Trucking Advocate and Activist Allen Smith of TruthAboutTrucking.com : Articles Current News and Information for CDL Truck Drivers and Truck Driving Students…"Raising the Standards of the Trucking Industry"
The Highway Information Sharing Analysis Center, funded by the Department of Homeland Security, issued an advisory on Friday warning “drivers and trucking companies that they could be exposed to violence from Mexico’s drug wars.” The warning stated, “Truck drivers carry a risk as they are involved in operations that might interest these criminals,” adding that drivers should “maintain situational awareness at all times and be extremely conscious of your environment.”
Internet talk radio show, Truth About Trucking “LIVE” was recently featured in SoundBits, the column that highlights Blog Talk Radio’s best, brightest and most intriguing shows. BlogTalkRadio has been called the “media sensation” of the future and is recognized world wide.
Truth About Trucking “LIVE” was launched July, 2008 and quickly became known as the “first of its kind” trucking talk radio program, breaking new ground from the regular type, main stream media. With the new creation of The Trucker Sunday Show, the next program is scheduled for Sunday, April 5th, 2009 at 4:00 PM EST.
Green Freedom Online will feature the pre-launch of co-host Barry Szczucki’s website: GreenFreedomOnline – a site that will be “Dedicated to helping people to achieve energy, health and food independence in an urban environment.”
GreenFreedomOnline is scheduled to go live around April 19th to the 23rd, 2009.
Thank you to all truck drivers who have written to tell us that you love the iphone TRUCKER application but that it would sometimes freeze and need to be restarted. We notified the developer immediately, and as of today the application is working smoothly, without a glitch. It appears that one of the files was too large and would sometimes cause this annoyance. ( Not anymore!)
We’ve added more of the YouTube videos that you’ve suggested and sent to us. They’re located in the Media section of TRUCKER. Also, we’re changing the Splash Page daily with your photo Images that you’ve sent us.
You can continue to send us your favorite YouTube videos by e-mailing us the url for each video. Images from the driver seat showing the road through the windshield can also be e-mailed to us so we can rotate the splash page image. If you do not want your name displayed on the front of the app, just let us know and we’ll only display your picture without your name.
You can also send us the url of the image to one of the 3rd party photo sites that they’re on.
info@truckerapp.com
Again, thank you for your Feedback. Keep the e-mails coming, as this helps us make sure that TRUCKER continues to be the awesome iPhone application that it was meant to be!
Trucking and the future of biofuels – the recent talk radio show by Truth About Trucking “LIVE” – provided several futuristic points by our special guest: Chet Szczucki. From the possibilities of sugar stalks to algae biodiesel to Jatropa, the future clearly holds some interesting combinations to consider when it comes to producing alternative energy resources for the trucking industry.
Most professional truck drivers contend that in many areas, finding a safe and secure place to park the big rig is a big problem. The general motorist population can see it to, by the dozens of trucks parked along the road ways stretching out from many rest areas, to the 18 wheelers sneaking in on commercial retail lots.
Why then, would NATSO and various organizations disagree? NATSO performed an independent study and concluded that there is plenty of parking spaces available, and provided this information to the appropriate Governmental bodies. The study was conducted by counting the number of empty parking spaces, taking into account the number of trucks on the road and then divided by the number of days in a week. This is where the problem comes in.
When there was talk about building more rest areas, NATSO lobbied hard against the proposal, eventually providing the results from their independent study. However, the study had two major flaws:
At what time of the day were the parking spaces counted? 5-8 PM or 10 AM?
They included Saturday and Sunday in the week division – the two days when parking is at its least capacity
The study should have counted the spaces during the heaviest times for parking and then, only divided by 5 – Monday through Friday – the heaviest days for traffic. By figuring in Saturday and Sunday, the parking space average would drop drastically. There would be a big difference in the number of trucks parked at 10 PM compared to the numbers parked at 10 AM. Another factor that would drop the average way down.
Naturally, NATSO does not want truckers parking at rest areas. They want the drivers at their truck stops spending money. Although I do believe economic times for state government is now playing a role in the proposed shut downs for rest areas, it would also force truck drivers into the truck stops, one way or the other, and consumer spending could get rolling more.
The NATSO independent study was easily manipulated by the two factors above, in order to produce the required result: “there is plenty of parking spaces available at truck stops for our drivers” – which many of us know, is just not the truth.
Mexico continues to cry over the U.S. ban on Mexican trucks and counters by hitting back with tariff hikes. Shipments of grapes from California? 45% hike. Pears, Christmas trees and frozen french fries from Oregon? 20% hike. North Dakota sunflower seeds? 15% duty.
The tariffs will effect about 2.4 billion goods, covering 40 states and most likely result in more lost jobs for Americans. The one tariff alone could cost Oregon $40 million and may result in nearly 40,000 lost jobs across the board.
Mexico continues its crying fit while sitting back for years and doing nothing to stop the millions of illegal aliens dashing across its border into the United States. Mexico continues their crying fit while observing for years, the massive influx of drugs coming into the U.S. from its borders.
All American citizens should STOP going to Mexico. STOP their Mexican vacations. STOP their Mexican visitations. STOP U.S. consumer money from being spent in Mexico.
Mr. Obama had wanted to implement NAFTA further, by allowing trucks from Mexico to enter the United States and give them full access to our highways and interstates. With all the pressure coming in at all angles, this movement has stopped…causing tariff hikes.
I say, if Mexico wants to play….then let us play. STOP U.S. currency from flowing into Mexico.
Allen Smtih
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Mexico sigue llorar los EE.UU. la prohibición de los camiones mexicanos y contadores por golpear de nuevo con
arancelarias. Los envíos de uva de California? 45% de alza. Peras, los árboles de Navidad y francés fritas congeladas
desde Oregon? 20% de alza. Dakota del Norte las semillas de girasol? 15% de aduana.
El efecto de los aranceles alrededor de 2,4 millones de bienes, que abarca 40 estados y muy probablemente resultará
en más pérdidas de puestos de trabajo para los estadounidenses. La tarifa por sí sola un coste de Oregon $ 40 millones
y puede resultar en pérdida de casi 40.000 puestos de trabajo en todos los ámbitos.
Mexico sigue llorando encajar su espalda mientras estaba sentado durante años y no hacer nada para detener a los
millones de extranjeros ilegales a través de su frontera defraudar a los Estados Unidos. Mexico sigue llorando su
ajuste dentro de la observancia de los años, la afluencia masiva de drogas que llegan a los EE.UU. de sus fronteras.
¡Todos los ciudadanos americanos no deben ir a México! STOP sus vacaciones en México. STOP sus visitas mexicano.
STOP EE.UU. dinero de los consumidores están gastando en Mexico.
El Sr. Obama votos más para aplicar el TLC, al permitir que camiones de Mexico a entrar en los Estados Unidos y
darles pleno acceso a nuestras autopistas y carreteras interestatales.
Digo, si Mexico quiere jugar …. Entonces vamos a jugar. STOP EE.UU. moneda fluya hacia Mexico.
Have you ever wanted to get your HazMat endorsement, but could never find the time to do so? The Transportation Security Administration now offers truck drivers the ability to apply online and get the process in motion, even if they are currently trucking over the road. They will also direct you to a fingerprinting station that is nearest to your location.
By using their submission application, you will be able to submit the HazMat application, pay the fee ($89.25) and obtain directions to the closest fingerprinting location. By utilizing their site, drivers can be fingerprinted at any of their listed sites, not just the drivers’ home state.
If time has always been a problem for applying for the HazMat, check out this service at : hazprints.
Truth About Trucking “LIVE” – Blog Talk Radio’s premier Trucking Talk Radio Show, will feature Mr. Chet Szczucki as special guest on the Trucker Sunday Show - Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 at 3 PM EST. An expert in the field, Chet will be taking your calls and answering questions about this very important economic topic. What are the real possibilities for the trucking industry when it comes to biofuels?
There’s been a lot of talk about VDOT proposal to close down more than half of the rest stops in Virginia, with most on the I-81 corridor. If this proposal were to pass, more than 300 miles would exist between rest stops on I-81 in Va. Since drivers are required to stop after 11 hours of driving, what happens if there is no parking available? Do they continue driving illegally or do they park illegally? Either way, it could become a serious safety issue for them.
Truck drivers all over are extremely concerned ( to put it mildly). Parking was a problem before the new proposal, how much worse it will be? A major factor we need to look at is the safety of the driver. Recently, a young man was shot twice in the head while parked at an abandoned gas station in a rural area in South Carolina. Jason Rivenburg was only 35 years old with a small child and two more on the way. The reaon for his death? Seven dollars that he was carrying. This story has outraged many, and it should! When those of us, who already know the lack of parking situation, hear about senseless murders like this, taking advantage of tired, sleeping, defenseless drivers, we become angry.
Now, lets look at something else for a moment. The economy as everyone knows, is not at its best. People are losing jobs daily and many become desperate. For a small group of individuals, desperate means that they’ll do anything!
Just think for a moment what the combination is for a falling economy and truck parking closings:
If truck driver Jason Rivenburg was shot and killed for seven dollars, and more rest stops for drivers are going to be closed, what kind of sitting duck targets do you think truck drivers will be when they are forced to pull over in areas so they may legally rest.
Are you seeing the picture? Does everyone see the potential for the risk and safety hazards drivers will be faced with? And what is the major reason for the VDOT rest stop closings? It’s a remedy to save 12 million dollars towards an anticipated 2.6 budget billion dollar shortage. If this proposal goes through, I’m just wondering how many more tragedies would have to occur before someone would admit that perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea.
Personally, I don’t think the proposal will be passed. It will take many of us voicing our opinions though. We have to get the general public involved. When more people outside of trucking are made aware of the seriousness of this situation, they will become involved…it’s just making them aware.
Regulations are always calling out for “safety” first! Where is the safety in causing weary, out of hours drivers being forced to continue on in order to find a safe and secure parking area?
Call your represetatives, contact your local news, contact the DOT.
The first Trucking Application for the Apple iPhone – Trucker – has been released and is now available at the iPhone App Store. The Trucker Lite Version is the first of its kind app in the world, and development is already underway for the Trucker Gold Version.
For additional information, the official site for Trucker is:
: border, drug wars, mexico, report, truck drivers, Truckers, trucking companies, violence
The first Trucking Application for the Apple iPhone – Trucker – has been released and is now available at the iPhone App Store. The Trucker Lite Version is the first of its kind app in the world, and development is already underway for the Trucker Gold Version.
