Posts Tagged owner operators

Government Takes Closer Look at Truck Owner Operators

Posted by Allen Smith in Politics, otr trucking, trucking, trucking companies on February 19th, 2010

The Obama administration “will hire 100 more enforcement personnel and the IRS has begun auditing 6,000 companies” in order to crack down on the misrepresentation of truck owner operators as true independent workers. As reported by Today’s Trucking, “The Labor Department estimates that up to 30 percent of companies misclassify employees, many of which are in the trucking (industry).”

The argument states that “In many of these cases, companies treat independent contractors the same as payroll employees, who perform many of the same functions. Both types of workers are frequently given similar instructions and duties and have access to the same equipment and facilities. Companies that pass off employees as independent contractors may do so to avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes. The attention federal and state officials are now paying to the issue is significant on another front, as it could bolster unions that are attempting to collectively bargain for owner-operators contracted to for-hire fleets.”

According to a report today from the N.Y. Times, President Obama’s 2010 budget estimates that such measures would yield at least $7 billion over 10 years.

Sounds like another attempt for the administration to bring in more cash, off the backs of our owner operators.

Read the full story from Today’s Trucking . . .

: government, independent workers, labor, owner operators, today's trucking, truck

government, independent workers, labor, owner operators, today's trucking, truck

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Truck Drivers Discuss Problems within Trucking Industry

Posted by Allen Smith in Truck Driving Jobs, Truck Stops, otr trucking, trucking, trucking life on November 11th, 2009

The most recent Dan Rather Reports, a second in a series, filmed on location in Carl’s Corner, Texas at Willie Nelson’s truck stop, Willie’s Place – brought a large number of truckers together who had the opportunity to mingle and discuss problems within the trucking industry. Owner Operators specifically, were sharing their concerns about the future of their livelihood.

Concerns such as opening the Mexican Border . . . the Cap and Trade issue . . . new EPA stipulations such as the SCR or EGR and its direct costs to the owner operators who for many, can barely keep their heads above water right now.

It was a good thing to see so many drivers discussing these important issues within the industry as long as it does not turn out to be just “more talk” as many of them shared with me was one of their concerns.

Jimmy Watson – Driver/Trainer for KLLM

Donna and I enjoyed spending time with one of the many drivers who attended, Jimmy Watson, a veteran driver and trainer with KLLM Transport.

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Health Insurance

Posted by Allen Smith in Uncategorized on September 17th, 2009

Affordable Health Insurance

Affordable Health Care Insurance

Currently, there are 48 million Americans without health insurance. The number of uninsured U.S. citizens is at an all time high. Lost jobs, high premiums and lower paying employment positions make having your own health insurance coverage an impossibility for many.

With the possibility of obtaining more contaminated food products from other countries through policies such as NAFTA and outbreaks as we have seen with the Mad Cow Disease and the Swine Flu, Americans should have the ability to purchase excellent and affordable health care coverage. After all, this is America . . . right?

Of the 48 million without insurance, nearly 9 million are children as of 2005, up by one million from the previous year. Working families are experiencing double-digit pricing for health coverage, health care costs are soaring and health profressionals are working a tremendous amount of over-time, leading to fatigue related mishaps in our caring facilities.

Health Care Insurance for the Self Employed

Within the trucking industry, America’s owner operators, responsible for their own business related expenses, are unable to afford the high cost of health care and those who have it, are finding themselves having to drop the coverage due to the rising costs. As of October 20th, 2005, studies found that employer-provided health insurance coverage declined for a fourth year in a row, up by 3.7 million since the year 2000 and has continued a steady downward spiral:

Affordable Health Insurance for Everyone

The days of relying on your employer health coverage is slowly dwindling away. You must take the matter in your own hands and insure yourself and your family that you will have the health care needed when and if that time ever comes. Finally, there is a company that has stepped forward to meet this crisis head on and is providing excellent and affordable health care insurance for everyone:

With coverage starting as low as $99.00 per month for single and $249.00 per month for family, Access Health Partners is proving to be a revolutionary vision for America’s uninsured citizens. Also, At Access Health Partners your enrollment and satisfaction is 100% guaranteed!

As hard working Americans and for our Nations’ professional truck owner operators, you owe it to yourself to have affordable and reliable health care insurance. It is available by a company that is dedicated to meeting our health care needs: Access Health Partners.

Visit their website to learn more, or if you’re ready to have leading health coverage at an affordable price, download this Access Health PDF form containing a SPECIAL Pricing Code and fax back to their office.

This break through program has NEVER been offered, until now. Don’t miss this opportunity to finally have affordable health insurance coverage with an A+ company, for you and your family. Furthermore, did we mention . . . you cannot be turned down!

Do it for yourself . . . do it for your family.

Visit
Access Health Site

Affordable Health Care Insurance for Trucking Owner Operators

Affordable Health Care Insurance for Everyone

P.O. Box 2628

Dunnellon, FL 34430

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Better Fuel for the Trucking Industry

Posted by Allen Smith in Fuel Costs, trucking, trucking companies on August 30th, 2009

Better fuel mileage and cleaner emission control is always on the mind of trucking companies and many owner operators, especially these days. BetterFuel.org is an organization providing and promoting fuel saving technologies with the use of Ethos. As their site explains:

“Ethos is a product that is added to fuels to help engines burn fuel more completely. Ethos is non-toxic, non-hazardous and works with any fuel used in cars, trucks, buses, ships, trains and generators. Ethos is free of carcinogens and is not derived from petroleum. It utilizes cleaning and lubricating esters suspended in a mineral oil base.”

One gallon of Ethos FR treats 1,280 gallons of fuel, while four gallons will cover 5,120 gallons. Studies have shown that this product are the following:

Ethos

Non-toxic, Non-hazardous

Extends Engine Life

Reduces Maintenance

Bridges the Lubrication Gap

You can see the difference that Ethos FR had when tested on two separate engines. BetterFuel.org will come to your place of business and provide testing on your vehicles showing you the end results. They will then implement a technology of your choice or one that they have tested and proven to be sufficient. They will then compare the difference between the two test results. This will allow you, as a trucking company or owner operator, to view what is really happening within the vehicle’s engine.

BetterFuel.org is showing proven technologies for fuel saving and emission control products. Technology is getting bigger and better with products that will increase the life of your truck’s engine which, without a doubt, will lead to more dollars staying in your pocket as a professional driver or fleet owner. Stay up on the newest technology for trucking fuel and emission products. Check out: BetterFuel.org

Allen

: better fuel, betterfuel.org, emission control, ethos, fleet owner, fuel saving, owner operator, owner operators, trucking, trucking companies, trucking company

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Trucker Story Featured in Leading Trucking Magazine

Posted by Allen Smith in iPhone Trucking Application, otr trucking, trucking on May 27th, 2009

Truckers News, the #1 leading lifestyle magazine for over the road truck drivers, features the iPhone Trucker Application in their June, 2009 issue. Truckers news is the official publication of the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO).

Senior Editor Todd Dills provides a full page story about our Truth About Trucking, Ask The Trucker blog and the first ever iPhone application for truckers. It was also mentioned in the May issue as well as the June edition of Overdrive Magazine which primarily focuses on commercial truck owner-operators, small fleet owners and company drivers.

Special thanks to Todd Dills and everyone at Truckers News and Overdrive for featuring our story in their leading trucking magazines.

You can read the full article which is on page 86:

Subscribe to Truckers News . . .

Subscribe to Overdrive Magazine . . .

Allen & Donna Smith

: company drivers, drivers, iphone trucker application, magazine, over the road, overdrive, owner operators, todd dills, trucker, truckers news, trucking, trucking magazines

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Owner Operators United, Inc. Launches Membership Drive

Posted by Allen Smith in otr trucking, trucking, trucking life on April 29th, 2009

Owner Operators United has begun their membership drive through December, 2009. OOU’s Mission Statement reads:

Understanding of environmental issues and sharing information with our partners.

Developing innovative and flexible solutions to bring about change.

Have a clear voice in Washington, D.C.

Recognizing that fiscal responsibility is essential to our future.

Advancement of our Industry through Education.

Encouraging all partners to share in our mission.

To stand United for the betterment of our Industry.

The OOU has State Representatives that live in each state in the USA, which will insure equal & fair representation to all members, where ever they live. It is open to all drivers, owner operators and company, as well as anyone within the trucking industry – brokers, shippers, dispatchers, etc.

OwnerOperatorsUnited.Org was started by truckers for truckers & their families, including but not limited to scholarships for children of drivers. Check it out and join the goal to stand united for the betterment of the American Trucker and the trucking industry.

Truth About Trucking, LLC

“Raising the Standards of the Trucking Industry”

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Owner Operator Affordable Health Insurance

Posted by Allen Smith in Truckers Health, trucking on April 27th, 2009

With the economy in its current state and the trucking industry feeling the hurt, owner operators are, without a doubt, feeling the brunt of the impact. I first posted about an excellent and affordable health plan program back in February, 2009 and feel it is important to mention here again.

We have received a great deal of feedback on this and would like to bring your attention back to it so you know that there is an affordable health plan program that can greatly benefit Owner Operators within the trucking industry.

Check out: Access Health Partners:

Thanks …. Allen

: access health partners, affordable, health insurance, owner operators, trucking

access health partners, affordable, health insurance, owner operators, trucking

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What is the Outlook for U.S. Trucking Industry?

Posted by Allen Smith in Politics, Truck Driving Jobs, otr trucking, trucking, trucking companies, trucking life on April 27th, 2009

Reported by: Jonathan S. Reiskin, Associate News Editor

Is the trucking industry as we know it in North America changing? Will trucking careers slide downward and may even eventually become somewhat “obsolete?” Many experts believe it will and are advising that the shear core of the U.S. trucking foundation is on very shaky ground.

Trucking in North America is in the midst of a fundamental reshaping which, according to James Hebe, a senior executive of Navistar Inc., “will lead to flat tonnage levels for fleets and fewer truck manufacturers producing much more expensive vehicles, mostly in Mexico.” Mr. Hebe, further noted that federal policies will cause the demise of a number of trucking institutions such as “long and tall tractor design, owner-operators and independent maintenance shops.”

He further noted that long haul operations will shift to regional positions and dedicated contract carriage for distribution and that “the availability of truck-rail intermodal for many linehaul movements of more than 1,000 miles and the shock of $4.75-a-gallon fuel last year mean “fuel prices have changed the world.”

Believing there will be a surge in truck sales within the second half of 2009, he states that this will just be a “suckers’ rally” but it is “only so buyers can avoid more expensive 2010 trucks equipped with new emissions controls.” Due to high fuel and equipment prices and the onset of electronic on-board recorders, this he said will be the “death knell” for owner-operators because they will not be able to survive by running legal.

He also pointed out the high cost to truckers due to the current administration policies for unionization. The cost of unions, he said, is driving manufacturing jobs primarily to Mexico. He pointed out that “there are no unemployed truck workers sitting around in Mexico. We will have to train truck builders who have never built trucks before — and that means a ramp-up will have to be slow, or quality will have to suffer.”

With 38 years of experience under his belt, he believes “truck pricing will increase dramatically. If you think the pricing in 2010 is bad, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

Summing it up, we must wonder if the outlook for the U.S. Trucking Industry is about to be shaken to its core.

According to Mr. Hebe: “Truck jobs in the U.S. are gone and will not be coming back.”

Your thoughts?

Allen Smith

: industry, james hebe, long haul, mexico, owner operators, regional, Truckers, trucking, truth about trucking, u.s. trucking, unions

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Hybrid Solar Powered APU System for the Trucking Industry

Posted by Allen Smith in Fuel Costs, otr trucking, trucking, trucking companies, trucking life on April 14th, 2009

With new laws and regulat Trucking cooling heating system ions effecting the idle time for truck drivers and trucking companies alike, staying comfortable in the truck cab is becoming more difficult than ever. By not allowing truckers to idle their trucks, they are expected to sweat it out in the summer heat or just “chill out” during the winter months. Another aspect which shows the total disregard for our professional truck drivers, not to mention a safety issue. Yes, this is a safety issue.

Truck owner operators, fleet owners and especially the trucking companies themselves, now have a solution. A solution that can save them up to $23,000 per year in fuel costs … per truck! Not hard to figure out is it? Two thousand trucks, $23,000 each, that’s a savings of $46,000,000 per year from lost fuel idling. Even with only 250 trucks, they would be looking at saving $5,750,000 per year.

There is an APU system available that will do just that. The Kool Rig System is the world’s first Hybrid solar powered heating and air conditioning unit built for semi trucks. With the Kool Rig system, truckers can now turn off their trucks, saving thousands of dollars of fuel per year, while at the same time having the in-cab comfort that is needed for the proper rest, not to mention not having to worry about breaking local idling laws.

Owner operators, fleet owners and all trucking companies should seriously consider this revolutionary system. It’s all about saving money, protecting the environment and reaping a higher gross profit, isn’t it? Learn more about the Kool Rig System. This could literally change the future of trucking.

Allen Smith

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