Expediters News and Expediter Forum The Home of Free Speech 
by Published on 01-12-2012 10:15 PM
Ok, campers....I just posted this on my personal blog, and felt the need to post it here..mostly because sometimes we get so caught up in our work, that we tend to let a few important things slip our minds...and this is probably one of the most important:
It seems it’s that time of year, again…..snow will be falling in parts of the upper midwest, through the great lakes region..and on into the northeast. Many times I’ve been caught in this mess, just trying to get from pick-up to delivery. One of the companies I drove for, back in early 2004, didn’t care if the roads were icy, or there were whiteout conditions where we were at. All he cared about is that we weren’t late getting our load delivered. I’m sure many of you have been thru the same scenario, in the past…it’s not fun….and it’s dangerous. We picked up a load in El Paso that was going to East Syracuse, NY…it was winter, and the weather was starting to get bad in parts of the route we had to take. When we got to Tulsa, I-44 was already iced…we saw one car spin-out, and bounce off the concrete barrier…that’s when we knew it was time to get off the road for the night. When we called our boss and explained the situation, he bitched and raised hell…then he realized we were still way ahead of schedule. 44 thru Tulsa was deserted, because of the black ice on the road. When we got up near Erie, PA….it was dark, and total white-out conditons. 18-wheelers were passing us up, like we were standing still, nearly running us off the road…I don’t know how they figured they could see the road, when we couldn’t see a damn thing. I got on the CB and hollered at them that they need to slow down, before they run someone off the road, and wind up in a ditch. One driver told me to stfu, and mind my own business! Well…we finally found the exit for the Pilot there and got off the road, to wait until it let up, or the road had been cleared by the salt trucks. It didn’t take long for our van to get covered in snow, either. Once again, a call to our boss to update him….he got pissed again, basically telling us we better not be late (we weren’t). Needless to say, after we delivered, and wason our way back to the Cleveland area, there were several T/Ts in the median, and ditches, upside-down…twisted and mangled…I’d be willing to bet that most of those drivers didn’t survive those wrecks. The moral of the story? Don’t let anyone force you to drive in unsafe conditions…if they bitch at you, tell them that you refuse to operate a commercial vehicle in conditions that aren’t safe, and you’re not going to put your life on the line, just because they think the freight you’re hauling is worth more than your life. If it happens more than once, make sure you document each incident, and file a report with the DOT…especially if nobody at your company will listen to you. Stay safe out there, amigos..and be safe.
It seems it’s that time of year, again…..snow will be falling in parts of the upper midwest, through the great lakes region..and on into the northeast. Many times I’ve been caught in this mess, just trying to get from pick-up to delivery. One of the companies I drove for, back in early 2004, didn’t care if the roads were icy, or there were whiteout conditions where we were at. All he cared about is that we weren’t late getting our load delivered. I’m sure many of you have been thru the same scenario, in the past…it’s not fun….and it’s dangerous. We picked up a load in El Paso that was going to East Syracuse, NY…it was winter, and the weather was starting to get bad in parts of the route we had to take. When we got to Tulsa, I-44 was already iced…we saw one car spin-out, and bounce off the concrete barrier…that’s when we knew it was time to get off the road for the night. When we called our boss and explained the situation, he bitched and raised hell…then he realized we were still way ahead of schedule. 44 thru Tulsa was deserted, because of the black ice on the road. When we got up near Erie, PA….it was dark, and total white-out conditons. 18-wheelers were passing us up, like we were standing still, nearly running us off the road…I don’t know how they figured they could see the road, when we couldn’t see a damn thing. I got on the CB and hollered at them that they need to slow down, before they run someone off the road, and wind up in a ditch. One driver told me to stfu, and mind my own business! Well…we finally found the exit for the Pilot there and got off the road, to wait until it let up, or the road had been cleared by the salt trucks. It didn’t take long for our van to get covered in snow, either. Once again, a call to our boss to update him….he got pissed again, basically telling us we better not be late (we weren’t). Needless to say, after we delivered, and wason our way back to the Cleveland area, there were several T/Ts in the median, and ditches, upside-down…twisted and mangled…I’d be willing to bet that most of those drivers didn’t survive those wrecks. The moral of the story? Don’t let anyone force you to drive in unsafe conditions…if they bitch at you, tell them that you refuse to operate a commercial vehicle in conditions that aren’t safe, and you’re not going to put your life on the line, just because they think the freight you’re hauling is worth more than your life. If it happens more than once, make sure you document each incident, and file a report with the DOT…especially if nobody at your company will listen to you. Stay safe out there, amigos..and be safe.
by Published on 01-12-2012 01:20 PM
One of our members had this question and the response from SLACKER was quite informative, so here it is.
I am now past 642k on my Chevy 6500, with a 7.8 L Isuzu/duramax diesel. I have used regular rotella since it was new. spec's recommend 12k oil changes, but I usually push it to about 17-20k. It never uses any oil unless I get close to the 20 and I figure that is just because the oil is just spent.
I have been thinking about going to the synthetic but I'm not sure if I can really expect to go any farther than 17-20k with it. Are there any other upsides that should make me switch?
Any advice appreciated. ~DougTravels
SLACKERS RESPONSE:
Doug,
Here is my short answer to your question. Nope, you shouldn't.
These are my (a former heavy diesel mechanic, forklift tech, auto mechanic) reasons for saying that.
Synthetic oil averages twice the cost of conventional motor oil and will NOT provide twice the duty cycle. At best you will extend your oil changes 40-60%. You have already stated that your engine begins to use oil at some point near 20K miles, this will prove to be an issue for you if one of your hopes is to extend your change interval by using synthetic. Conventional oil is more viscus out of the bottle than synthetic, the reason you begin to consume oil at or around 20K is the oils viscosity is breaking down along with contaminates such as carbon and fuel residue showing up as time goes by. Synthetic starting out as a lighter oil (freely flowing) out of the bottle you will likely find that you begin to add oil much sooner than with the Rotella you are using now. That all being said, you will not realize a return on your investment when buying a quality synthetic oil.
There are some other options for you however.
You could start using a synthetic blend. Blends are kind of the best of both worlds to some. They reduce the amount of crude consumed per qt made, extended run time in the engine while providing good protection to vital internal components. They (blends) don't offer the same extended runtime as full synthetics but will extend past conventional oils. This would be an option if you are dead-set on using some type of synthetic in your truck.
The next option (and the one I would recommend) is sticking with your current oil, Rotella T 15w40, and adding a bypass filtration system. The FS-2500 bypass filter system is a proven system, you can find more info here http://fs2500.com/ . With the FS-2500 you send samples and change the filter every 10K mi to a company that has no vested interest in you changing your oil. Unlike Speedco, that if you get your oil tested there, they are also the ones hoping to sell you that high dollar oil change. The testing company will send the results of the analisys and inform you if an oil change is needed.
We use this system on our truck and it was also used on our last truck since day one. We currently have 67,769 miles on our last oil change, in that time we have added in the neighborhood of 2 gal of oil due to loss in changing filters and drawing samples. The system pays for itself quickly when you figure the average oil change costs upwards of $200 every 15-20K, we have 230K+ on our current truck, and if memory serves have done 4 oil changes( 2 two of those were durring break in). We use Rotella T 15w40 exclusively, it is my first choice in motor oil, I have NEVER had an issue that could be atributed to said oil. My second choice would be Delo 15w40 (what I have used in maintaining large fleets).
I hope this info helps. If you have any other questions (more specific) that I can offer my advice on, feel free to ask or pm me and we can talk over the phone if you would rather.
http://expediteinsight.com/showthread.php?1638-Is-it-time-to-consider-synthetic-oil&p=9981#post9981
I am now past 642k on my Chevy 6500, with a 7.8 L Isuzu/duramax diesel. I have used regular rotella since it was new. spec's recommend 12k oil changes, but I usually push it to about 17-20k. It never uses any oil unless I get close to the 20 and I figure that is just because the oil is just spent.
I have been thinking about going to the synthetic but I'm not sure if I can really expect to go any farther than 17-20k with it. Are there any other upsides that should make me switch?
Any advice appreciated. ~DougTravels
SLACKERS RESPONSE:
Doug,
Here is my short answer to your question. Nope, you shouldn't.
These are my (a former heavy diesel mechanic, forklift tech, auto mechanic) reasons for saying that.
Synthetic oil averages twice the cost of conventional motor oil and will NOT provide twice the duty cycle. At best you will extend your oil changes 40-60%. You have already stated that your engine begins to use oil at some point near 20K miles, this will prove to be an issue for you if one of your hopes is to extend your change interval by using synthetic. Conventional oil is more viscus out of the bottle than synthetic, the reason you begin to consume oil at or around 20K is the oils viscosity is breaking down along with contaminates such as carbon and fuel residue showing up as time goes by. Synthetic starting out as a lighter oil (freely flowing) out of the bottle you will likely find that you begin to add oil much sooner than with the Rotella you are using now. That all being said, you will not realize a return on your investment when buying a quality synthetic oil.
There are some other options for you however.
You could start using a synthetic blend. Blends are kind of the best of both worlds to some. They reduce the amount of crude consumed per qt made, extended run time in the engine while providing good protection to vital internal components. They (blends) don't offer the same extended runtime as full synthetics but will extend past conventional oils. This would be an option if you are dead-set on using some type of synthetic in your truck.
The next option (and the one I would recommend) is sticking with your current oil, Rotella T 15w40, and adding a bypass filtration system. The FS-2500 bypass filter system is a proven system, you can find more info here http://fs2500.com/ . With the FS-2500 you send samples and change the filter every 10K mi to a company that has no vested interest in you changing your oil. Unlike Speedco, that if you get your oil tested there, they are also the ones hoping to sell you that high dollar oil change. The testing company will send the results of the analisys and inform you if an oil change is needed.
We use this system on our truck and it was also used on our last truck since day one. We currently have 67,769 miles on our last oil change, in that time we have added in the neighborhood of 2 gal of oil due to loss in changing filters and drawing samples. The system pays for itself quickly when you figure the average oil change costs upwards of $200 every 15-20K, we have 230K+ on our current truck, and if memory serves have done 4 oil changes( 2 two of those were durring break in). We use Rotella T 15w40 exclusively, it is my first choice in motor oil, I have NEVER had an issue that could be atributed to said oil. My second choice would be Delo 15w40 (what I have used in maintaining large fleets).
I hope this info helps. If you have any other questions (more specific) that I can offer my advice on, feel free to ask or pm me and we can talk over the phone if you would rather.
http://expediteinsight.com/showthread.php?1638-Is-it-time-to-consider-synthetic-oil&p=9981#post9981
by Published on 12-28-2011 10:33 AM
From what I gather, the only thing really changed is we have to take a 30 min. break after 8 consecutive hrs. driving/working? It really seems nothing more than a freakin "power" move on behalf of the FMASSES!! It's ALL "EL TORO CRAPPO" if you ask me. The 30 min. break is not going to do anything for us except add stress on delivering that load we are on. If you think about it, that 30 min. is going to turn into an hr.....from the time we touch the brake and go off the exit and find a place to park (15 min.), take 30 min....release brakes and eccelerate and getting back onto the interstate (another 15 min.) = 60 minutes!! As for running on home terminal time......HEY YOU JERKWADS...WE RUN ON EASTERN TIME ANY FREAKING WAY!!
The 34 hr. reset: WHY THE HELL DO YOU EVEN WASTE TIME WITH THIS?? We are already required to reset 34 after 70. Only now the 34 has to fall between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.......so if we sit for 2-3 days and begin at noon it doesn't count?? Just MORE CONTROL CRAP!!
And the terminology they use....WHO WRITES THIS CRAP?????? The wording they use is so freakin complicated....they give me a stress headache! HEY FMASSES......YOUR RULES ARE STRESSING ME OUT AND STRESS NEEDS TREATED BY A DR....THEREFORE YOU ARE CAUSING A RAISE IN MY MEDICAL BILLS BECAUSE OF THE ULCERS YOU ARE GIVING ME AND I CAN'T SLEEP CAUSE THEY KEEP ME AWAKE, ADDING TO THE DRIVER FATIGUE!!
The 34 hr. reset: WHY THE HELL DO YOU EVEN WASTE TIME WITH THIS?? We are already required to reset 34 after 70. Only now the 34 has to fall between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.......so if we sit for 2-3 days and begin at noon it doesn't count?? Just MORE CONTROL CRAP!!
And the terminology they use....WHO WRITES THIS CRAP?????? The wording they use is so freakin complicated....they give me a stress headache! HEY FMASSES......YOUR RULES ARE STRESSING ME OUT AND STRESS NEEDS TREATED BY A DR....THEREFORE YOU ARE CAUSING A RAISE IN MY MEDICAL BILLS BECAUSE OF THE ULCERS YOU ARE GIVING ME AND I CAN'T SLEEP CAUSE THEY KEEP ME AWAKE, ADDING TO THE DRIVER FATIGUE!!
by Published on 12-26-2011 12:15 PM
Friendly competition is a GOOD thing. We can agree to disagree. We can poke fun, and have lively debates. We can make things interesting. This can be done with humor and a little "class", or it can be done in a manner that turns people off completely. At face value a gesture of goodwill was made from the competitor that showed class. It does not appear to be a "trojan horse". A temporay truce, if you will. The holidays bring out the best in people and we are in the midst of two important holidays. This is the time to greet our competition with the best we have. Lay ground rules for the upcoming year. Both sites preform an important factor of internet information. We can work together for the good of the public, each in our own way. We can still have our little "war" at the same time. However, imho, we should handle ourselves professionally. Or, we can be the "dumster" of the 2 sites.
by Published on 12-23-2011 07:56 PM
If you look to the bottom of the forums, you will see the new Trucking and AP news feed forums. Please let us know if you ...
by Published on 12-22-2011 09:54 PM
First off we have Expediter Rodney Bartlett aka MANIAC who posted on our Facebook page
"SINDY AND I WILL BE IN STUDIO CHRISTMAS MORNING MIDNIGHT TO 5 AM WITH BUBBA BO ON XM 166/700 WLW AM! GIVE US A JINGLE AT 1 888 860 8785! WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR EXPEDITE COMMRADES!"
Hey Rodney, you always talk about EO, how about some love for little old EI, buddy!
We also have American Trucker on Mon- Wed-Fri
Cross Roads Mon Wed Fri 9pm eastern
by AmericanTrucker
Call in number to speak with the host
(347) 202-0529
Welcome To Cross Roads Show that shares stories from around nation and world from Truckers and their families. Live check ins by Phil Snow Trucker with over the road coverage.Also be broadcasting from my Trucking class room.
Hosted By Americas Own Trucker
Carl American Trucker
http://blogtalkradio.com/americantrucker
Support your fellow drivers on the air!
"SINDY AND I WILL BE IN STUDIO CHRISTMAS MORNING MIDNIGHT TO 5 AM WITH BUBBA BO ON XM 166/700 WLW AM! GIVE US A JINGLE AT 1 888 860 8785! WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR EXPEDITE COMMRADES!"
Hey Rodney, you always talk about EO, how about some love for little old EI, buddy!
We also have American Trucker on Mon- Wed-Fri
Cross Roads Mon Wed Fri 9pm eastern
by AmericanTrucker
Call in number to speak with the host
(347) 202-0529
Welcome To Cross Roads Show that shares stories from around nation and world from Truckers and their families. Live check ins by Phil Snow Trucker with over the road coverage.Also be broadcasting from my Trucking class room.
Hosted By Americas Own Trucker
Carl American Trucker
http://blogtalkradio.com/americantrucker
Support your fellow drivers on the air!
by Published on 12-17-2011 11:51 AM
December 12, 2011
We are the front-line workers who haul container rigs full of imported and exported goods to and from the docks and warehouses every day.
We have been elected by committees of our co-workers at the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York and New Jersey to tell our collective story. We have accepted the honor to speak up for our brothers and sisters about our working conditions despite the risk of retaliation we face. One of us is a mother, the rest of us fathers. Between the five of us we have 11children and one more baby on the way. We have a combined 46 years of experience driving cargo from our shores for America’s stores.
We are inspired that a non-violent democratic movement that insists on basic economic fairness is capturing the hearts and minds of so many working people. Thank you “99 Percenters” for hearing our call for justice. We are humbled and overwhelmed by recent attention. Normally we are invisible.
Today’s demonstrations will impact us. While we cannot officially speak for every worker who shares our occupation, we can use this opportunity to reveal what it’s like to walk a day in our shoes for the 110,000 of us in America whose job it is to be a port truck driver. It may be tempting for media to ask questions about whether we support a shutdown, but there are no easy answers. Instead, we ask you, are you willing to listen and learn why a one-word response is impossible?
We love being behind the wheel. We are proud of the work we do to keep America’s economy moving. But we feel humiliated when we receive paychecks that suggest we work part time at a fast-food counter. Especially when we work an average of 60 or more hours a week, away from our families.
There is so much at stake in our industry. It is one of the nation’s most dangerous occupations. We don’t think truck driving should be a dead-end road in America. It should be a good job with a middle-class paycheck like it used to be decades ago.
We desperately want to drive clean and safe vehicles. Rigs that do not fill our lungs with deadly toxins, or dirty the air in the communities we haul in.
Poverty and pollution are like a plague at the ports. Our economic conditions are what led to the environmental crisis.
You, the public, have paid a severe price along with us.
Why? Just like Wall Street doesn’t have to abide by rules, our industry isn’t bound to regulation. So the market is run by con artists. The companies we work for call us independent contractors, as if we were our own bosses, but they boss us around. We receive Third World wages and drive sweatshops on wheels. We cannot negotiate our rates. (Usually we are not allowed to even see them.) We are paid by the load, not by the hour. So when we sit in those long lines at the terminals, or if we are stuck in traffic, we become volunteers who basically donate our time to the trucking and shipping companies. That’s the nice way to put it. We have all heard the words “modern-day slaves” at the lunch stops.
There are no restrooms for drivers. We keep empty bottles in our cabs. Plastic bags too. We feel like dogs. An Oakland driver was recently banned from the terminal because he was spied relieving himself behind a container. Neither the port, nor the terminal operators or anyone in the industry thinks it is their responsibility to provide humane and hygienic facilities for us. It is absolutely horrible for drivers who are women, who risk infection when they try to hold it until they can find a place to go.
The companies demand we cut corners to compete. It makes our roads less safe. When we try to blow the whistle about skipped inspections, faulty equipment, or falsified logs, then we are “starved out.” That means we are either fired outright, or more likely, we never get dispatched to haul a load again.
It may be difficult to comprehend the complex issues and nature of our employment. For us too. When businesses disguise workers like us as contractors, the Department of Labor calls it misclassification. We call it illegal. Those who profit from global trade and goods movement are getting away with it because everyone is doing it. One journalist took the time to talk to us this week and she explains it very well to outsiders. We hope you will read the enclosed article “How Goldman Sachs and Other Companies Exploit Port Truck Drivers.”
But the short answer to the question: Why are companies like SSA Marine, the Seattle-based global terminal operator that runs one of the West Coast’s major trucking carriers, Shippers’ Transport Express, doing this? Why would mega-rich Maersk, a huge Danish shipping and trucking conglomerate that wants to drill for more oil with Exxon Mobil in the Gulf Coast conduct business this way too?
To cheat on taxes, drive down business costs, and deny us the right to belong to a union, that’s why.
The typical arrangement works like this: Everything comes out of our pockets or is deducted from our paychecks. The truck or lease, fuel, insurance, registration, you name it. Our employers do not have to pay the costs of meeting emissions-compliant regulations; that is our financial burden to bear. Clean trucks cost about four to five times more than what we take home in a year. A few of us haul our company’s trucks for a tiny fraction of what the shippers pay per load instead of an hourly wage. They still call us independent owner-operators and give us a 1099 rather than a W-2.
We have never recovered from losing our basic rights as employees in America. Every year it literally goes from bad to worse to the unimaginable. We were ground zero for the government’s first major experiment into letting big business call the shots. Since it worked so well for the CEOs in transportation, why not the mortgage and banking industry too?
Even the few of us who are hired as legitimate employees are routinely denied our legal rights under this system. Just ask our co-workers who haul clothing brands like Guess?, Under Armour, and Ralph Lauren’s Polo. The carrier they work for in Los Angeles is called Toll Group and is headquartered in Australia. At the busiest time of the holiday shopping season, 26 drivers were axed after wearing Teamster T-shirts to work. They were protesting the lack of access to clean, indoor restrooms with running water. The company hired an anti-union consultant to intimidate the drivers. Down Under, the same company bargains with 12,000 of our counterparts in good faith.
Despite our great hardships, many of us cannot — or refuse to, as some of the most well-intentioned suggest — “just quit.” First, we want to work and do not have a safety net. Many of us are tied to one-sided leases. But more importantly, why should we have to leave? Truck driving is what we do, and we do it well.
We are the skilled, specially-licensed professionals who guarantee that Target, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart are all stocked with just-in-time delivery for consumers. Take a look at all the stuff in your house. The things you see advertised on TV. Chances are a port truck driver brought that special holiday gift to the store you bought it.
We would rather stick together and transform our industry from within. We deserve to be fairly rewarded and valued. That is why we have united to stage convoys, park our trucks, marched on the boss, and even shut down these ports.
It’s like our hero Dutch Prior, a Shipper’s/SSA Marine driver, told CBS Early Morning this month: “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”
The more underwater we are, the more our restlessness grows. We are being thoughtful about how best to organize ourselves and do what is needed to win dignity, respect, and justice.
Nowadays greedy corporations are treated as “people” while the politicians they bankroll cast union members who try to improve their workplaces as “thugs.”
But we believe in the power and potential behind a truly united 99%. We admire the strength and perseverance of the longshoremen. We are fighting like mad to overcome our exploitation, so please, stick by us long after December 12. Our friends in the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports created a pledge you can sign to support us here.
We drivers have a saying, “We may not have a union yet, but no one can stop us from acting like one.”
The brothers and sisters of the Teamsters have our backs. They help us make our voices heard. But we need your help too so we can achieve the day where we raise our fists and together declare: “No one could stop us from forming a union.”
Thank you.
In solidarity,
Leonardo Mejia
SSA Marine/Shippers Transport Express
Port of Long Beach
10-year driver
Yemane Berhane
Ports of Seattle & Tacoma
6-year port driver
Xiomara Perez
Toll Group
Port of Los Angeles
8-year driver
Abdul Khan
Port of Oakland
7-year port driver
Ramiro Gotay
Ports of New York & New Jersey
15-year port driver
..
We are the front-line workers who haul container rigs full of imported and exported goods to and from the docks and warehouses every day.
We have been elected by committees of our co-workers at the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle, Tacoma, New York and New Jersey to tell our collective story. We have accepted the honor to speak up for our brothers and sisters about our working conditions despite the risk of retaliation we face. One of us is a mother, the rest of us fathers. Between the five of us we have 11children and one more baby on the way. We have a combined 46 years of experience driving cargo from our shores for America’s stores.
We are inspired that a non-violent democratic movement that insists on basic economic fairness is capturing the hearts and minds of so many working people. Thank you “99 Percenters” for hearing our call for justice. We are humbled and overwhelmed by recent attention. Normally we are invisible.
Today’s demonstrations will impact us. While we cannot officially speak for every worker who shares our occupation, we can use this opportunity to reveal what it’s like to walk a day in our shoes for the 110,000 of us in America whose job it is to be a port truck driver. It may be tempting for media to ask questions about whether we support a shutdown, but there are no easy answers. Instead, we ask you, are you willing to listen and learn why a one-word response is impossible?
We love being behind the wheel. We are proud of the work we do to keep America’s economy moving. But we feel humiliated when we receive paychecks that suggest we work part time at a fast-food counter. Especially when we work an average of 60 or more hours a week, away from our families.
There is so much at stake in our industry. It is one of the nation’s most dangerous occupations. We don’t think truck driving should be a dead-end road in America. It should be a good job with a middle-class paycheck like it used to be decades ago.
We desperately want to drive clean and safe vehicles. Rigs that do not fill our lungs with deadly toxins, or dirty the air in the communities we haul in.
Poverty and pollution are like a plague at the ports. Our economic conditions are what led to the environmental crisis.
You, the public, have paid a severe price along with us.
Why? Just like Wall Street doesn’t have to abide by rules, our industry isn’t bound to regulation. So the market is run by con artists. The companies we work for call us independent contractors, as if we were our own bosses, but they boss us around. We receive Third World wages and drive sweatshops on wheels. We cannot negotiate our rates. (Usually we are not allowed to even see them.) We are paid by the load, not by the hour. So when we sit in those long lines at the terminals, or if we are stuck in traffic, we become volunteers who basically donate our time to the trucking and shipping companies. That’s the nice way to put it. We have all heard the words “modern-day slaves” at the lunch stops.
There are no restrooms for drivers. We keep empty bottles in our cabs. Plastic bags too. We feel like dogs. An Oakland driver was recently banned from the terminal because he was spied relieving himself behind a container. Neither the port, nor the terminal operators or anyone in the industry thinks it is their responsibility to provide humane and hygienic facilities for us. It is absolutely horrible for drivers who are women, who risk infection when they try to hold it until they can find a place to go.
The companies demand we cut corners to compete. It makes our roads less safe. When we try to blow the whistle about skipped inspections, faulty equipment, or falsified logs, then we are “starved out.” That means we are either fired outright, or more likely, we never get dispatched to haul a load again.
It may be difficult to comprehend the complex issues and nature of our employment. For us too. When businesses disguise workers like us as contractors, the Department of Labor calls it misclassification. We call it illegal. Those who profit from global trade and goods movement are getting away with it because everyone is doing it. One journalist took the time to talk to us this week and she explains it very well to outsiders. We hope you will read the enclosed article “How Goldman Sachs and Other Companies Exploit Port Truck Drivers.”
But the short answer to the question: Why are companies like SSA Marine, the Seattle-based global terminal operator that runs one of the West Coast’s major trucking carriers, Shippers’ Transport Express, doing this? Why would mega-rich Maersk, a huge Danish shipping and trucking conglomerate that wants to drill for more oil with Exxon Mobil in the Gulf Coast conduct business this way too?
To cheat on taxes, drive down business costs, and deny us the right to belong to a union, that’s why.
The typical arrangement works like this: Everything comes out of our pockets or is deducted from our paychecks. The truck or lease, fuel, insurance, registration, you name it. Our employers do not have to pay the costs of meeting emissions-compliant regulations; that is our financial burden to bear. Clean trucks cost about four to five times more than what we take home in a year. A few of us haul our company’s trucks for a tiny fraction of what the shippers pay per load instead of an hourly wage. They still call us independent owner-operators and give us a 1099 rather than a W-2.
We have never recovered from losing our basic rights as employees in America. Every year it literally goes from bad to worse to the unimaginable. We were ground zero for the government’s first major experiment into letting big business call the shots. Since it worked so well for the CEOs in transportation, why not the mortgage and banking industry too?
Even the few of us who are hired as legitimate employees are routinely denied our legal rights under this system. Just ask our co-workers who haul clothing brands like Guess?, Under Armour, and Ralph Lauren’s Polo. The carrier they work for in Los Angeles is called Toll Group and is headquartered in Australia. At the busiest time of the holiday shopping season, 26 drivers were axed after wearing Teamster T-shirts to work. They were protesting the lack of access to clean, indoor restrooms with running water. The company hired an anti-union consultant to intimidate the drivers. Down Under, the same company bargains with 12,000 of our counterparts in good faith.
Despite our great hardships, many of us cannot — or refuse to, as some of the most well-intentioned suggest — “just quit.” First, we want to work and do not have a safety net. Many of us are tied to one-sided leases. But more importantly, why should we have to leave? Truck driving is what we do, and we do it well.
We are the skilled, specially-licensed professionals who guarantee that Target, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart are all stocked with just-in-time delivery for consumers. Take a look at all the stuff in your house. The things you see advertised on TV. Chances are a port truck driver brought that special holiday gift to the store you bought it.
We would rather stick together and transform our industry from within. We deserve to be fairly rewarded and valued. That is why we have united to stage convoys, park our trucks, marched on the boss, and even shut down these ports.
It’s like our hero Dutch Prior, a Shipper’s/SSA Marine driver, told CBS Early Morning this month: “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”
The more underwater we are, the more our restlessness grows. We are being thoughtful about how best to organize ourselves and do what is needed to win dignity, respect, and justice.
Nowadays greedy corporations are treated as “people” while the politicians they bankroll cast union members who try to improve their workplaces as “thugs.”
But we believe in the power and potential behind a truly united 99%. We admire the strength and perseverance of the longshoremen. We are fighting like mad to overcome our exploitation, so please, stick by us long after December 12. Our friends in the Coalition for Clean & Safe Ports created a pledge you can sign to support us here.
We drivers have a saying, “We may not have a union yet, but no one can stop us from acting like one.”
The brothers and sisters of the Teamsters have our backs. They help us make our voices heard. But we need your help too so we can achieve the day where we raise our fists and together declare: “No one could stop us from forming a union.”
Thank you.
In solidarity,
Leonardo Mejia
SSA Marine/Shippers Transport Express
Port of Long Beach
10-year driver
Yemane Berhane
Ports of Seattle & Tacoma
6-year port driver
Xiomara Perez
Toll Group
Port of Los Angeles
8-year driver
Abdul Khan
Port of Oakland
7-year port driver
Ramiro Gotay
Ports of New York & New Jersey
15-year port driver
..
by Published on 12-14-2011 01:54 PM
Well here is what we have to say:
What have you eaten, sat on or covered yourself with today? That nice car you are driving...we carried the parts to build it and we took it to the dealers you bought it from. We even carry the fuel you use in your tanks, every day. That nice house you are living in...we carried the materials it took to build it. The clothes you are wearing were taken to your favorite stores by us. The food you eat, the pillows and bedding on which you sleep, the very shoes upon your feet.
We drive night and day to provide YOU the American way. We sacrifice alot you see, time with our children and families. We live on these trucks, days, weeks and months at a time.....we too, work hard for our every nickle and dime. We risk our lives more than your local police force, but you do not see this, of course.
We drive more miles in 1 day, than most of you drive in a week.....yet our vices they continue to tweek. We are Americans working, these trucks our tools. Our expenses are many and the prices high, yet we get cut off and flipped off as you drive by. So remember us when you are in the bathroom and find yourself with an issue, that trucker you flipped off........ was delivering your bathroom tissue.
What have you eaten, sat on or covered yourself with today? That nice car you are driving...we carried the parts to build it and we took it to the dealers you bought it from. We even carry the fuel you use in your tanks, every day. That nice house you are living in...we carried the materials it took to build it. The clothes you are wearing were taken to your favorite stores by us. The food you eat, the pillows and bedding on which you sleep, the very shoes upon your feet.
We drive night and day to provide YOU the American way. We sacrifice alot you see, time with our children and families. We live on these trucks, days, weeks and months at a time.....we too, work hard for our every nickle and dime. We risk our lives more than your local police force, but you do not see this, of course.
We drive more miles in 1 day, than most of you drive in a week.....yet our vices they continue to tweek. We are Americans working, these trucks our tools. Our expenses are many and the prices high, yet we get cut off and flipped off as you drive by. So remember us when you are in the bathroom and find yourself with an issue, that trucker you flipped off........ was delivering your bathroom tissue.
by Published on 12-09-2011 08:52 PM
In Nogales AZ, and have adopted the concept of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".
As an experiment, I have been greeting our Mexican friends with "Feliz Navidad" and in return have been given smiles of gladness and good tidings of "Merry Christmas".
I have also been using what little spanish I know in conversation, and in return they have used english and even taught me how to assist them to understand: by teaching me the spanish word for gun "arma de fuego (3030 my truck #)".
The attempt to communicate using their own language (tho a bit "raw") was happily accepted. With the unspoken understanding of the difference in our cultures, we each gladly carried on a conversation half english, half spanish and enjoyed ourselves. When I used an english term or word, my new amigo would use the spanish equal. When I used spanish, he used english.
We bridged a communication gap and treated each other with warmth, respect, friendship and understanding. It was a great experience.
As an experiment, I have been greeting our Mexican friends with "Feliz Navidad" and in return have been given smiles of gladness and good tidings of "Merry Christmas".
I have also been using what little spanish I know in conversation, and in return they have used english and even taught me how to assist them to understand: by teaching me the spanish word for gun "arma de fuego (3030 my truck #)".
The attempt to communicate using their own language (tho a bit "raw") was happily accepted. With the unspoken understanding of the difference in our cultures, we each gladly carried on a conversation half english, half spanish and enjoyed ourselves. When I used an english term or word, my new amigo would use the spanish equal. When I used spanish, he used english.
We bridged a communication gap and treated each other with warmth, respect, friendship and understanding. It was a great experience.
by Published on 12-09-2011 08:47 PM
I believe America to be divided: The government is an entity within its self. We elected those to serve our best interests as a unified country, instead the government serves its own best interests. The government has: The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and the National Guard, and our citizens are brain washed into serving and dying for what ever the government deems necessary.
I believe those who defend and serve this country are: The Minute Militia guarding our borders, The Tea Party protecting and fighting for our rights and liberties, The Occupiers alerting us and watchdogging our financial interests, The Guardian Angels fighting crime protecting and serving our citizens, The Red Cross assisting in aid after catastrophies, Nurses and Medical staff of the free clinics taking care of our illnesses. And they do this out of love of our America and it's citizens and they do it for free!!
I mean no disrespect for the men and women of the armed forces, please do not get me wrong. My Father had 4 brothers, he and they each chose a branch of the service.....I just believe the government is using them to further its own interests in the world when they could do so much more good right here at home...like building home for the homeless and teaching people to do for themselves and turning lives around for the betterment of their quality of life.
I believe in the TRUE AMERICA and ALL she stands for!!
I believe in equality for all mankind.
I believe those who defend and serve this country are: The Minute Militia guarding our borders, The Tea Party protecting and fighting for our rights and liberties, The Occupiers alerting us and watchdogging our financial interests, The Guardian Angels fighting crime protecting and serving our citizens, The Red Cross assisting in aid after catastrophies, Nurses and Medical staff of the free clinics taking care of our illnesses. And they do this out of love of our America and it's citizens and they do it for free!!
I mean no disrespect for the men and women of the armed forces, please do not get me wrong. My Father had 4 brothers, he and they each chose a branch of the service.....I just believe the government is using them to further its own interests in the world when they could do so much more good right here at home...like building home for the homeless and teaching people to do for themselves and turning lives around for the betterment of their quality of life.
I believe in the TRUE AMERICA and ALL she stands for!!
I believe in equality for all mankind.
by Published on 12-01-2011 03:32 PM
From Gypsie's corner
GROSS VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH
So we can no longer say Merry Christmas or call the tree a Christmas Tree? I think not. Having to be "politically correct" is a gross violation of our constitutional right to freedom of speech, and frankly, I have had enough of this crap. I am an AMERICAN!! It has ALWAYS been MERRY CHRISTMAS and our gifts have ALWAYS been under the CHRISTMAS TREE!!
Live and let live. We may have to share space in this country with immigrants and that is fine, but when you come here and start demanding we make changes to suit your likings you can go straight to hell, and if you are an american trying to force your beliefs and ways of life on us you can damn sure join them.
You came to this country because you were not happy in your own.....fine that is understood. Live your own way and have your own traditions....but DO NOT force your ways upon us "DON'T TREAD ON ME"!! If you do not like AMERICA or our way of life you are more than welcome to leave....hell we will help you!!
Our forefathers founded this fine free country and gave us the constitution to live by, same as they gave us the BIBLE. How you choose to live is your business and how I choose to live is mine, but you start infringing on my rights and we are going to have problems....
GROSS VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH
So we can no longer say Merry Christmas or call the tree a Christmas Tree? I think not. Having to be "politically correct" is a gross violation of our constitutional right to freedom of speech, and frankly, I have had enough of this crap. I am an AMERICAN!! It has ALWAYS been MERRY CHRISTMAS and our gifts have ALWAYS been under the CHRISTMAS TREE!!
Live and let live. We may have to share space in this country with immigrants and that is fine, but when you come here and start demanding we make changes to suit your likings you can go straight to hell, and if you are an american trying to force your beliefs and ways of life on us you can damn sure join them.
You came to this country because you were not happy in your own.....fine that is understood. Live your own way and have your own traditions....but DO NOT force your ways upon us "DON'T TREAD ON ME"!! If you do not like AMERICA or our way of life you are more than welcome to leave....hell we will help you!!
Our forefathers founded this fine free country and gave us the constitution to live by, same as they gave us the BIBLE. How you choose to live is your business and how I choose to live is mine, but you start infringing on my rights and we are going to have problems....
by Published on 11-23-2011 02:58 PM
http://www.truckersnews.com/fmcsa-ba...ell-phone-use/
Handheld phone use banned for truckers while driving
November 23, 2011
| by: Truckers News Staff
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration on Wednesday, Nov. 23, issued their long-awaited joint final rule specifically prohibiting interstate commercial truck and bus drivers from using handheld cell phones while operating their vehicles.
Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses. Additionally, states will suspend a driver’s commercial driver’s license after two or more serious traffic violations. Commercial truck and bus companies that allow their drivers to use handheld cell phones while driving will face a maximum penalty of $11,000.The rule becomes effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. “When drivers of large trucks, buses and hazardous materials take their eyes off the road for even a few seconds, the outcome can be deadly,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “I hope that this rule will save lives by helping commercial drivers stay laser-focused on safety at all times while behind the wheel.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that about four million commercial drivers will be affected by the final rule. “It’s just too dangerous for drivers to use a handheld cell phone while operating a commercial vehicle,” said FMCSA administrator Anne Ferro. “Drivers must keep their eyes on the road, hands on the wheel and head in the game when operating on our roads. Lives are at stake.”
FMCSA said that while driver distraction studies have produced mixed results, its own research has shown that using a handheld cell phone while driving requires a commercial driver to take several steps beyond what is required for using a hands-free mobile phone, including searching and reaching for the phone. Commercial drivers reaching for an object, such as a cell phone, are three times more likely to be involved in a crash or other safety-critical event, according to FMCSA, and dialing a hand-held cell phone makes it six times more likely that commercial drivers will be involved in a crash or other safety-critical event.
In September 2010, FMCSA issued a regulation banning text messaging while operating a commercial truck or bus, and PHMSA followed with a companion regulation in February 2011, banning texting by intrastate hazardous materials drivers. “Needless injuries and deaths happen when people are distracted behind the wheel,” said PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman. “Our final rule would improve safety and reduce risks of hazmat in transportation.”
To view the final rule, go to www.regulations.gov; the docket numbers are FMCSA–2010-0096 and PHMSA-2010-0227.
by Published on 11-06-2011 01:38 PM
This came from Rodney Bartlett, he is one of EIs facebook friends and I thought it was worthy of reposting here.
Rodney Bartlett
Rodney Bartlett
CHRISTMAS EVE ON XM 166/ 700 WLW, 700 ON THE AM DIAL SINDY AND I AND SNUFFY AND GRANNY WILL BE JOINING BUBBA BO IN STUDIO FOR THE CHRISTMAS EVE SHOW! THEN AT 1400 ON CHRISTMAS DAY WE WILL BE ASSEMBLING AT ONE OF THE TRUCK STOPS PROBABLY IN FLORENCE KY AREA TO HAVE CHRISTMAS DINNER! ALOT OF DRIVERS ARE OUT HERE ON CHRISTMAS AND HAVE NO ONE TO SPEND IT WITH! COULDN'T IMAGINE BEING ALONE ON CHRISTMAS! COME JOIN US AND CELEBRATE THE REASON FRO THE SEASON!
by Published on 11-04-2011 05:03 PM
Carl N Lynda Smith--I found this on facebook and with permission from the author I am reposting it here.
The Care and Feeding of Dispatchers
I know the old saying, “You can always tell if a dispatcher is lying if his lips are moving”. But contrary to popular belief, dispatchers are human. They do eat, sleep, have families and have a job to do too, other than give drivers a hard time.
Years ago I used to do some orientation and my last bit of advice was to walk our new hires to the office where the dispatchers were located and said, “these people are dispatchers, their nickname is ‘god’, they will make you or break you”. “If you make your pickups and deliveries on time, cause no claims or damage, they will start moving your name up the list to where the good trips are”. “If on the other hand you give them a rough time, they will put your name at the bottom of their list, give you the worst trips they can find and hope you quit”.
It’s a simple concept, but that’s the way it works in real life. The driver and dispatcher work as a team. Once a dispatcher feels comfortable with a driver and knows he can depend on you, you’ll be pre-planned on trips and your life will be a whole lot easier. Instead of you having to wait after delivery for the next load to come open, which will result in wasted time for you and the company, you’ll be on your way and putting money in your pocket as the miles click away.
Don’t forget, if you think your dispatcher(s) are giving you a hard time, do you give your dispatchers a hard way to go too? Refusing a load or making pickups and deliveries between partying or playing video games in the truck stops doesn’t make life easier for dispatchers either. They also get misinformation and grief from shippers and receivers too.Many of your loads are handled through brokers, and they’ve been known to stretch the truth a little too. Brokers have been known to double book a load with two different trucking companies, and the first one there gets the load. The brokers butt is covered but both the driver and the trucking company are left out in the cold. A shipper will call the trucking company and say he has 10 loads on the dock ready to go. When you get there you have to wait. You’re on you way with a “just on time” delivery and you have a flat tire and miss your appointment. The receiver is on the phone screaming at the dispatcher for his shipment and even though the delay is legitimate the dispatcher has to put up with the SOB on the other end of the line.
Are all dispatchers great to work with? Of course not, I’ve worked with some that have caused me to wait and lose income and I’ve worked with others who have made me a lot of money. You try to minimize the turkeys and built a relationship with the good ones. I can hear the cynics in the crowd saying that means kissing butt, call it what you will, but in reality it’s building a trust that means a lot easier time for you in the long run. Let’s try this analogy. You’ve heard race car drivers praise the relationship between a crew chief and a driver for a winning combination, and you know the teams who do poorly when that chemistry isn’t there.
Here’s another point to consider, if you think you and your dispatcher(s) don’t get along, the problem might be found if you look in a mirror.
American Trucker
C.Smith
by Published on 11-02-2011 10:07 PM
From the beginning I felt I had a solid understanding of the mentality of the standard Expediter. It was apparent to me that these people were rugged individualists who could live for long periods of time isolated from other people, most notably their families, in very close quarters, having to be ready to take off in any direction at a moment's notice. This was largely before cell phones and lap top computers. The only communication available was the payphone! I marveled at the ability of somebody to shoulder this burden. Add to that the idea of two individuals doing this together and it becomes, at least to me, even a more absurd dynamic. This was years ago. As the industry has continued to grow and evolve, these rugged individualists seemed to have faded into the sunset. Do some of these people still exist? Of course they do, but the dyed in the wool, hard core expediter types seem to be fewer and far between.
This shouldn't really be surprising. Innovators in industry, or pioneers so to speak, most generally have far more passion for their craft than those who come along after them. The advent of Social Media in Expediting, most notably sites like this as well as EO, etc., has given me the opportunity to see, first hand, the difference between the pioneers of Expediting, and the next generation of expediters.
Social Media. What a concept. Nearly every industry, economic class, fraternal organization, sports fan club, government, or anybody living any lifestyle has some connection to this relatively new phenomenon. The online forum is simply one of the many thousands, or even millions, of vehicles for members of a specific commonality to share views, compare notes, or just lie to each other about things they they are passionate about. I have been involved in expediting now for over a decade as a fleet owner and business consultant. When I first began, Social Media, as far as expediting is concerned, did not exist in my world. I don't know when EO actually began but I was not familiar with it at the time, nor any other expedite specific site.
Flash forward to 2011. Social Media has permeated the expediting membrane. Multiple sites now cater to the interests of the Expediter. We all know the king of these sites is Expeditersonline.com. My impression of this site is quite favorable. The people who run EO have created what appears to be a well oiled machine. The forum seems to be well received, judging by the many members who post every day. Advertising is plentiful, and the rules, though not popular with many, seem to be adequate. Expediteworld.com, though one of the less popular sites, seems as though it holds it's own. I'm sure there are many more but I am only familiar with three of them, including Expediteinsight.com
Though I have perused the other expediting sites for some time, I have finally chosen to become a member of only one, Expediteinsight.com. There is a reason for this. Earlier, I mentioned the rugged individualists who pioneered Expediting. These early innovators had nothing short of a can do, at all costs, no excuses attitude toward getting things done. They were mavericks. Today, as I mentioned, I don't see this trait as much in Expediting. I don't see it in the other Expediting forums either. I do, however, see it in Expediteinsight.com. The irony is almost amusing. Numerous members of one of the other forums like to describe themselves as independent business people who make all their own decisions. They, for the most part, claim to be conservative, self sufficient entrepreneurs. I quietly snicker to myself when I see how so many of these folks gather in one place to dictate to the masses how everything from load securement to national security should be handled. Should you dare cross these self proclaimed experts more than once you will likely be removed from the forum with little fanfare or explanation. One would think an independent thinking, independent business person would have a problem with this kind of policy. I have a theory as to why they do not.
Our industry has had it's rugged individualists replaced by yes men (and women). The evidence is undeniable. Internet savvy expediters have succumbed to a clique' mentality. They are no longer interested in individual thinking. Perhaps they are afraid to think for themselves. Preaching to the choir, or being preached to by the choir has become the norm. This is why I was so intrigued by Expediteinsight.com. The founders of this forum appear to me to have the characteristics I admired in the pioneers of Expediting. They embrace Free Speech, not totally unencumbered but free within reason, and they do not remove members for disagreeing with each other. EI fosters honest and fair exchange. Without honest, unfettered debate, there is no constructive dialogue. This site has the makings of something great. It is a shame more expediters do not take advantage of it. I suppose it would take one of the clique' bosses at the big site to tell the followers it is OK.
I hope to meet the founder or founders of Expediteinsight.com one of these days. I'd like to share a few ideas I have to really make it great. In the meantime I hope you keep on keeping on. You are the type of rugged individualists still needed in Expediting.
This shouldn't really be surprising. Innovators in industry, or pioneers so to speak, most generally have far more passion for their craft than those who come along after them. The advent of Social Media in Expediting, most notably sites like this as well as EO, etc., has given me the opportunity to see, first hand, the difference between the pioneers of Expediting, and the next generation of expediters.
Social Media. What a concept. Nearly every industry, economic class, fraternal organization, sports fan club, government, or anybody living any lifestyle has some connection to this relatively new phenomenon. The online forum is simply one of the many thousands, or even millions, of vehicles for members of a specific commonality to share views, compare notes, or just lie to each other about things they they are passionate about. I have been involved in expediting now for over a decade as a fleet owner and business consultant. When I first began, Social Media, as far as expediting is concerned, did not exist in my world. I don't know when EO actually began but I was not familiar with it at the time, nor any other expedite specific site.
Flash forward to 2011. Social Media has permeated the expediting membrane. Multiple sites now cater to the interests of the Expediter. We all know the king of these sites is Expeditersonline.com. My impression of this site is quite favorable. The people who run EO have created what appears to be a well oiled machine. The forum seems to be well received, judging by the many members who post every day. Advertising is plentiful, and the rules, though not popular with many, seem to be adequate. Expediteworld.com, though one of the less popular sites, seems as though it holds it's own. I'm sure there are many more but I am only familiar with three of them, including Expediteinsight.com
Though I have perused the other expediting sites for some time, I have finally chosen to become a member of only one, Expediteinsight.com. There is a reason for this. Earlier, I mentioned the rugged individualists who pioneered Expediting. These early innovators had nothing short of a can do, at all costs, no excuses attitude toward getting things done. They were mavericks. Today, as I mentioned, I don't see this trait as much in Expediting. I don't see it in the other Expediting forums either. I do, however, see it in Expediteinsight.com. The irony is almost amusing. Numerous members of one of the other forums like to describe themselves as independent business people who make all their own decisions. They, for the most part, claim to be conservative, self sufficient entrepreneurs. I quietly snicker to myself when I see how so many of these folks gather in one place to dictate to the masses how everything from load securement to national security should be handled. Should you dare cross these self proclaimed experts more than once you will likely be removed from the forum with little fanfare or explanation. One would think an independent thinking, independent business person would have a problem with this kind of policy. I have a theory as to why they do not.
Our industry has had it's rugged individualists replaced by yes men (and women). The evidence is undeniable. Internet savvy expediters have succumbed to a clique' mentality. They are no longer interested in individual thinking. Perhaps they are afraid to think for themselves. Preaching to the choir, or being preached to by the choir has become the norm. This is why I was so intrigued by Expediteinsight.com. The founders of this forum appear to me to have the characteristics I admired in the pioneers of Expediting. They embrace Free Speech, not totally unencumbered but free within reason, and they do not remove members for disagreeing with each other. EI fosters honest and fair exchange. Without honest, unfettered debate, there is no constructive dialogue. This site has the makings of something great. It is a shame more expediters do not take advantage of it. I suppose it would take one of the clique' bosses at the big site to tell the followers it is OK.
I hope to meet the founder or founders of Expediteinsight.com one of these days. I'd like to share a few ideas I have to really make it great. In the meantime I hope you keep on keeping on. You are the type of rugged individualists still needed in Expediting.
by Published on 10-29-2011 06:48 PM
Saturday, October 29, 2011
HEADING INTO OVERLOAD
By Gypsie:Distracted Driving?
BILLBOARDS. AIRPLANES PULLING BANNERS. CONSTRUCTION/LAW ENFORCEMENT LIGHTS.
I do not have to think about taking a drink, or eating a sandwhich. I do not have to look at what I am eating. Turning the station on the radio is a no brainer too. We drive more miles in a day than most people drive in a month. Driving is all we do. We know our trucks and we know the roads. There is a time when we can multi task and a time not to, and we know the difference.
The 55 mph speed limit makes me drowsey....We are used to driving speed limits of 60-75 mph and to drop to 55 for an extended length of time is hazardous. I smoke. I smoke the most doing 55 because it gives me something to do to keep me awake. Telling me I cannot smoke while I am driving....well those are fighting words and I will step up.
Driving is not like a 9-5 desk job, or a factory job. Expediting is even worse. We are on time sensitive loads, we cannot pull over any time we want a smoke or something to eat. For us to pull over for a sandwhich or a smoke takes at least 1/2 hour, it also does not stop our 14 hr clock. Communicating with dispatch: if I have to pull over and use the QC to communicate, that load I am on could be sitting for an hour waiting for someone to get back to me....IF they even do.
You want us to drive keeping our hands on the wheel and eyes on the road for the long hours we drive....that would turn us into road zombies.
All these rules and regulations are not going to do anything but add more stress and pressure to an industry already carrying a heavy load and you know what happens when you OVERLOAD!
New HOS?? Our hands are so tied right now we cannot stear!! You cannot make this a 40 hr a week..9-5 job. Trying to overhaul the trucking industry is a never ending job. There is such a thing as overdoing something. IF IT WORKS, DON'T MESS WITH IT!!
There is only so much an industry can take and if they keep adding to what we already deal with, they are going to push drivers to the point of driving these trucks straight up the anal retentive cheeks of America. " Sorry America, we were distracted by your controlling bullshit"!
Posted by GYPSIE at 11:49 AM
by Published on 10-29-2011 06:46 PM
DISTRACTED POLITICANS??
By Gypsie:The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Friday, Oct. 28, announced that it would not be able to publish its final rule for truck drivers’ hours of service by Friday’s court-imposed extended deadline.
“The petitioners have agreed to extend the October 28, 2011, deadline for publication of a final hours-of-service rule,” the agency said in a statement Friday, Oct. 28. “FMCSA will continue to work toward publishing a final rule as quickly as possible. The parties to the settlement agreement will file their next status report with the court on November 28, 2011.”
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia originally set the Federal Register publication deadline for July 26, which it later extended to Oct. 28. FMCSA sent the proposal to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Aug. 11. The Office of Management and Budget was to review it before publication, but OMB had not received the rule this week, leading to speculation that FMCSA would be unable to meet the court deadline.
In 2009, FMCSA had entered into a settlement agreement with safety advocacy groups and the Teamsters union to revisit the 2008 rule and publish a revised rule. This agreement stipulated if the agency produces a “substantially different” rule from the current one, this “may” eliminate the need for further judicial review.
American Trucking Associations President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Graves and Chairman Dan England have questioned LaHood’s contention in a letter to Congress that the administration is drafting a new hours-of-service proposal based on the “most comprehensive and up-to-date data and analysis.”
U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) last week proposed to add language to the transportation appropriations bill (H.R. 2112) that would block the planned changes to the hours-of-service regulations. The measure, Senate Amendment 754, states that “none of the funds made available under this heading may be used to finalize, enforce, or implement the hours-of-service regulations proposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on December 29, 2010.” The Senate is expected to consider the transportation appropriations bill within the next week or so.
LaHood sent a letter to Ayotte asking the senator to drop the measure. “The amendment would prevent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from applying the most comprehensive and up-to-date data and analysis to the issue of driver fatigue and allowable hours of service,” LaHood wrote. “The final rule, if put in jeopardy, potentially undermines the entire regulatory process.”
In a letter to LaHood dated Friday, Oct. 21, Graves and England said the secretary’s contention was well off-base. “There is little or no comprehensive up-to-date evidence, data or science supporting FMCSA’s proposal,” ATA wrote. “FMCSA readily admitted it did not have sufficient data on which to base a driving time limit change, yet the agency argued for and stated it ‘currently favors’ reducing the limit.”
Posted by GYPSIE at 12:53 PM
by Published on 10-12-2011 05:20 PM
Keeping Records for the IRS
By Gypsie
Keeping records on the truck can be very simple. A loose leaf note book and 12 clear sleeves ...
By Gypsie
Keeping records on the truck can be very simple. A loose leaf note book and 12 clear sleeves ...
by Published on 10-10-2011 05:36 PM
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Expediters by Accident
Written by Gypsie
In 2005, we applied on line to attend a truck driver training school in Indianapolis. ...
Expediters by Accident
Written by Gypsie
In 2005, we applied on line to attend a truck driver training school in Indianapolis. ...
by Published on 10-07-2011 03:48 PM
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by Published on 09-30-2011 05:07 PM
Friday, September 30, 2011
Written by Gypsie
A SURPISING TRUCK STOP
We pulled into what looked like a rundown dirty little truckstop. Being tired just coming off a long run, post trip inspection completed, we decided to get some sleep and climbed into the bunk. Not long after we finally were able to doze off, we are practically launched from the bunk with an awful noise that sounded like an explosion and what felt like our truck trying to take off on it's own. We had been hit by a semi driver trying to park his rig. OK....I am thinking this stop is getting worse by the hour.
Awake, confussed and not happy about the truck getting slammed, I got all the information I could from the other truck (and forgot to get the drivers name). Deciding I had had enough of this place already, heading for the fuel desk I began the walk across the parking lot. This is when I noticed there was a truck repair shop on the premises. Ok...that's a welcome sight. A little further on I noticed the fuel islands.....there must have been a dozen of them. Plenty of islands means less wait to fuel. Hmmmm.....2 kudo's for this place.
In the door I go......merchandise seemed a little sparse, not alot but deffinately items that would be needed. OK....I like that. The restroom facilities were a bit dummpy to say the least...thank goodness for trial size lysol and hand sanitizer. Time to eat. This is where I almost walked out. The breakfast buffet was..... shall we say "untouchable", I would not have touched it if I were starving. Beyond the breakfast bar I ventured into the main area of the restaurant. Nothing fancy....2 counters and old time diner booths w/tv boxes. I really was ready to call this place "Not in my lifetime". Then the aroma of fresh vegetables caught my attention which caused me to investigate beyond the obvious.
Lo and behold the salad bar: now this is where things began to take a turn. This salad bar sparkled. Everything was fresh, nicely presented, and they had a very nice variety of choices and fixin's. It made me begin to think there may be hope for this place. Then, I noticed the main course buffet was missing. About that time a waitress greeted us with a shy smile and offered the lunch buffet from the dinning room around the corner. Different. Ok....so let's check it out.
The lunch buffet had 2 soups, some dressing, mashed potatoes and 2 gravys. There were meatballs and goulash. Not alot to choose from. I opted for the goulash and some dainty bread off the nicely presented bakery table holding a variety of baked goods. My Husband made a plate of the remaining menu. Both meals proved to be very tasty and satisfying without having to return to the bar a couple of times. We each had only 1 plate and the salad bar. On to the table.
Sitting at the booth, I questioned the waitress if the tv actually worked. Being tight with a quarter I did not want to attempt losing it in somethat that looked aged and disfunctional (much like the appearance of the truckstop to begin with). Of course she had no idea if it worked or not. What the heck, I dropped the quarter and pushed a button...and son of a gun if that tv didn/t fire right up with a clear picture, nice sound and controls that did as they were made to do. My Husband and I enjoyed dinner and a show for under $20 that day.
We walked out of the truck stop after browsing and chatting with the folks and patrons, and laughing. By the time we got back to the truck we were in much better moods, felt rested and content. Realizing this, surprised me. I don't feel this way walking out of a modern place with all the best aminities. To top it all off, we learned this place sported a motel right there inside with the restaurant, store and fuel desk. Onc could even get a massage!! Yha, I decided enough was enough and didn't want to push my luck to investigate any further!!
So , KUDO'S to the All American Pilot Truck Stop. Located at exit 10 off I-78, Frystown PA.
(And, if ya happen to venture that way, let me know how that motel/massage thing turns out).
See ya on the flip side.
GYPSIE
Written by Gypsie
A SURPISING TRUCK STOP
We pulled into what looked like a rundown dirty little truckstop. Being tired just coming off a long run, post trip inspection completed, we decided to get some sleep and climbed into the bunk. Not long after we finally were able to doze off, we are practically launched from the bunk with an awful noise that sounded like an explosion and what felt like our truck trying to take off on it's own. We had been hit by a semi driver trying to park his rig. OK....I am thinking this stop is getting worse by the hour.
Awake, confussed and not happy about the truck getting slammed, I got all the information I could from the other truck (and forgot to get the drivers name). Deciding I had had enough of this place already, heading for the fuel desk I began the walk across the parking lot. This is when I noticed there was a truck repair shop on the premises. Ok...that's a welcome sight. A little further on I noticed the fuel islands.....there must have been a dozen of them. Plenty of islands means less wait to fuel. Hmmmm.....2 kudo's for this place.
In the door I go......merchandise seemed a little sparse, not alot but deffinately items that would be needed. OK....I like that. The restroom facilities were a bit dummpy to say the least...thank goodness for trial size lysol and hand sanitizer. Time to eat. This is where I almost walked out. The breakfast buffet was..... shall we say "untouchable", I would not have touched it if I were starving. Beyond the breakfast bar I ventured into the main area of the restaurant. Nothing fancy....2 counters and old time diner booths w/tv boxes. I really was ready to call this place "Not in my lifetime". Then the aroma of fresh vegetables caught my attention which caused me to investigate beyond the obvious.
Lo and behold the salad bar: now this is where things began to take a turn. This salad bar sparkled. Everything was fresh, nicely presented, and they had a very nice variety of choices and fixin's. It made me begin to think there may be hope for this place. Then, I noticed the main course buffet was missing. About that time a waitress greeted us with a shy smile and offered the lunch buffet from the dinning room around the corner. Different. Ok....so let's check it out.
The lunch buffet had 2 soups, some dressing, mashed potatoes and 2 gravys. There were meatballs and goulash. Not alot to choose from. I opted for the goulash and some dainty bread off the nicely presented bakery table holding a variety of baked goods. My Husband made a plate of the remaining menu. Both meals proved to be very tasty and satisfying without having to return to the bar a couple of times. We each had only 1 plate and the salad bar. On to the table.
Sitting at the booth, I questioned the waitress if the tv actually worked. Being tight with a quarter I did not want to attempt losing it in somethat that looked aged and disfunctional (much like the appearance of the truckstop to begin with). Of course she had no idea if it worked or not. What the heck, I dropped the quarter and pushed a button...and son of a gun if that tv didn/t fire right up with a clear picture, nice sound and controls that did as they were made to do. My Husband and I enjoyed dinner and a show for under $20 that day.
We walked out of the truck stop after browsing and chatting with the folks and patrons, and laughing. By the time we got back to the truck we were in much better moods, felt rested and content. Realizing this, surprised me. I don't feel this way walking out of a modern place with all the best aminities. To top it all off, we learned this place sported a motel right there inside with the restaurant, store and fuel desk. Onc could even get a massage!! Yha, I decided enough was enough and didn't want to push my luck to investigate any further!!
So , KUDO'S to the All American Pilot Truck Stop. Located at exit 10 off I-78, Frystown PA.
(And, if ya happen to venture that way, let me know how that motel/massage thing turns out).
See ya on the flip side.
GYPSIE
by Published on 09-29-2011 11:59 PM
Please Check out Gypsie's Corner. (The button under the bridge header) Gypsie is our new freelance roving reporter, taking over for the long lost Scoop Newsbuster.
Welcome Gypsie!!
Here are Gypsie's first two stories:
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Lesson: Don't sit on your ass when someone is throwing stones!!
Rules and Regs are a part of everyday life. We roll with the punches and keep the freight moving. The changes that come about are for the better. However, the powers that be do tend to get a little carried away. People can only do to you what you allow them to do. What will you allow to be done to you today??
Welcome Gypsie!!
Here are Gypsie's first two stories:
Thursday, September 29, 2011
WELCOME TO GYPSIE'S CORNER
If you are sitting on your donkey and I threw stones at you, would you be stoned off your ass?Lesson: Don't sit on your ass when someone is throwing stones!!
Rules and Regs are a part of everyday life. We roll with the punches and keep the freight moving. The changes that come about are for the better. However, the powers that be do tend to get a little carried away. People can only do to you what you allow them to do. What will you allow to be done to you today??
