Many veteran drivers have written me and they often begin in the same way:  “The trucking industry is the most corrupt industry . . .” I receive emails like these every day.  For nearly five years now, we have been taking these issues of OTR trucking scams and abuses directly to the public . . . throwing the information out there right in the face of the trucking industry.  Veteran drivers have been talking about these issues for years among themselves, but that was one of the problems . . . they were only talking about them “among themselves.”   Within the last several months, we are seeing a big change in the efforts of professional drivers . . . many drivers, new and experienced, coming together and speaking out against the scams and abuses that have existed within this transportation industry for years.

One lone voice in the wilderness may never be heard, but when hundreds or thousands of voices join with that one lone voice . . . change for the better can occur.  A perfect example of this is the Cap and Trade bill.   Making it through Congress, it suddenly found itself stalled within the Senate.  Why?   The Senate took notice of not just one lone voice screaming that they did not want this bill, but thousands or millions of voices yelling against Cap and Trade.  The Senate stood up and took notice . . . notice of many voices standing up, speaking out and saying that Cap and Trade is not what the public wants.   The same thing could happen to the nationalization of health care.   With millions of voices coming together against this plan, it too, could end up in the stalling process.

I hear all the time that nothing will change in the over the road trucking industry, yet I am already seeing change of a positive note.   Companies are “cleaning up” their terminals and buildings to present a more professional look . . . several companies are taking a closer and harder look at their driver trainer programs and more and more newcomers to the industry are learning about the scams of the DAC Report, CDL Schools and trucking companies committing fraud with the U.S. Government subsidy programs.    More drivers are coming together and are no longer just talking about these things among themselves . . . it is being brought forth through other websites, blogs, article directories and trucking talk radio shows, even being heard on various satellite radio stations.   For the first time that I can recall . . . these issues within the OTR trucking industry are being openly discussed and being noticed and taken seriously.    But we still have a long way to go.

Five years ago there was not one “truth” about OTR trucking site on the internet . . . not one “truth” about the real world of over the road trucking talk radio show . . . not one site or media outlet that was taking these trucking issues directly to the public and to the industry itself and saying, “These scams and abuses have been going on for too long, and we are now going to start fighting back.” Now, there are more and more sites, blogs, pod casts and other outlets joining voices and taking these serious issues straight to the face of the industry . . . and believe me, they are taking notice.

With every turn of a new leaf, one finds another scam or abuse within this industry.  It is a battle that one lone voice cannot win, but with thousands or millions of other voices, joined together, you better believe that this industry can be turned around.   The OTR trucking industry is actually two battles in one:   the industry itself and the corrupt world of politics.

One site, The American Driver is dedicated to fighting the political battle.   As their website explains:

“All of us can agree we have a serious problem and something needs to be done. This basic understanding is the reason we need to unite and determine, as a whole, the proper action which must be taken to correct our problems. We are calling on all Americans, both truckers and citizens, to make it known you understand there’s a problem and commit your support of truly uniting to begin to address the problems we face.”

Let’s show our support by joining The American Driver “Support Our Truckers” support page.   Email your name, city and state to theamericandriver@yahoo.com
and tell them you want to be added to their “Support our Truckers” page.

These scams and abuses against CDL students, trainees, new drivers and veteran drivers have been going on for too many years.   One lone voice in the wilderness may never be heard, but as the trucking industry leaders are coming to realize . . . many driver voices together will make them stand up and take notice that enough is enough and change to the OTR trucking industry is coming.

© 2009, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: abuses, cap and trade, CDL schools, cdl students, government subsidy, Politics, professional drivers, Scams, support our truckers, THe American Driver, theamericandriver, trainees, trucking, trucking industry, trucking talk radio, veteran drivers

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Land Line Magazine, the OOIDA business trucking magazine, reported on the recent Dan Rather Reports TV Show in which I was invited to as a special speaker from the audience.  In the article they wrote:

Rather turned to an audience member, Allen Smith, who has spent 30 years in the business.  Smith claimed he has received thousands of responses on his site, askthetrucker.com, since the “Dan Rather Reports” episode aired featuring Wood.  ( misquote)

“The schools are still taking their money.  They’re wasting their time in the truck knowing that within a couple of weeks they’re going to be thrown out of the truck anyway,” Smith said.

Although I’m sure Land Line would never admit to receiving the volume of emails we have received from all of you since our site began, all of you CDL students and new drivers out there who have experienced these abuses you have shared with AskTheTrucker over the years, should consider also sharing your stories directly to OOIDA and their Land Line Magazine.

In fact, here is an email we just received a few hours ago from a gentleman who wanted to share his nightmare story of his Owner Operator Lease Purchase Program, which I have discussed many times.   For Land Line Magazine and OOIDA . . . this is just another one of the thousands we have and continue to receive:

Dear Sir:

I have settled down a bit, so let me put things into perspective and give you some more info:

I am near the end of my 5th week with ********.  I will get my 4th settlement statement tomorrow.  I am a rookie driver – all my  experience is these 5 weeks, plus ******** driver training program.  My driver trainer was a lease op, he convinced me that I would make much more money as a lease op.  I was convinced by many ******** people that leasing my truck would provide me more income, more flexibility in various aspects of the job.   I got back to the yard, tested out, and one of the instructors talked to our group about leasing.  He pulled me aside, and of course I had already made up my mind to do it…long story short, he gets $300 bonus for every one he can get to sign up.  And I did so.   It has turned into a nightmare.  I was making more money ($330 a week)  with Georgia unemployment than with this company.

My settlements so far during my short career have been:  $755 for week 1, $305 for week 2, $56 for week 3, week 4 comes out tomorrow, and of course here I sit broke down from Sunday Nov. 8 to probably Sat. Nov. 14, so when I get the settlement for this week, it will be deeeeep in the hole no doubt.   Those figures
are before taxes and Soc. Security, which I have to pay quarterly.  I probably wont have to pay anything as I had worked in the corporate world in my old job for a half year in 2009.   I have to drive 1800 to 1900 miles to “break even”.

I am told that ******** Trucking receives $30,000.00 from the US Govt. for every new driver it trains and puts on the road.  At the same time, this company has a 120% turn over rate, and it’s because the lease ops are making the truck payments on a fleet of lemons (Cat C-15 engines with problematic Regen systems), and the Drivers (lease or company) are not getting enough miles to earn a living.  What do you think, is it a scam?   Or is aall of the trucking industry just like this??    This is a “$30,000 a head personnel factory” funded by our tax dollars.

Five weeks is not a very long time, perhaps it reduces the impact or legitimacy of this story, you know, here is a guy just whining or whatever, but to me it is very big… I did this as my answer to being laid off from the corporate world, my big career change, a new beginning.

I am planning to complete my 90 day obligation to *******  and then give my 2 weeks notice to break the truck lease.  At least there is a 2 week walk away clause.  Today is Nov. 12, and I have been broke down since Sunday Nov. 8th, and I have to continue making lease payments,  pay my own hotel bill, and basically just wait until it is fixed.  Yes I signed a contract, I knew what I was getting into, but I did not expect I would be issued a lemon.  My truck had 238 thousnad miles on it – just broke in, they all said.  They do offer a truck rental at *******, but I wont be down long enough for it to work out – it would be time to come back up here  & get my truck after only say 1 run in the rental (from back at the yard in *******), and by the way, there are no rentals available right now anyway.  I checked yesterday (Nov. 11).   So, my truck will be issued to the next victim, and this puppy mill will continue to generate $30,000 government payments.

I guess I am a complete idiot.  Trucking has turned into a nightmare in only 5 short weeks, I have gotten a real education.  I think it is God trying to tell me something.  I await some kind of sign from Him, or maybe its that simple: that he wants me to go home and not be a truck driver??  I know this has hurt my wife badly, and I am lonely as hell.   What can I say?   I can do this work, I know it, but I cannot survive at the abysmal level of income.  If I had some other source of income, it would be OK to stick with it and learn the ropes, get the experience, and so on.  I believe trucking has a chance to come back like the old days, I believe that is why the old veterans are hanging in and running on.

I cannot afford it.

If you can use any of this please do so.  Bear in mind I still have to work with ****** for 4 more weeks or so to fulfill my 90 day obligation – that covers training expenses.  They say they can charge me with it if I leave early.

Very Best Regards,
***********************

MY REPLY:

Hi ******** :

I’m really sorry this has happened to you and is the reason we are working so hard to expose these scams and abuses by the trucking industry, from those companies and schools which are allowed to operate in these abusive manners.

I don’t have to tell you that “yes” in many cases, these lease purchase plans are nothing more than scams. There are good companies out there with good lease programs.  I cannot really say about the company you mentioned, but again, this lease purchase programs show to have an 87% failure rate.

They are simply designed for a driver’s failure by many companies.  Understand, you ARE NOT AN IDIOT! Sounds like you are just another victim of the abuse and scams of the trucking industry that we are working to expose.  I cannot verify the $30,000 you mention – that sounds very high to me – but I will look into it.

Industry leaders will always say that it’s YOUR fault … but trust me … it’s not.  It’s their fault for allowing these scams and abuses to continue.

I’m sorry that once again, another newcomer to the industry who only wanted a new career and a way to support their family, has been victimized by this industry.  We will keep fighting to expose the truth.

Sincerely,

Allen Smith

So here is ANOTHER story shared by one more victim of the scam and abuses of trucking.  We maintain all emails within our system, so if OOIDA wants to say that I “claim” to receive . . . we will be glad to start posting more here on AskTheTrucker including the names of those trucking companies within the emails.

Allen Smith

© 2009, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: abuses, allen smith, askthetrucker, dan rather reports, Land Line Magazine, ooida, owner operator lease purchase program, Scams, trucking, trucking companies

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Dan Rather Reports Episode 2″ Trucker Talk”

I have said many times that there exists good trucking companies and CDL schools within the United States.  There are also many success stories by both company drivers and owner operators.   When you have large numbers such as nearly four million active truck drivers and about eight million CDL holders, you are going to have success stories.  These successes, however, can and do not automatically strike out the fact that many scams and abuses exist within this industry.   Abusive programs that are specifically designed for the driver to fail.

If the truck driver is the company’s greatest asset, as which they are always advertising, then why are the “handful” of trucking companies and CDL schools which operate in these abusive manners, allowed to continue?   If maintaining the integrity and upholding a positive image for the industry is a primary goal, would bringing a stop to these abusive systems against our drivers not be upholding integrity and improving the industry’s image?

For the past several years, we have been working to expose such scams and abuses being imposed on many of our nation’s drivers.  Suddenly, we are hearing from a few industry leaders that they have been “saying these things for years.” Where?  Where have these things been specifically fought against and more importantly, if so, why do these abuses continue?   Specific scams and abuses such as:

• The abuse of CDL students and new drivers as a means of cheap labor.

• The starving out of veteran drivers by those companies who continually maintain the rotation of newer, less paid drivers into their system.
  
• The driver shortage and driver retention problem that have been purposefully created by the companies themselves.
• The Owner Operator Lease Purchase Program that is used by those companies as a means to a driver’s failure.
• The truck drivers DAC Report which has become nothing more than a retaliation tool by companies against drivers.

I recognize that issues such as the lease programs have seen support by way of utilizing The Truth in Leasing Law for drivers, but where has it ever been exposed before that the leasing program, in many cases, is nothing more than a scam and abuse used against drivers?  Where?    It’s not difficult to find information on how to get a copy of your DAC Report . . . but where has it ever been mentioned that the DAC Report is a tool often used to ruin truck drivers careers?  Where?   Before we publicly exposed these scams and abuses . . . where were these issues being raised?   Furthermore, if so, why after “so many years” do they continue?

Talk is cheap.  Let’s see action . . . action such as bringing it to the public as in the Dan Rather Reports . . . action away from just cheap talk and action that can and will eventually bring change to rid the trucking industry of these scams and abuses that have been going on for years against our men and women drivers in trucking.  Finally coming together, as drivers and industry leaders alike, for the sole purpose of raising the standards of the trucking industry.

Allen Smith

© 2009 – 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: abuse, abuses, CDL schools, dac report, Dan Rather, dan rather reports, driver retention, driver shortage, drivers, good trucking companies, media, owner operator lease purchase, Scams, truck drivers, trucking

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