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"
One truck driver who noticed two young girls being worked at a truck stop, made the 911 call to police and an amazing set of events took place. The two girls, 15 and 14, were seen going in and out of the trucks and appeared to be distraught and at times, just simply afraid. Feeling something was not right, the alert trucker called police, informing them that the two girls “appeared pretty young.”
Not only were the two Ohio girls minors, but they also turned out to be kidnap victims of human trafficking. The two minors were saved and returned to their families, but the story did not end there. Because of this one phone call from this one truck driver, seven other minor children were saved leading to the conviction of thirty one human trafficking offenders and led to the shutting down of a thirteen-state prostitution ring.
One phone call from one trucker . . . 9 lives saved . . . 31 offenders convicted . . . 13 state ring shut down . . . from one phone call.
Watch the video testimony and sign up for Chapter 61 Ministries webinars on human trafficking to learn more on how you can help.
Truck drivers will soon be seeing a new music CD filled with songs that focus on today’s trucking issues. Issues such as the DAC report, the high cost of diesel fuel and the general life of a trucker and the challenges they face. Not since the days of Red Sovine and C. W. McCall, has there been a true-blooded music CD generated for the men and women of trucking. Songwriters David Ayers and Barry Allen are about to change all of that.
Having swept the internet with their smash hit, “When the Big Rigs Don’t Roll“, the CD of the same title is expected to be released within the following weeks. With John Johnson performing the vocals, David and Barry wanted to put together a new, all original CD that would honor our nation’s truckers and shed light on the work and struggles that they endure on a daily basis. The talented songwriters,having won numerous awards, “When the Big Rigs Don’t Roll” has been played at rallies in Washington, D.C., New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, Florida and all across the USA and has been featured on CNN, Fox News, Cox News papers and internationally and is still broadcast through out the trucking industry. Top Nashville music executives have referred to the song as an “Anthem comparable to the late, great hit “CONVOY” by C. W. McCall.”
One of the songs on the CD will be, “Say a Prayer for Jason“, a song dedicated to slain truck driver, Jason Rivenburg and in support of Jason’s Law, bill H. R. 2156. Listeners of the Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio show had the opportunity to hear, for the first time anywhere, this moving musical melody, paying tribute to one of trucking’s fallen. The show aired live on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 and Truth About Trucking “LIVE” was given exclusive permission by Allen & Ayers Productions to share a few of the songs on the soon to be released trucking CD. “Say a Prayer for Jason” and “The Trucking Brand” were two of the songs broadcast live for the first time and can only be heard on Truth About Trucking “LIVE.”
The show, “The Truck Driver Shortage Fabrication“, also provided an update on Jason’s Law as explained to Truth About Trucking, LLC by Mr. Todd Kohr, a staff member on the Highway and Transit Sub Committee: A perfect timing for “Say a Prayer for Jason” to be heard. This broadcast focused on how current CDL training procedures, CSA 2010 and cross border trucking all relate and help to create the so-called truck driver shortage. As one of our most listened to shows to date, listeners were able to hear for the first time, “Say a Prayer for Jason” and were advised about the news of the upcoming CD.
Since the 1970’s, truckers have not had a music CD produced and dedicated solely for them . . . I would say that it’s about time. We’ll keep you posted on the release date and remember . . . you heard it here first!
Truck driver fatigue is always being taunted as a major problem. The NTSB, the FMCSA and the American Trucking Association are all behind the implementation of a new bill that will require truck drivers to undergo testing for a medical condition known as sleep apnea.
Media reports are stating that about 30% of all truck drivers have sleep apnea. Furthermore, it has been reported that the condition affects between 6% to 12% of the adult male population.
Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio discussed the real truth behind truck driver fatigue and the sleep apnea deception on Wednesday, May 19th, 2010.
We had the reports . . . we had the data . . . we had the numbers.
When one study did not provide the data that they were looking for, then they conducted more studies until the data met their agenda.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that needs to be treated and the truck driver population needs to be made aware, but the real problem of truck driver fatigue lies with the lifestyle of the professional trucker and how the motor carriers contribute to this problem. (See our previous post: Motor Carriers Responsible for Truck Driver Fatigue).
Continually pushing the issue of sleep apnea as the major cause of driver fatigue is taking the focus off of the real problem : pushing drivers to their limit, disturbing drivers while they are trying to sleep, forced dispatch and so-forth. Sleep apnea needs to be taken seriously and those who have it should take steps in its treatment. But saying that 30% of truck drivers have this condition is just not the case, when independent studies have shown a regular percentile of around four percent.
Furthermore, if the studies conducted do not present the figures that you were hoping for, performing more studies until you reach the wanted figures only minimize the findings.
My dad loved to hunt rattlesnakes. Whenever he was down, depressed or simply tired to the bone from working all night on the Oklahoma oil rigs, all I had to do to cheer him up was to say, “Let’s go rattlesnake hunting!” Immediately, that little grin would appear and within the hour we would be in the car headed to the cliffs of Mangum, Oklahoma. That is what they were known as . . . “The Cliffs.” After all, if you’re going to hunt rattlers, you have to go where they live.
At fourteen, I had gotten pretty good at hunting rattlesnakes. We would gather them up and head to the Rattlesnake Roundup in Mangum every year. You could win prize money for the biggest snake, the smallest snake, the most snakes caught and all kinds of various categories. It was a fun time growing up and at the moment, I never realized that my dad was teaching me things about life. One of those “things” was fear.
The cliffs were a stretch of steep rock formation in Western Oklahoma where rattlesnakes were always waiting to be captured. Our goal on this particular hunt was to bag the biggest rattler ever caught. Spotting a large hole nearly three-quarters of the way up the cliff, my dad told me to climb up there and take a look inside. Being fourteen, I had two things going for me : (1) I had no fear and (2) you always do what your parents tell you to do. So, I started climbing.
It took about thirty minutes, but I finally reached the area of the darkened hole. It was still just out of reach, so I had to reach up and grab the edges of the cliff and pull myself up in the form of a chin-up. Raising myself up, I peered into the hole. It was so dark, I could not see anything. Moving my head from side to side in order to let the sun rays poke through, I finally caught the glimpse of something. Having no fear, I stuck my eyes and nose deeper into the hole. Finally I saw it . . . two really black eyes looking right back at me.
rattlesnake cliffs
A few seconds later, the rays of the sun landed a good hit and I saw the flickering of a forked tongue. I yelled down to my dad, “I think we’ve got a big one.” As I turned back to face the serpent, it struck. Throwing my head back, I lost my grip and began falling straight down. What seemed like an eternity, I finally landed on the ground and realized that the story wasn’t over. The rattler had struck out with such force that it had literally over shot its target and came flying out of the hole. The snake was now falling down to Earth right along with me.
As I had hit the ground, I rolled to the side and a few seconds later the rattler landed right where I had been. It immediately raised itself up in its fighting coil. I had been right, though. It was huge. I was standing there looking at a seven footer and as big around as a baseball. Expecting my dad to be running over to help, I looked over his way and he was laughing so hard that his face was a deep reddish color. He was literally down on one knee, unable to move from his fit of laughter. Not realizing it at the time, but I had made the biggest mistake one can make while hunting rattlesnakes . . . I had taken my eyes off of the enemy. I was about six feet away from a seven foot venomous snake . . . and it struck again.
The precision of the strike was unbelievable. The fangs found its mark right on top of the boots I was wearing. Now, the angry rattler had its teeth stuck in my leather boots and I was shaking my foot frantically, yelling “James . . . James . . . James!” My dad yelled back, “Take off your boot!” Kicking the boot off, we watched in awe as the creature twisted and turned, finally breaking free from the leather. I discovered that I had fear after all.
It still did not run. It returned to its fighting stance. Looking at my dad, I said, “It’s not afraid of anything. It has no fear.” It was then that he said something that I have never forgotten. Always calling me “boy” he said, “Don’t kid yourself, boy. Everything has fear.”
Fear can be a good thing. A soldier on the battlefield can live through the fear of dying. A cage fighter can win through the fear of losing. This reptile was not in a fighting stance because it had no fear . . . it was coiled and ready to strike because of fear. Now, 37 years later . . . my dad is gone, but his lesson remains even in relationship to professional truck driving.
Many CDL students will get their first glimpse of how big an 18-wheeler really is on their first day of truck driver training when they stand beside that huge rig. For many, fear will creep in. Fear has a way of talking to you and throwing doubt in your mind. It will say things like:
“You can’t drive this thing.”
“You’re going to wreck.”
“You’ll stall out.”
“You’re going to roll over.”
“You will start rolling backwards down a hill.”
“You can’t learn how to shift 10 gears.”
“You can never learn how to back up.”
What many do not consider, is that the professional driver with millions of miles under his or her belt . . . at one point in their lives . . . have faced the same fears. Doubt, anxiety, uncertainty . . . whatever you want to call it . . . “everything has fear.” That huge rig can be very intimidating. The trucker lifestyle can be very intimidating. Understand that you are not expected to jump into a tractor-trailer rig and perform in an expert manner. This is why you are in truck driver training. The rig should never be in control of you, but you are in control of the rig. That 18-wheeler will go where you want it to go . . . it will stop when you want it to stop . . . it will turn when you want it to turn, and it will back up when you want it to back up. It will go down a street at 35 MPH or along the highway at 70, if that is what you want it to do.
One thing I tell new drivers is that you have to respect the rig. As in flying, you must respect the aircraft. If you get out of your area of skill, then the airplane will take over and you will most likely lose. Same thing goes for the 18-wheeler. It is a huge piece of equipment that deserves respect, but it will never take control over you unless you allow it to. You are in charge of it, not the other way around. Operate it in the manner it was meant to be operated, and you can have a long career in truck driving.
Truck driver training is there for you to learn. Learn how to shift through the gears, learn how it feels to steer, learn how the trailer tracks . . . take your time once you are out on the open road. Do not let other drivers push you further or faster than what you feel comfortable doing. There is no need to back blind-side when there is another spot open that does not require it. When you find yourself in an empty truck stop, practice blind-siding then. Take your time and take it easy. We’ve all been where you are at.
Trust me . . . before you know it you will be looking back at when you first started truck driver training and thinking to yourself, “And I was afraid of this?” Fear can be a good thing. Turn your fear of CDL training into a positive. Make it work for you, not against you. You will learn how to drive and you will be a safe and professional truck driver. Millions have done it and so can you.
As far as the experience with my dad and the seven foot rattler, we didn’t win the biggest prize. Also, as we pulled into the driveway of our home, I still remember the last words of the trip that my dad said to me . . . “Don’t tell your mother.”
Maneuvering an 18-wheeler through the city streets of Chicago, Detroit or one of the colonial-time cities of New England can test the patience of the most experienced truck driver. Handling a rig that is 70 feet long, 13 1/2 feet high and weighing 40 tons is tough enough . . . add hundreds of other vehicles into the scenario, along with hundreds of pedestrians and all kinds of various distractions and obstacles . . . it is no wonder that our men and women truckers are referred to as “professional.” However, does it really require any skill to operate a commercial motor vehicle? According to the U.S. Department of State and the Wage and Hour Division . . . it does not.
In fact, these departments consider the skill of a professional truck driver, equal to the skills of a janitor and a telephone operator. No matter what a person’s job is, work is honorable. Regardless, should the performance of a professional trucker be equal to that of a short-order cook? As far as the law is concerned, professional truck driving requires no skill. These laws are contradictory of each other.
To begin with, the term “professional” is defined as: “A member of a vocation founded upon specialized and educational training.” It further refers to being “Engaged in one of a learned profession.” CMV drivers are always referred to as a “professional” by trucking companies and trucking organizations alike. CMV driving jobs are always referred to as “careers” by companies and job placement services. Thus, we have a profession within a career . . . which equals professional.
The term “unskilled” is defined as: “Lacking skill or technical training” – “Requiring no training or skill” – “Exhibiting a lack of skill.” It is further described as: “Not having, showing or requiring special skill or proficiency of any kind.” These two terms, professional and unskilled, contradict each other when we look at the professional truck driver. Jobs are also considered unskilled when the worker can “Learn to do them in 30 days or less.”
Granted, a person can go it alone and not attend a CDL training school and take the written tests and borrow a friend’s semi rig for the driving test, and achieve the CDL on their own . . . the problem with this is . . . nobody will hire them. In order to be considered for hiring by the trucking companies, one has no choice but to attend “specialized, educational training.” Courses often consists of 160 hours of technical training within a minimum of three weeks, followed by further technical training with a professional driver-trainer for another three weeks or longer. I’m no mathematical genius, but last time I checked, a minimum of three weeks of CDL training and another minimum of three weeks of real world driver training, equals more than 30 days. Furthermore, since truck drivers are classified as unskilled workers, why then, is the CMV driving test called a“skills test?”
When you break down the systematic order of a professional truck driving career, you arrive with many variables that only points to one main aspect: skill. So why does the Wage and Hour Division label truck drivers as unskilled labor? For the true answer, one must look at the entire scope of global economics.
The law of supply and demand dictates the survival or non-survival of unskilled workers. In today’s technological world, companies now consider their most valuable assets as being the knowledge, network and skills maintained by their employees. This is what is known as “Human Capital.” Just as machinery became more sophisticated and raised productivity in manufacturing, workers with knowledge and skills raise productivity across the ever expanding world economies . . . at least in theory.
According to U.S. Census data, more than 70% of American adults are classified as unskilled workers. This large majority of unskilled labor is the driving force in keeping company and corporate expenses low, resulting in higher business profits. This corporate greed is further expanded through such programs as NAFTA. By opening the borders into America, the United States would become flooded with more unskilled workers, thus continuing the demand for low wages and cheap labor. Therefore, all the discussion for increasing trade, is actually an attempt to maintain the usage of unskilled labor which in turn, will lead to further profit making for big business.
By increasing the supply of unskilled labor, wages for workers in the United States will be reduced even further. These lower wages are a by-product of increasing the unskilled work force. It is basic economics: increase the supply of something . . . and you lower its price. Not only does this help with business profit increase, consumers also benefit from the usage of unskilled workers. It is a global exploitation of the unskilled laborer. By classifying professional truck drivers as unskilled, their wages remain low, thus providing higher profit margins for the employer, and helping to stabilize the global economical impact on all developing countries.
In order to present an awe of working to help the unskilled, Congress will step up from time to time and raise the minimum wage. This in fact, further hurts the unskilled worker. Lower-skill workers become less employable when the minimum wage rises. Studies have shown that when the minimum wage goes up, businesses will change what workers will be hired. If they are now going to be forced to pay higher wages, companies will let their unskilled workers go, and replace them with more highly-skilled workers in order to achieve a higher productivity. Research consistently demonstrates that higher minimum wages lead businesses to hire skilled workers at the expense of unskilled workers. Therefore, by raising the minimum wage, the act ends up actually hurting the very people it was meant to help.
Unskilled workers are also subject to a much larger risk of unemployment during recessions than are skilled workers. Workers classified as unskilled, earn less income and leads to something we see in the trucking industry all the time: employee turnover. High turnover can be harmful to a company’s productivity if skilled workers are leaving, but those classified as unskilled labor are seen as employees that can be easily replaced. If professional truck drivers suddenly left the trucking companies, does the Wage and Hour Division believe that they could be easily and readily replaced? They possibly could be . . . at the expense of public safety.
As advocates and organizations constantly scream about safety, professionalism and proper educational and technical training, how can the American trucker be classified as unskilled? It has nothing to do with safety . . . it has everything to do with global economics and the exploitation of cheap labor.
With his permission, a local truck driver out of Nebraska recently sent me the following email:
“I have been driving for over 20 years and began working locally with a company about a year ago. I have to say that the hours of service rules for truckers can be a killer for drivers, and perhaps more so for local drivers and those new to the industry. My shift is suppose to start at 7 A.M., but often me and my slip-seat partner runs late due to various reasons beyond our control, and many times he does not make it back until 2 P.M. or later. I am accustomed to getting up around 5 A.M., so going back to sleep is impossible.”
“So, up at 5 A.M., make it to work at 2 P.M., put in a 14 hour day, so I’m done at 4 A.M., home by 4:30 A.M. On this particular day, I have been up and awake for twenty three and a half hours. This type of schedule happens very often in local driving work. Even squeezing in the 10 hour break, you are either running behind all week or completely drained of all energy for the remainder of the week, just from your first day of work. If I say anything to dispatch, I am met with “So what are you saying? Are you turning down the load?” Drivers accept this challenge everyday and do their jobs professionally, but I see no safety in this type of operation, when the industry is constantly talking about “Safety First.”
This is very typical of trucking and is the main reason why veteran drivers will always stress that trucking is not a job, but a lifestyle. Regardless, how can trucking companies stress the importance of driver safety when so many drivers are expected to operate under this kind of schedule? Too many variables in the real world can stop the fourteen hour clock instantly: traffic accidents and delays at the shipper and receiver just to mention a few. Is driver and public safety a real concern for trucking companies and the powerful trucking organizations? Or is greed the primary motive for the continuance of pushing professional truck drivers to their limits?
Just last year in 2009, a major retail corporation lobbied to Congress to push truck drivers into a 16 hour work day. Luckily, that proposal was shot down. Anyone who has driven long enough and far enough will agree that driver fatigue is a major factor within the industry. Those who say otherwise, have not driven a truck for a real living. With the hours of service rule pushing drivers harder and further, allowing their lives to be controlled by the driver logbook, the fact that there are as few big rig accidents than there are, is only a testimony to the professionalism and skill of truckers.
The regulations set forth by the hours of service rules, only makes it more difficult for drivers, while allowing the industry itself to reap greater monetary rewards . . . all on the backs of the truck drivers. Why are truckers forced to work 70 hour work weeks and 14-plus hour days with no regard to the many obstacles that are thrown in their paths? At the same time, they are required to maintain their logbooks in a legal fashion.
Is safety a real issue or is greed the motivating factor within the trucking industry? Are the current HOS rules working for professional truck drivers and does it even take into consideration the safety and health factors of truck drivers?
“How safe is the truck driver 14 hours of service rule? Truckers can work 70 hour work weeks with trucking companies, shippers and receivers showing little regard to the safety and health of the drivers. With the current HOS rules for drivers, many local truck drivers can easily be up for 20 or more hours at a time. Is the trucking industry really concerned with safety or is it nothing more than greed?”
Discussing truck driver safety on Blog Talk Radio with co-host: Barry Szczucki. If you missed the “live” show catch it now:
Today in a Calhoun county Courtroom in South Carolina, suspect Willie Pelzer was found guilty for the murder of Jason Rivenburg whom he shot in the head on March 5, 2009. It only took the jury a few hours to find Pelzer guilty of the murder. The defense team fought hard saying that there was no physical evidence linking his client to Rivenburg’s killing, however, testimony by Pelzer’s childhood friends , girlfriend and many other witnesses, proved to aid in the quick deliberation of the guilty verdict. The surprise though, was that when Pelzer was being sentenced, he confessed to the shooting of Rivenburg.
Rivenburg’s widow, Hope Rivenburg, was in the courtroom for the entire trial, which began on Tuesday Dec 1st, until the verdict on Friday Dec 4th. Hope has been promoting and pushing hard for the passing of “Jasons Law” HR2156, a bill that was presented to the House of Representatives by New York Congressman Paul Tonko in April of this year. The Rivenburgs, who are residents of New York state, have worked closely with Rep Tonko since the murder of Jason.
Hope’s passionate desire to encourage people to sign the petition for the bill has been ongoing for months now. She shared her tragic story with hundreds of truckers in Dallas ,Texas this last August at The Great American Show. Hope was there with her 3 children of 2 and under, as she presented pictures, brochures, pamphlets, flyers, and the petition for Jason’s Law. Hope’s booth was set up behind our booth ( TruckerApp) and I will tell you that I saw more than one driver with a teary eye when he/she walked away from her booth. Most of the drivers had not even known of the murder and were touched by listening to the tragic story.
The bill HR 2156 will ensure safe truck parking for drivers. Parking has been a concern for truckers for many many years, but has somehow always been side stepped when it came to actually doing something about the problem.
“Jason’s Law” would create a six year pilot program that would make $120 million available in from of grants ($20 million per year) for local governments and private companies to address the shortage of parking for commercial vehicles on the National Highway System.
If you have not signed the petition for the passing of “Jason’s law”, we ask that you do it now. We also have a video which will further explain the tremendous need for this bill to be passed into law.
Many thanks to Hope Rivenburg for her strength, courage, perseverance, and the determination to ensure that no other family will have to suffer through a similar tragedy such as hers. Please sign the petitionso that HR2156 will be put into law and Jason Rivenburg’s death will not be in vain.
Professional truck drivers have a lot of enemies. Many drivers perceive the DOT as one enemy . . . and without question it is the general public who looks at trucking as something that is just in their way: a big, slow 18 wheeler creeping up a hill at 25 MPH, making a huge wide turn that cuts them off, a dirty machine that smells of oil and diesel . . . enemies can even include entire towns or cities that proudly make it known by stating, “Truckers Not Welcome,”such as was the case of Greenwich, Connecticut.
The world of the professional over the road truck driver is a secretive one that few on the outside ever experience. Mainly, the trucker talks and converses with other truckers . . . few else would be able to relate. The nine-to-fiver has no comprehension of how a long haul trucker will run more miles in one year, than they will drive in ten. For those who jump into OTR trucking as a new career . . . statistics prove that most will only last six months. It takes a ton of stamina to be a professional over the road truck driver . . . stamina, that most do not possess.
The truck driver will find enemies at nearly every turn . . . shippers and receivers who will treat them like they are less than dogs . . . law enforcement telling them that they will have to move their rig, even though they are parked out of the way on some small, forgotten empty lot overgrown with grass and weeds . . . enemies that even live within their industry itself . . . lies reported on their DAC report . . . a disgruntled dispatcher who will “cut” their miles because they refused to haul an illegal load . . . enemies everywhere.
Professional truckers will talk among themselves at the docks, rest areas and truck stops . . . talking about the abuses of the industry and keeping these insights quietly to themselves. They cannot let their company catch wind of such discussions . . . they can’t afford to lose their jobs. The veteran driver knows that for every one truck driver that loves their profession . . . ten more hate it, due to the abuse that continues to survive within the industry.
As one trucker said to me a few weeks ago: “The trucking companies own us . . . we are nothing more than slaves.”
I would not go so far as to referring to trucking as slavery, (we can all quit at anytime we want to), but for many thousands and thousands of OTR truckers . . . they are faced not only with a highly stressful, demanding and tiring vocation . . . but also with the daily misfortune of having to deal with so many misinformed outsiders who have no understanding of what over the road trucking is all about. Enemies who look at truckers and their big rigs as a nuisance of the roads and something that just simply slows down their ever increasing, fast paced way of life. None of these, however, are the truck driver’s worst enemy.
I’ve always had a saying: “There is only right and wrong . . . and nothing in between.“ Fighting for a right is a much tougher battle than fighting for an obvious injustice. History proves this. Like water which takes the path of least resistance, it is much easier to join forces with the injustice, than it is to fight against it. How you know that the “right” is gaining ground to winning, is that the voices of the injustice grow louder. Right versus wrong has existed since the time of man and will continue to exist . . . it is just human nature. There are those in which their sole purpose in life is to argue, attack and to continue spewing hate . . . even when they know that they are wrong. I could make a post tomorrow about how the sky is blue, and I would be attacked by those who would say, “No . . . the sky is amethyst.” Truth, or the “right” is meaningless to them . . . their pleasure comes only from continually provoking hate and discord.
Trucking companies in the United States have never worried about a trucker strike. These companies know that the brotherhood of truckers does not exist anymore and that many truck drivers could not get along, together, long enough to form a successful strike. An easy way to prove this is to simply turn on your CB radio and try to have a normal, decent, intelligent, adult-like conversation. You may make it for a few minutes . . . but it will soon be attacked by other truckers. It does not matter why or how the conversation is attacked, just that it is. It’s the world we live in today.
It is understandable to have disagreements . . . it is more understandable to have professional and civil discussions. Yet, there have been truckers who have actually “attacked” a widow of a murdered truck driver: a women who is fighting to bring about a new law that will provide more safe and secured parking for our nation’s truck drivers. No professional, civil or adult conversations . . . but written, verbal attacks against a lady who lost her husband who was a fellow trucker. “Professional” truck drivers filled with jealously and rage because somebody else is doing something of such importance, and it’s not them . . . trucking organizations who came out strong in support of the new bill, only to fall weak and abandoned it when faced with losing their funding from those with special interests in mind. To her, I say forget about them and don’t lose any sleep over it. These are the segments of truck drivers and industry “leaders” who prefer to follow the path of least resistance.
Fighting . . . discord . . . hate . . . jealously . . . pride . . . whatever the reason, a large majority of the nation’s truck drivers will continue to follow the easiest path. The thousands of others who are professional and civil . . . may work quietly in the background or even raise their voices . . . but they will do it in a manner that shines with their professionalism and commitment to bringing change to an industry that needs change in several areas. There will always be those who will fight and wreak havoc just for the sake of fighting and wreaking havoc . . . the truck driver’s worst enemy is the truck driver.
Anyone who has been in trucking for any length of time knows that trucking is a tough vocation. Over the road trucking is especially rough . . . hard on the body, the mind and apparently, even the soul. It no doubt has come around due to the hardships of the trucking life. It not only exists in trucking, but sadly, you can witness this fall in human kindness and decency throughout many aspects of our society. Personal attacks have become a past time favorite for many. A large majority of mankind now gains complete satisfaction from launching verbal and textual attacks against anything and anybody, purely for the sake of what they perceive as entertainment. They contribute nothing good or positive to society and they care not to.
The simple art of “believing” is nearly dead. When anyone attempts to work for something for the sole purpose of helping, it must be for “other reasons.” In today’s society, there is absolutely no way that anyone would take on a task for the sole purpose of “helping.” That aspect is simply absurd! What the trucking companies have over a large vast of drivers, is that they can all “get along” with one another . . . they know the chances of this among drivers is next to nil. This is how companies can continue to abuse drivers through the use of the DAC Report . . . this is how trucking companies can work together to “blackball” a driver from the industry, a control tactic if you will. Together, they are a nationwide “team” . . . on the contrary, assaults and attacks are launched against drivers by drivers. Obviously, the trucking companies know that they do not have to do anything . . . the drivers themselves will do the job! The companies understand human nature and use it for their benefit.
Over the road trucking can wear you down. Enemies from all sides . . . the stress, the lifestyle, the demand . . . and so often the case, another enemy that can creep in if you allow it: cynicism.
Cynicism. This word is actually very interesting. It refers to a group of ancient Greeks called the Cynics, dating back to four B.C. Today, cynicism describes the opinions of those people who see self-interest as the main, primary motive of human behavior, and who fail to believe that anybody does anything simply out of sincerity or virtue. Cynics truly believe that no human being invokes any action of any kind purely out of goodness. Also, the way cynics express themselves, due to this belief, are through sneers and sarcasm.
Sad, isn’t it? We only have one life to live, which is so short, and one must live it through cynicism and failure to believe in anything right and good . . . living life by attacking others who are sincere in their goals, only to make themselves look like a “hero” and to bring attention to themselves. Another amazing aspect to this is that so many of them complain on a daily basis, yet will not even attempt to get involved and change things for the better. If things changed, they would no longer have the reasons they need to throw out their sneers and sarcasm. It is an odd characteristic.
For many, over the road trucking has worn them down. On the other hand, those stronger did not allow the OTR life to destroy them and they enjoy the trucking life and prove that it is possible to remain a highly trained professional in a very difficult lifestyle . The life of an over the road trucker can transform you into a bitter, jealous, hate-filled cynic . . . . but only if you let it. Remember, that the “truck” is not your home . . . your HOME is your home . . . remember, other truckers are not your family . . . your FAMILY is your family . . . and always remember, that the freight is NEVER more important than those loved ones waiting back at home.
So, for all of you new CDL students and drivers breaking into the industry . . . over the road trucking can provide a decent career eventually, but only if you are up to the drastic change in lifestyle. Will you follow the path of least resistance, or maintain the strength to stand up for what is right?
Before entering into the world of long haul trucking, you should answer yourself one question: “Will I be a follower or a leader?”Do not allow yourself to become your worst enemy.
With the Winter season fast approaching and already showing signs in some parts of the country, it’s important to understand the signs and dangers of one of Mother Nature’s phenomenons: black ice. There really is no big mystery when it comes to black ice. Understanding this Winter roadway danger, will make the new truck driver that more safer if and when black ice is ever encountered.
What is black ice? Black ice is really just “regular” ice without air bubbles. Normally when ice forms on the roadway, tiny air bubbles are trapped inside and once frozen, the ice is visible to drivers due to these air bubbles that we are able to see. Black ice, on the other hand, forms when rain, fog or mist deposits ice along the pavement or roadway in cold weather. The latent heat of the surface will slow down the freezing rate. This slowing down process allows the droplets of water to run together before they can freeze. The air bubbles that are normally within ice are forced out and what is left is a frozen sheet of ice, minus the visible air bubbles, and we end up with a totally clear, transparent layer of ice which takes on the color of the background on which it is lying.
When does black ice form? This form of ice most often forms just around the freezing point of 32 °F, however, due to various atmospheric conditions black ice can form when temperatures are even above freezing. For instance, in extremely cold regions, black ice will form on the frozen ground and roadways although the outside ambient temperatures are above 32 °F. Black ice can form with freezing temperatures even from such things as heat from the tires on the roadway and exhaust fumes from vehicle pipes. Black ice tends to form in the early morning and evening hours. Key factors to remember is that black ice can occur if temperatures are near the freezing mark or even a few degrees above it, and that bridges and tunnels are prime areas.
Black ice awareness: Because black ice is transparent and looks like the surface it is on, it makes it one of the most dangerous road hazards for drivers. While a shiny road surface is a signal as a wet or icy road, black ice simply cannot be seen. However, there is one thing that drivers can make themselves aware of in order to at least be on a better lookout for this dangerous formation:
Look ahead for pavement that is slightly darker and duller in color than the rest of the roadway or other surface. This is usually the best indicator that black ice is present.
Remember, black ice appears as the color of the material beneath it. When the weather conditions are right for “regular” ice … black ice will most often form as well. Slow down and keep your eyes moving to detect any change of color along the roadway ahead of you. If conditions become too dangerous, stop and park.
Truck driver, Andre Walls had been trucking over the road for two and a half years. He had never had an accident and had never received a ticket. Two and a half years of perfect driving and being an excellent employee. Then, he was terminated by his company for violating a company policy : having an “unauthorized passenger” in the truck with him. The company reported it to his DAC Report and just like that . . . Mr. Walls found himself out of the job he loved and now, cannot find another employer to hire him.
Yes, he made a mistake by allowing an unathorized passenger to ride in the truck with him . . . but here’s the rest of the story:
Andre had been running hard all week with very little rest in order to make extra money for himself and his family. He was taking every run he could so they could get “back on track” with their finances. He was dispatched on a load to Northern Arkansas and even though he had little rest, he headed off under dispatch. During the run, he received a phone call from his brother-in-law who was on his way home, but his car broke down. The brother-in-law’s child, Andre’s nephew or neice, was dying. He asked Mr. Walls if he could give him a ride home. Andre did.
Andre completed the load to Arkansas, but was then called in to the company and was advised that he was terminated due to violating company policy. He was asked to write a statement explaining his side of the story, which he did. He was still terminated and with an “unauthorized passenger” on his DAC report, he has not been able to find another trucking company that will hire him.
Before the next morning, the baby died.
What would you have done?
This driver is now at the point of “losing everything.” I mention often that there are good and decent trucking companies. I know there are, because I’ve worked for several of them. Is there one trucking company out there that will prove me right? Will you give Andre Walls a job? Will you look past the fact that he had an “unauthorized passenger” in the truck? Will you understand that a baby was dying?
Help prove me right. If you’ll hire this driver, email me at : allen@truthabouttrucking.com and I’ll forward your email to Andre. I won’t post about it . . . I won’t talk about it . . . it will just be between you and this driver.
What would you have done? What if it had been your child?
: chapter 61 ministries, human trafficking, prostitution ring, shut down, truck driver, trucker, webinars
With the Winter season fast approaching and already showing signs in some parts of the country, it’s important to understand the signs and dangers of one of Mother Nature’s phenomenons: black ice. There really is no big mystery when it comes to black ice. Understanding this Winter roadway danger, will make the new truck driver that more safer if and when black ice is ever encountered.
