fisheries Act for possessing live invasive fish. The company has been fined $70,000 while Zhang was fined $5,000.

Here’s an entertaining video of one Asian carp species, silver carp, which jumps when scared by boat vibrations. 

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Win Free Tickets to Big Trucking Conference! (Serious enquiries only)

Win Free Tickets to Big Trucking Conference! (Serious enquiries only)
Posted: Sep 4, 2013 12:01 PM | Last Updated: Sep 5, 2013 07:25 AM

TORONTO — Back in the distant past, back in the days before twerking and selfies were part of anybody’s vocabulary, natural-gas and heavy-duty trucking were completely incompatible.

Not now.

Natural gas is a burgeoning part of the trucking industry; and it behooves fleets large and small to investigate how this new fuel can power their rigs into the future.

As any schooled industry leader will tell you, the companies that implement natural-gas strategies effectively have somewhere within their ranks a “natural gas champion:” i., e., the staff person who knows the most about the stuff.

Here’s the chance to make yourself that champion.

On Oct 1 and 2 at the RitzCarlton Hotel in downtown Toronto, the natural-gas industry leaders and innovators will be gathering at the Natural Gas Vehicle Infrastructure Canada Conference.

The two days are packed with top-drawer information. Attendees will learn about where natural gas is coming from; how much it’s going to cost and how to make it part of your fleet. You’ll get honest opinions on the costs, the downsides and the opportunities.

You can find out more by clicking here.

Better yet, because Todaystrucking.com wants our readers to be at the cutting edge of the industry, we’re offering free tickets to the conference (they retail at about $1,000 each) and we’re making it dead easy to win one.

All you have to is be one of the first to answer this no-brainer Natural Gas question: “Which Boucherville-QC-based fleet is among the Canadian natural-gas pioneers?”

Send your answers to Jason Rhyno at jason@newcom.ca. And please, serious enquiries only. We want these tickets going to people who will use them.

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Trucking Dangerous Goods: Who’s Liable in Case of Accidents?

Trucking Dangerous Goods: Who’s Liable in Case of Accidents?
Posted: Nov 28, 2013 12:36 PM | Last Updated: Nov 28, 2013 12:39 PM

TORONTO— The Canadian Trucking Alliance is asking the federal government to invalidate contract clauses compensating shippers from liability in case of incidents involving dangerous goods such as crude oil.

CTA’s president and CEO, David Bradley, commented: “We strongly believe the most effective thing governments can do is to take the recommended actions to reduce the risk of highway accidents and to make sure that the parties whose negligence causes an accident are held liable for the claims.”

The growing trend of shippers including clauses in freight contracts that compensate them from liability from their own negligence goes against both public interest and policy, the CTA says.

The discussion comes in light of last summer’s Lac Megantic accident when several rail tank cars carrying crude oil derailed.

After that incident, the federal government wrote some big clean up cheques and called for increased insurance coverage for rail carriers and shippers.

But an incident of the magnitude of Lac Megantic is unlikely to occur with trucks, the CTA says.

In a report stating its position on the transportation of dangerous goods by truck, the CTA found that the frequency and severity of highway incidents involving trucks carrying dangerous goods is extremely low.

The report analyzed 328 dangerous goods incidents involving trucks in 2012 and found that the number of incidents was 1.64 every 10,000 shipments, with a majority (56.4 percent) of the releases of product under 500 litres, or in other words, minor. These incidents are usually cleaned up with little or no environmental damage.

Highway accidents, where the public is most at risk, accounted for 16.2 percent of all incidents, which means they happened as often as 0.27 times every 10,000 shipments.

Despite their rarity, the major accidents, which account for 6.4 percent of all incidents, are the main cause (56.8 percent) of releases of product larger than 5,000 litres.

“I think we can conclude from this white paper that overall the TDG regulations are effective in preventing dangerous goods incidents where trucks are involved,” Bradley said.

Even so, the CTA advisory committee on dangerous goods has been struck to look at the regulations in more detail. 

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Video Spreads Good Vibes of Trucking

Video Spreads Good Vibes of Trucking
Posted: Nov 26, 2013 09:48 AM | Last Updated: Nov 27, 2013 04:28 PM

MISSISSAUGA, ON – The next truck that passes you by on the highway may be carrying more than cargo in its trailer; it may be carrying hope for people this holiday season.

And soon more people will realize it with the help of a new video and a partnership between Shaw Communications and Trucks for Change Network (T4C), a non-profit organization that marches available trucking capacity with charity freight requests.

“We’re thrilled to have the support of Mike and the Shaw team, Shaw Communications’ production and distribution of our video will help us to tell our story inside and outside the trucking industry.  It’s a dream partnership for us,” says Pete Dalmazzi, President and Founder of Trucks For Change Network.

Since launching in 2011, T4C members have moved over four million pounds of donations to support charities and communities across Canada and in that process, they saved tens of thousands of dollars for charities such as Food Banks Canada, Habitat For Humanity Canada, and Canadian Red Cross.

The video, Filling Trucks, Fulfilling Needs, highlights the role that T4C’s growing number of trucking members play in their communities, and was made in part by Newcom Business Media, which publishes Today’s Trucking magazine.

Shaw TV will broadcast the video multiple times on all systems on Nov 27 and the segment will air more than 43 times on Shaw’s local go! shows through the month of November, which will also help inform the general public of the trucking charity and the positive difference trucking makes to peoples’ lives.

“We’re ecstatic to have this opportunity to promote Trucks For Change Network, and to provide the resources to produce this video. We’re proud to contribute to T4C’s work, and to support our customers and business partners involved in this innovative project,” says Mike Ham, Vice-President of Shaw Tracking.

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Trucking Index Moves Higher, Debt Ceiling, Regulations Shadow Projections

Trucking Index Moves Higher, Debt Ceiling, Regulations Shadow Projections
Posted: Oct 11, 2013 03:29 PM | Last Updated: Oct 11, 2013 03:29 PM

BLOOMINGTON, IN. — FTR's Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) for August moved a full point higher from July.

"The increase moves the index to an expected peak this fall before conditions deteriorate somewhat as the industry absorbs the impact of the Hours of Service rule changes," FTR said.

Based on FTR's projections, conditions for truck fleets are slated to stabilize in 2014 — at least until more FMCSA regulatory plans are made public.

The coming regulatory environment aside, the U.S. government shutdown and debt ceiling deadline is what FTR is watching closely.

"Prior to the government shutdown on October 1st, economic and industry data was pointing to a possible uptick in demand as we head into the final stretch of 2013. The length of the shutdown and the outcome of the debt ceiling fight will play a big part in deciding if that acceleration is realized," said Jonathan Starks, director of transportation analysis for FTR.

"We continue to expect a resolution to both issues prior to the debt ceiling being reached on October 17; however, the longer this plays out the more difficult it becomes to see a solid agreement taking shape. While the shutdown is a tough pill to swallow in a slow-growth economy, the effects of not raising the debt ceiling would be much more dramatic and devastating. We are hopeful that a compromise solution can be crafted before that occurs"

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You Might Not Be a Credible Trucking Protest If…

By Jason Rhyno, Posted: Oct 11, 2013 02:49 PM | Last Updated: Oct 11, 2013 03:02 PM

Yesterday, I tweeted out a list called "You Might Not Be a Trucking Protest If…" after engaging with a driver on Twitter about the Washington D.C. shutdown.

The list was written a couple of weeks ago, before this whole thing got any major traction, and was inspired from the protest's original list of demands:

Impeach President ObamaCongressional Hearings on BenghaziCongressional Hearings on Seal Team SixLouis [sic] Lerner put in jailNo AmnestyRemove all Muslims in our government that do not uphold the ConstitutionRemove Eric Holder from office for crimes against the people and the Constitution.Fuel Prices

It's loony.

The shutdown's Canadian Facebook page, when it first launched, was using a low-resolution image clearly lifted after doing a "Canadian trucking" Google image search. It was — get this — an old Canadian Trucking Alliance logo.

So clearly (clearly!) the organizers knew nothing about trucking.

Ah, but wouldn't you know it — a bunch of Canadian truck drivers hit "Like" — ones Today's Trucking editors know. The fact that this whole thing managed to grab the traction it did, and the fact that some truckers I know to be intelligent, thoughtful people supported this thing, points to a deeper issue in the transportation industry.

I have an idea as to why. But first…

You Might Not Be a Credible Trucking Protest If…

1. Only one of the items on the list of goals for the protest has something even remotely to do with trucking.

2. You mention a specific religion or group of people in a negative context.

3. You heavily — like a lot, a lot — appeal to people's nationalistic pride, religion, political beliefs, and fears.

4. You make more emotional statements than factual ones.

5. If you do make a factual statement, it is not backed-up by a legitimate source.

6. As the "organizer" (sarcastic quotes) of the protest, you only have a peripheral connection to the trucking industry.

7. Also as the "organizer" (still sarcastic) of the protest, you have a product or service that will benefit from all the attention.

8. You make more than five references to conspiracies.

9. You have copious amounts of spelling and grammatical errors.

10. You don't have a phone number, email or general contact information save for the number of some website radio show that plays very bad, boring rock music.

11. Well-respected independent trucking organizations are suspicious of your motives.

12. You stole a low-resolution image from another trucking association that has absolutely nothing to do with whatever it is you're protesting… and then Facebook told you to take it down.

13. Your entire movement depends on Facebook "Likes" and the spread of disinformation.

Let's step way back: a truck driver is a person — they are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and in my case, uncles and step-dads and high school girlfriends' fathers.

They are people that sit for long periods of time in isolation. They are people that are in a vocation where other people treat them with no respect, no dignity.

The very nature of the job — a highly regulated working environment coupled with random acts of traffic jams, long periods of waiting, of being away from loved ones, of equipment breakdowns — is crazy stressful.

It's a physically and mentally unhealthy job. It's a good, necessary job — don't get me wrong — but man, it's tough.

And for every carrier treating their drivers well, there's another one treating them horribly. Or treating them with little respect. Or "tolerating" them.

A conference I was at featured trucking consultant Dan Baker. He said a lot of insightful things, but this one stuck and has been ringing a little louder lately:

"How many of our drivers perceive that we look down our noses at them," Baker asked, the audience nodding in agreement. "Other people will respond to you in terms of how they perceive how you perceive them," he said.

Let's take my Twitter friend Willie — A.K.A @WatchD0gg.

Willie had been quite vocal about his support for the protest, and I — having enough of all of the noise and the sudden mainstream coverage (because now, in the eyes of the public, my truck driving uncles and friends, like all drivers, lumped in with the politics and beliefs of these organizers), engaged Willie.

"I see it as a living thing, evolving and growing. I know it's not ideal, but it will promote solidarity in trucking," Willie said in response to me pointing out the racism and non-trucking roots of the protest.

"I see it as a fringe, self-invested group exploiting another group's fear, anger, further distorting issues in public sphere," I had tweeted. Still see it that way.

Willie has been vocal on social media regarding this issue — with nearly every trade magazine and trucking journalist. He's not trolling — he legitimately cares about the industry and how drivers are treated.

Then, Willie asked "What's your experience in the seat?" Credibility, if you want to be a trucking journalist, is necessary. I gave him what cred I have, and pointed him towards a story that showed where I went to bat for drivers, and the trucking industry in general.

And his response was telling: "You took my request seriously, tx LOL didn't expect that & I remember the BCGEU fiasco, was stupid…"

Dude, of course I took your request seriously, I thought.

But then I remembered what Baker said.

And then I thought about how these people are treated day-in-and-day-out, the stress of the job, of how award winning carriers constantly stress the importance of engaging your drivers, and of how a team of trucking executives sat down and penned a report on how to treat drivers.

Name one other industry that puts as much emphasis on how to treat employees?

So I'm left with a couple of questions:

Why do we have an entire group of employees this angry, feeling so powerless that the only way for them to be heard is to join this disjointed, confused protest?

How can a fringe, racist, paranoid and magnificently uniformed group gain this much initial knee-jerk trust and credibility from our family, friends, colleagues and employees?

No matter how many jokes I make about the protest organizers, no matter how many sarcastic lists I can think of, I can't help but feel that this protest (or whatever happens) is on all of us.

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Are all these changes good for the trucking industry?

Photo by johanohrling via Flickr

The new Hours-of-Service rules, texting and cell phone laws, the CSA, and my personal nemesis and eternal torturer of my soul, Electronic Logbooks, all claim to make the trucking industry safer. But do they? Let’s take a look at that. We’ll discuss the issues first, then sum it all up at the end. May as well tackle these puppies in order. And yes, tackling puppies is perfectly okay if they’re barking for no reason.

So about these new Hours-of-Service rules. Well, truck accidents are at a 60-year low, so naturally, it’s time to change them. Oh boy. Where to start? I guess we really only need to focus on a few of the rules that will affect the majority of drivers. For a complete list of the Hours-of-Service changes, click here.

The 11-hour rule: Well, for once we lucked out. The powers who know whats best for us had wanted to reduce our daily driving sessions to 10 hours. They lost. For now. Don’t expect this to go away though. They’ve already said they’re going after it again. Yay.

The current 34-hour restart rule: The old rule said that if you took an uninterrupted 34-hour break, you got to reset your 70-hour work week. Why was this rule important to drivers? Because if you reset your 70 hours, you could squeeze in 82 hours of working within that week. Thanks to @TameraGeorge1 for pointing me to an article on this.

The new 34-hour restart rule: Used to be, you could take your 34-hour break any time you wanted. Now it has to include two periods between 1:00 AM – 5:00 AM, home terminal time. Granted, they wanted the hours to be from 1:00 AM – 6:00 AM, but they relented. Bless their hearts. But why did they want specific times at all? Well, the divine rulers of all things sacred and righteous said that they wanted us to be sure to get two periods of “overnight” rest. How thoughtful of them. In reality though, these people know trucking about as well as I know the commodity market. They’re pretty sure that we need to sleep sometime and I’m pretty sure that you can sell a pig. That’s about the extend of our knowledge. The difference is, I’m not trying to tell them how to run the commodities game.

So what’s the problem with the new rule? Let me sum it up for you. The new 34-hour rule is as worthless as a drunk Harley rider in a motocross race. Why? Because we truckers don’t sleep when normal folks sleep. Sure, 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM might be prime sleeping time on one day, but two days later it’s the middle of your driving shift. They just can’t comprehend that not everyone has a 9 to 5 day job and not everyone sleeps at night. The concept truly is beyond them.

Now let’s be honest here. The current 34-hour rule is hard enough to do as is. The trucking industry simply moves to quick. The last thing anyone wants is to leave a driver sitting for 34 hours. I can’t count how many times I’ve gotten 30-32 hours into a 34-hour break, only to have to cut it short to pick up a load by a certain time. In other words, freight has to be really freakin’ slow to sit still for 34 hours. Kinda like right now. I’m writing this in the midst of what is looking to be a 42 hour shutdown. Still, that doesn’t happen all that often. Especially this marathon sit-a-thon I’m tolerating today.

So now we’ve got a time restriction on top of all that. It’s not all that often that I get shut down for 34 hours. But now it has to be 34 hours starting and ending at a particular time. I’m sorry, but I really don’t see the shippers staying in touch with my dispatcher to find out if their shipping schedule works with my 34-hour restart.

You can only do one 34-restart per week: This one is pretty self-explanatory. Although it really doesn’t matter, since we’ll be hard pressed to get even one restart per week. If you have enough time to get a second restart within a week, you’ve got bigger problems than it not being legal.

The 8-hour break rule: Basically, you can’t drive more than 8 hours without taking a break of at least 30 minutes. Personally, I can’t wait until I have to refuse a load because the delivery is 9 hours away and a 30-minute break would make me late. Honestly though, for the vast majority of drivers this will have little effect, as most stop at some point in their day to eat. It probably will affect me as I typically eat my mid-shift meal on the run. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Speaking of distracted driving. . .

Distracted driving laws: No texting for truckers. No cell phones for truckers. What’s next? No iPods for truckers? No CD players for truckers? No GPS for truckers? No CB’s for truckers? Okay. I admit. I’d be all right with that last one. But hey, why not get rid of the  gauges on my dashboard? I do look down at them ever now and then. Better get rid of all the billboards too. And while you’re at it, Corvettes are no longer allowed on the roadway. And that beautiful river? Better dam it up. I can’t be caught looking away from the road. And of course, my e-log unit needs to go. All that beeping is waaaaay too distracting.The CSA, or Comprehensive Safety Analysis: This fairly new system is the FMCSA’s attempt to get rid of bad drivers and bad carriers by assigning points for naughty behavior. If a driver gets too many points, they’re a hiring risk. And since those points transfer to the trucking company, they want to get rid of bad drivers. Problem is, you can be cited for all kinds of things that are out of your control. For instance, I recently got a warning for speeding (I actually wasn’t). Even though I didn’t get a ticket, I still got points on my CSA. Here’s that story and my complete thoughts on the CSA. Also, if a tail light burns out in mid trip, that’s considered unsafe and I get points. But the last time I checked, my eyeballs were restricted to my head. Now if I could just take them out and hang them 70 feet out my window I could’ve seen that burned out light. Oh wait. Can’t do that. That would be distracted driving.The cursed E-logs, or Electronic Logs: I have so many musing on e-logs that I’m not even going to link to them all here. Just go up to the handy-dandy search bar, type “e-logs,” and mark off a day-and-a-half on your calendar. Okay. It’s not that bad, but I have written extensively about them. My hatred is known far and wide. I’m pretty sure that even that rice farmer in rural China has heard about it by now.Okay. So back to the question: Are all these changes good for the trucking industry?Well I guess that all depends on which part of the trucking industry you’re talking about. In short, I think the changes will be good for the safety aspect, so-so for the trucking companies, and downright awful for the driver and their bank account. Gee. There’s a surprise.First, I think when it comes to safety (which this is supposedly all about), adding time restraints to the 34-hour rule change won’t have near the effect that the trucking godheads believe it will, mainly because I don’t think drivers are going to get it very often, if ever. But this is not good news for the carriers and the drivers. You see, the whole point of the 34-hour rule is to reset your 70-hour work week, enabling you to work more hours, which in turn puts more money in yours and the carriers’ pockets. But if they’ve now limited the work week to 70 hours, what’s the point in having the rule at all? Is it just me, or am I totally missing something here? I guess it will make doing your paper logs easier with a reset, but other than that this rule is as pointless as a lead life-preserver.As for the 8-hour rule, I suppose the more breaks you take in a day, the more alert you’ll be. And if you have to be down for 30 minutes, maybe so many drivers won’t be eating while they’re driving. So I guess you can mark that as a plus for the safety side. As for the carriers, they may experience a few more late deliveries, but that probably won’t happen very often either. As for the drivers, maybe being forced to stop will allow them to quit eating so much fast food. Maybe. Okay, that’s a Mr. Fantastic-sized stretch.Now for distracted driving laws. This one is probably good for safety. . . as long as they don’t take it too far. Although they may have already crossed that bridge. As bad as I hate to admit it though, distractions do cause us to take our eyes off the road for a brief moment. I think if we were all honest with ourselves, we’d admit this. How many times have you done something while talking on the phone or fiddling with your CB that you never would’ve done if you weren’t? I mean, that’s never happened to me, but maybe it has to you. But where does it all end? With nothing to listen to and nobody to talk to, how long will you be driving before your eyelids come crashing to the ground? Sorry, but the surrounding traffic is better off with me texting (not that I’m advising that) than me asleep behind the wheel. Hey, that’d be a good name for a band. Oh wait. . .Next we tackle the puppies. I mean the CSA. We’ve already tackled the puppies. As bad I hate to admit it, I believe that the CSA is going to be good for safety. They’re trying to weed out the bad drivers and the carriers who turn a blind eye to safety issues that their drivers are pointing out. Unfortunately, some good drivers with bad luck, a bad day, or even bad timing are going to get caught up in this mess. One bad thing could screw up an otherwise excellent career. Still, I know from my own experience that the CSA has caused me to do some things I haven’t done in the past. That license plate light that’s burned out? Yea, I fixed that. That missing mudflap? Yep. Went to the shop for that too. Watching my speed more closely? Yep. So blame the CSA when you get behind me and I’m doing the speed limit. Yes. I’m now that annoying guy.As for those hell-spawned e-logs, well, I’d really rather eat a turd casserole than admit what I’m about to say, but here goes. I think that e-logs are good for safety. Gosh, I feel like banging my head against a dresser drawer like Dobby for saying that. The fact is, there’s absolutely no way to cheat. I’ve heard drivers say they can cheat with e-logs, but I think they’re probably so used to lying on the CB that it’s spilled over into their e-logs. I’m sure most carriers love them because they don’t see as many log violations. But is this good for the driver? Well, it keeps them from cheating and it makes them run legal logs, but I stand by it when I say there needs to be more flexibility. Add more flexibility to the Hours-of-Service rules and e-logs won’t be such an issue. I won’t be holding my breath on that one though.So where does that leave us drivers? Well, I don’t really care. The new Hours-of-Service rules don’t kick in until July 1, 2013 and I’ll be off the road and out of the trucking industry for good by then. Yea. Like I haven’t been saying that since 1997.*What do you think about all these changes? Let us all hear your thoughts by leaving a comment. And please give this post a rating and force it onto all your unsuspecting online friends. Thanks*

© 2012, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

I've been truckin' since 1997. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it. Speaking of being fickle, my wife, affectionately known as The Evil Overlord was my co-driver for 9 of those years. And yet somehow, I'm still alive. ;-) I do the Trucker Dump blog and podcast, which is about a trucker's life on the road and anything else that tickles my innards. And I take myself very, very seriously. If you're still reading this, you can find me on: Twitter | Contact Me | AboutTruckDriving.com

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Trucking company head admits stealing 401k money

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NAFTA graft: Cross-border trucking company officers indicted

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New Cost of Trucking Report Good to Benchmark Against

New Cost of Trucking Report Good to Benchmark Against
Posted: Sep 5, 2013 12:17 PM | Last Updated: Sep 5, 2013 12:17 PM

ARLINGTON, VA – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has released its 2013 update to An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, which identifies trucking costs from 2008 through 2012.

The information was pulled directly from fleets' financial and operational data, ATRI said, and it can best be used as a high-level benchmarking tool.

The analysis reveals that the average marginal cost per mile in 2012 was $1.63, a small drop from 2011's $1.71 per mile.

After the recession, fuel prices declined sharply resulting in lower industry costs between 2008 and 2009, then began to rise steadily through 2010 and 2011. The drop in average operating costs in 2012 was, ATRI said, likely due to the weak econonmic recovery and softening freight conditions experienced in the second half of the year.

Fuel costs were higher in 2012 at 64.1 cents per mile compared to 59 cents in 2011, ATRI found. Driver wages, meanwhile, were slightly lower at 41.7 cents per mile compared to 46 cents in 2011.

Truck/trailer lease or purchase payments also dropped slightly, from 18.9 cents per mile to 17.4 cents.

“Although we have seen conditions improve since the Great Recession of several years ago, an uncertain economic future means we have to be ever diligent in watching costs," said Phil Byrd, Sr., president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express and first vice chairman of the American Trucking Associations.

The Operational Costs of Trucking is one of the most requested ATRI reports. You can download a copy for yourself here.

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Life outside of Trucking - Organic Gardening - Jul 28,2009

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American Trucking and Opening the Mexican Border - Sep 17,2009

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Hostile Training and Work Environments within Trucking - Jun 23,2009

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Trucking Topics Open Discussion - 3 - Apr 01,2010

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Are unnecessary trucking regulations burdening our industry and our economy?

By
Richard Wilson of Trans Products and Services

Physical year 2010 saw the highest upswing in regulatory costs in our country’s history. This Administration has singlehandedly increased regulatory spending by 1.75 trillion Dollars. (US Chamber of Commerce figures) In these tough times of economic rebuilding we need to cut spending and utilize our current regulations as they have proven to work and reduce highway deaths, serious injuries, and improve loss ratios of companies for damage to equipment.

CSA was developed and introduced in December 2010, to improve and make drivers accountable for their personal actions. The FMCSA guaranteed that Driver Data would be held in the strictest confidence so only current or prospective employers would have access to this information. We now find out that that was a LIE! John Hill, the former FMCSA Administrator said,” The agency intended years ago to go public with driver data.” Currently the FMCSA has requested with the submission of the Highway reauthorizations’ bill that it grant FMCSA the authority to release publicly the Drivers DSMS information.

When asked if the intention was to create a public driver ranking system similar to the agency’s CSA motor carrier percentile ranking system, FMCSA spokeswoman Candice Tolliver said, “The Department of Transportation is committed to working with Congress to address this issue as part of a comprehensive push to update transportation programs and maintain the highest standards of safety for the American public.”When asked to clarify her answer, as usual dead silence!
With the FMCSA putting committees together of Law enforcement, Safety Advocacy, groups, Trucking organizations (representing only a small fraction of regulated commercial carriers, the very large ones), and a few token of so called representatives from the trucking side; (remember the organization, that represented the large carriers? Those carriers) to set regulations on the requirements of how to obtain EOBR Data from the on boards of the mandatory EOBR’s that EVERY, that’s right EVERY Commercial vehicle that is currently required to, or has ever done a log.

This would include vehicles 10,001 or greater that went outside of the 150 air mile exemption to travel to sites to do construction or other service related to their profession, not for hire or private revenue generated motor carriers. In essence, companies using commercial motor vehicle to move manpower and supplies not FREIGHT! The additional cost factors of installation and the additional cost of either internet, or satellite base data transfer with no way to recoup costs. This equipment doesn’t generate revenue off of hauling.
So, again we need more regulations that will cost more money with no way to recoup it, we need more regulations that the FMCSA will have to be appropriated more money from the working Americans to enforce and lose drivers because of the information that will be plastered all over the DATA network. These are solutions to decrease the already declining accident rate, and or fatality rate of our industry. Messing with what works, costing more money without increased revenue to help replace costs, no new tax breaks for small or medium carriers to install EOBR’s, sounds to me like a disaster waiting to happen, not a cure for a struggling economy! Andy Card, former White House Staff for the Bush administration put it in perspective, “every new regulation will cost the American small business employer, with less than 20 employees, $10,000 per employee.” I say every new regulation the FMCSA sneaks by will cost the American Small Trucker as well as the largest freight company and average of $250,000 in equipment, Training, and qualifying of new employees to replace those lost to the new regulations.

NOTE:  Richard Wilson is the well known speaker on DOT regulations who will be presenting at the 2011 Truck Driver Convention in October. Richard will be a part of the expert panel that will also be taking questions as part of the 3 Hour Open Forum Discussion at the convention.

© 2011, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: CSA, DOT, EOBR, FMCSA regulations, Richard Wilson, Trans Products, truck drivers, trucking, trucking regulations

Tagged with: CSA • DOT • EOBR • FMCSA regulations • Richard Wilson • Trans Products • truck drivers • trucking • trucking regulations

Filed under: DOT • FMCSA • Politics • trucking

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Choosing a Truck Driving Job Part V - Comparing Large Trucking Companies to Small Ones

In part one of our series, Choosing A Truck Driving Job Part I: Factors That Effect All Companies, we talked about different factors and considerations which will affect your experience at any company you go to work for.

In part two of our series, "Choosing A Truck Driving Job Part II: You and "Your People" Are The Most Important Factor", we talked about surrounding yourself with the right people, understanding factors that affect the freight you'll be getting, and things you can do to put yourself in the best position to succeed.

In part three, "Choosing A Truck Driving Job Part III: How Your Family and Lifestyle Will Affect Your Choice", we considered your personality and lifestyle. Are you married? Do you have children? Do you love adventure? How long would you like to be away from home? These questions all figure into the process of choosing the right truck driving job.

In part 4, "Choosing A Truck Driving Job Part IV: Advantages of Large Trucking Companies", we of course talked about the advantages of working at a large trucking company.

Now in part 5, we're going to talk about some of the disadvantages to working for a large trucking company, and discuss what life is like at a small company.

Ok, so large trucking companies must have some disadvantages, right? Of course they do. At a large company you are simply a number, not a name. You hopefully will get to know a few people working in the offices like your dispatcher, his or her boss, and maybe one or two middle managers like a terminal manager or operations manager. If you get to know that many people... and by get to know I mean they actually recognize you by name or truck number, you've probably done either an excellent job or a terrible job over a period of many months, or maybe even a couple of years. It's tough to stand out when there are thousands of drivers at one company. So if you like that personal attention and family-type atmosphere, a large company is not going to provide that for you.

Because of this, you will find it very difficult to get any special consideration for anything. Doing a great job for a couple of years is going to get you an automated thank you letter and maybe a patch for the company jacket you had to buy from your own company store when you wanted one. On the other end of things, you may find yourself in a unique situation, and nobody will take the time to understand your side of things. They don't have the time, and frankly many of them don't really care. I'm going to go deeper into this subject in a moment with a few stories related to this theme.

Smaller companies, in my opinion, don't have too many advantages over the larger ones from a driver's perspective. You will definitely get to know everyone in the office, and they will certainly know you. Often times if you live nearby your main office, the people in your company will even get to know your family and the families of the other employees. This family atmosphere is nice in a way, but you also have to be aware of a couple things.

For one, just like in any tight group of people, everyone tends to know everyone else's business. Maybe you don't want everyone at work knowing about an operation you're going to have, or the tough times you're having with your marriage, or the trouble your kid got into at school. Maybe you got a well deserved raise, but now the other drivers are envious and raising a fuss. Or maybe your excellent performance is being rewarded with more miles and a nicer truck, which again causes problems with the other drivers. As you can probably tell I've been in these type of situations before and I'm not really too fond of them. Having co-workers as close friends is not always an easy thing to maintain, especially if there is any type of competition between employees when it comes to pay, equipment, or freight.

The other concern with regard to company size is how much your company will count on you. At a large company, if you'd like to take some time off, nobody really cares. I've taken MONTHS off at times and simply been told, "Ok, just turn your truck in to the terminal and let us know when you're ready to return and we'll get ya goin again." But at a really small company that's not likely to happen. You may be one of ten drivers in the whole company, so if you take time off, they just lost 10% of their fleet! The smaller companies rely on you much more so than a big company does, so you don't have nearly as much flexibility.

One time I worked for a small company pulling food-grade tankers. There were only eleven drivers in the company. I ran really hard for them and before too long, they came to expect a bit too much from me. Things got to the point that I was running an average of about 4500 miles per week. That's a ton! As time went on, the owner of the company expected more and more of me. It was getting ridiculous. Finally I stayed out on the road for almost six straight weeks, averaged about 4500 miles per week (totally illegal - you can't log that many miles legally), and when I returned home he booked a load for me to haul two days later. Six weeks on the road, two days at home, and I have to leave again? I don't think so. Well, he told me I could either run the load or be fired. I had been there a year, and I had a perfect safety and service record. I was also second amongst the drivers in average miles driven per week, but I guess that wasn't good enough. Turns out the owner was in serious financial trouble and I found out the company closed just a couple of months later.

So it turns out that he was desperate to get all the money coming in that he could get to save the company. But he had a good thing going with me and ruined it. Not only that, but he put on my DAC report that I abandoned his truck, which was not true at all! But since he went out of business, he couldn't respond to my claim that he falsified the report, so I didn't have any trouble moving on to the next job. A little advice - don't make the mistake of running that hard. Don't run so hard that you'll damage you mind, your body, or your license. Think long-term and make smart choices. I was really young at the time, was making a lot of money running that hard, and wanted to push myself to see what I could do. Well, what I did was make myself sick. I wore myself down, got burned out, and spent about 3 days in bed with some sort of flu/cold/whatever virus at one point. Remember, long term success means planning for the long term and making smart decisions all the time, not just some of the time.

So just be aware of the fact that small trucking companies will count on you far more than large companies will. There will be advantages and disadvantages to any company you work for. Keep in mind that It's always somewhat of a compromise when you're choosing where you'd like to work. It's just a matter of finding what works best for you.

In part 6 of this series we're going to discuss a couple of different types of truck driving jobs - dry van and refrigerated carriers!

About The Author

Brett R Aquila
15 Year Truck Driving Veteran
Owner - http://www.truckingtruth.com - the largest, most honest, and informative site on the web for those considering becoming a truck driver. We have tons of resources on our site, including:

Trucking Articles Trucking Driving Blogs From Many Different Authors Truck Driving Schools Free Truck Driving Schools Truck Driver's Forum Truck Driving Jobs Companies With CDL Training Advice, Tips, and Stories And Much More!

You can even make money with your own blog on TruckingTruth! We have several authors and are always looking for many more! So if you're considering becoming a truck driver, TruckingTruth is the place to go. You will not be disappointed!

Truck Driving Jobs Are Not For Everyone But Trucking is a Great Career For the Right Person

Truck driving jobs are still plentiful despite the economy. People have in their minds a certain image of the average trucker. They think truckers are driving because they can't do anything else. This also implies that anyone could become a professional truck driver.

You may be reading this saying, "Well, anyone can get a truck driving job".

I beg to differ. Many, certainly can get their CDL license and then jump behind the wheel of a big truck but they will never become a professional truck driver. They won't be able to turn it into a successful career because they will be on the road disgusted.

Where are there bad truck drivers on the road that are not professionals? Too many drivers get on the big road without asking enough questions about becoming a trucker. They don't realize how taxing it is on family life until they become truckers out on the road away from home for weeks.

They didn't know that there were so many uncontrollable situations that easily turns stressful on a bad day. They didn't realize along with the travel and site seeing there was also breakdowns and unexpected detours. Some people become truckers before they realize they would have to deal with four wheelers who seems to care little about safety on the highway or just don't understand. Drivers also find that it is expensive on the road if they don't plan ahead for being on the road. Spend in the truck stops every day will eat up a paycheck, then of course what's the point.

These types of truck drivers usually make bad drivers and don't last long on the big road before they leave to do an easier job. This is one of the reasons that there is always a need for truck drivers. This is fine and desirable, we need drivers out here who love trucking. Anytime a person is not enjoying their job or if the job is causing problems for them they are better off doing something else.

Why would someone take a truck driving job?

People become professional driver for many reasons, some want to get paid as they travel but they understand that it is a job first so they are happy. Some choose trucking to escape a negative environment. Many truckers were introduced to trucking at a young age by a father or uncle or grandfather and knew from that very point in time they wanted to become a trucker driver. Some people become drivers simply to experience the adventure. Often a person will retire from another career such as military, or police officer and take a job as a driver. Some people change careers from an even more stressful jobs. I have met a Doctor, Lawyer and Accountant who switched to trucking. Some become truckers because of the potential to make good money with benefits.

It's truly unbelievable how diverse the background of drivers are and the reasons they decide to drive. Any reason is fine for the person who knows what he or she is getting into.

Ok, so what are some things that should be taken into consideration before taking a truck driving job?

The candidate for the open road should be self reliant and responsible. He must be disciplined and dependable. Drivers need to be on time to pick up and deliver their loads. How else will goods show up on shelves when they are supposed to?

The right person means that if family is involved they must also be of a certain type for having a trucking parent and or spouse over the road and be happy. It is not a decision that the potential driver should make alone. Before taking a truck driving job there should be serious discussion. Also, proper care must be taken to ensure that the stay at home spouse can handle all the business.

You can't guarantee that you will make it back by certain dates to handle things. Yes, this also mean you can't guarantee that you will make it home for some of your kids important events. Relax, you won't miss all of the events if you plan ahead and keep your dispatcher clued in but your definitely won't make them all.

How do you find the best truck driving job to suit you?

First remember the phrase, best truck driving job to suit you. There is no perfect job or trucking company. (Just like there is no perfect driver, yes me included!)

One of the best ways to get the information you need to determine if trucking is for you and choosing the right company is to visit your nearest truck stop. There are a dozen or more trucking magazines there that lists companies and their profiles. These are nice to get a general idea of who to contact and use for comparison of benefits, wages, traffic lanes (this is the area that a carrier commonly travels). You will see that a lot of companies only hire in certain areas. (This is good for both of you)

After identifying a selection of companies you like, get your pad call them and ask them questions like -

-How often will you get home?

-How many days will you get off when you do get home?

-Ask about benefits you need. (People have different insurance requirements, etc)

-Find out if they have a rider program if that is important to you. Not every company allows riders.

-Ask about the pay structure, including how much you can expect the first year. (Some of the figures you see in the magazines are based on achieving bonuses, raises, performance, etc. Also, they may not be the pay for the first year of trucking)

-See if they will allow you to carry a dog if you plan to have a dog. Not all companies will allow that or some will allow it and charge you.

After talking to the companies about the truck driving job, this will usually be the recruiter, go back to the truck stop and see if you can spot drivers for that company. (Of course, the smaller the company, the harder this will be to accomplish). Ask the drivers the same questions you asked the company to see how closely his answers match the recruiters.

This will give you a more accurate information about home time. How the company will handle certain situations, pay raises and other things that some companies may not be completely forthright about.

Cruising the internet may also help you narrow down choices of companies. Also keep in mind, there are many types of truck driving jobs, ranging from dump trucks to heavy hauling and hauling anything in between. While your on the internet and while talking to drivers

Be sure you consider what it means to be away from home 2 or 3 weeks at a time before deciding you want to become a trucker. I always recommend that a person pretend he or she is gone away from the home for 3 weeks and let the spouse handle everything in the home just as she would if you were gone.

This will help insure you didn't forget to cover something before you leave away from home on the big road.

Truck driving jobs are a solid career path with lots of potential for growth. You can buy a truck, buy several trucks (You must find top quality drivers if you do this) and lease on to a company or get your own authority. You could develop relationships and establish contacts while your driving so that you can build your trucking company with your own contracts.

There are many other arrangements and opportunities in trucking just remember, trucking is far more than a job, trucking is a lifestyle. The entire family lives a certain way because of a parent and/or spouse become a trucker.

Now, if I haven't scared you away, good luck if you so desire to take on one of the many truck driving jobs around the country. I hope to see you out here one day on the big road.

Hi my name is Hervy.
I have been driving for over 10 years in excess of 1,000,000 miles all across this great country.

If you need more in depth information about becoming a trucker or about the many different types of truck driving jobs feel free to visit my website Life as a trucker.

http://www.lifeasatrucker.com

U.S. Ban on Mexican Trucking Is Reconsidered

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration offered a proposal on Thursday to allow long-haul Mexican trucks to move cargo in the United States.

The proposal, which the Mexican government greeted as a positive step, was the latest sign of a new willingness by the Obama administration to support free-trade measures backed by Republicans and by businesses despite objections from labor unions and other liberal constituencies.

The United States has effectively barred Mexican trucks from operating on American roads since March 2009. Mexico said the ban violated the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 1994, and retaliated by imposing $2.4 billion in punitive tariffs on a wide range of American agricultural and other products imported to Mexico.

On Thursday, the United States transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, offered a “concept document” that could help resolve the dispute.

Under the plan, Mexican long-haul trucking operators could seek permits to operate in the United States so long as they agree to safety, insurance and other monitoring requirements. The proposal would not cover the movement of hazardous materials.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauded the proposal, the latest indication of a thawing in the frosty relationship between the administration and the giant business lobby, which spent tens of millions of dollars to defeat Democrats in November.

“It’s past time that we kept our word and complied with the promise we made to allow carefully inspected trucks to move across the border,” Thomas J. Donohue, the president of the chamber, said in a statement. “We will closely study the U.S. proposal and hope we can help implement a modern cross-border transportation system that provides certainty for trucking companies and shippers throughout North America.”

Mexican officials responded positively but cautiously to Mr. LaHood’s proposal, saying they would offer a fuller response on Monday. If a final agreement is reached — a process that could be months away — the tariffs would probably be lifted in a matter of weeks, officials said.

“Mexico will carefully and constructively evaluate the U.S. proposal to solve the longstanding trucking dispute,” the Mexican ambassador to Washington, Arturo Sarukhán, wrote in a Twitter post.

However, the proposal by the Transportation Department was denounced by the Teamsters union, which represents long-haul truckers and fears that expanded Mexican trucking within the United States will threaten jobs.

“I am deeply disappointed by this proposal,” the union’s president, James P. Hoffa, said in a statement. “Why would the D.O.T. propose to threaten U.S. truck drivers’ and warehouse workers’ jobs when unemployment is so high? And why would we do it when drug cartel violence along the border is just getting worse?” Mr. Hoffa also raised safety concerns.

Democratic lawmakers reacted cautiously to the proposal.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington, who is active on agricultural issues, said in a statement: “I am glad that the administration is moving forward with a plan to finally end the devastating Mexican tariffs on Washington State agricultural products.” But she did not explicitly address the trucking dispute or the objections by unions.

The trucking ban took effect after Mr. Obama signed legislation containing a provision that ended a pilot program, begun in September 2007, to allow Mexican trucks north of the border. For months, the administration had said it was working to resolve the dispute, but offered little sign of progress.

Transportation Department officials emphasized that the proposal was only a “starting point for negotiations” and that it would solicit public comment on the final rules.

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Overdrive Magazine - 50 Years of Trucking - Feb 18,2011

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Bookkeeping Services for the Trucking Professional - Feb 25,2011

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