Posts Tagged truck drivers

Tough Guy Persona Hampers Trucking Issues

Posted by Allen Smith in Safety, Truck Driving Jobs, Truckers Health, otr trucking, trucking, trucking life on March 10th, 2010

Little Tough Guy The trucking industry certainly provides jobs for millions of people, but like most industries, it has its share of problems. For years, these problems had always remained swept under the rug with few people stepping forward and going public with the injustices that exist within the industry. As social media evolved, that all changed. More and more drivers began speaking out and challenging many of the regulations and policies that affect their way of life. As trucking issues by drivers became more public, trucking companies and organizations began to take notice. So much so, that industry policy makers began taking action by communicating directly with many of these social media outlets from drivers.

In order to change a policy, rule or regulation for the better, first takes discussion. Discussing an issue is the first step towards improving a problem faced by truck drivers or companies. If a particular regulation is not working, then change can only first come about through discussing the issue. Unfortunately, there are still those drivers who consider “discussing an issue” as a form of “whining” and “complaining.” Since when did discussing a problem become whining? I contribute this type of mentality to something I call the “Tough Guy Persona.”

No matter what the issue being discussed, the tough guy persona will always appear. Be it the lack of rest that truckers receive, the hours of service, cheap freight, poor truck driver training . . . whatever the case, there will always be those who will step in and retaliate by saying, “Stop your whining and do your job.” From where I stand, I see drivers accepting the challenges of trucking and performing their jobs everyday with remarkable professionalism. What the tough guy persona is really saying here, is that they do not care about the injustices and poor treatment of truck drivers or in helping their company become more successful. They would rather sit back and change nothing . . . simply roll along and let things remain as they are. Even on the issue of cheap freight, which is a major concern for owner operators and trucking companies alike . . . the tough guy persona prefers to continue to work harder and accept things as they are, instead of discussing the problem to come up with a better solution. They would rather cling to their tough guy image, than work to bring about reform that could ultimately provide a better quality of life for themselves and their own families.

I considered for a moment, as to how the tough guy persona would work in other areas of life. Following the recent Haiti earthquakes, instead of the United States pouring out billions of dollars in aide that we cannot afford, perhaps we should have taken on the tough guy persona and told the Haitian people to just “Shut up and accept the situation.” Of course this is ridiculous, but this is how the “tough guy persona” operates. If simply discussing an issue is considered whining and others allow this form of coercion and peer pressure to win, then ultimately the entire industry continues to lose.

Everyone understands that a company must do all it can to remain profitable. However, all too often, the trucking industry will invoke the struggles directly onto the driver, taking no responsibility upon itself to bring about reform which could help both driver and company. Shippers will always have to ship and receivers will always have to receive. Simple logic. There is no reason to have the magnitude of cheap freight hauling that we now have in this country.

When the industry was deregulated in 1980, it was all about promoting competition. Deregulation only leads to monopolies, which we now have been experiencing in the trucking industry for years. Deregulation only promotes competition in the early stages, but later it eliminates competition as rivals are driven out of business. As we have seen with the trucking deregulation, other crisis come into play as well:

Eliminates the weakest companies
Prosperity is lost, as survival becomes the motive
Wages go down
Workers are laid off
Services are dropped and quality is reduced

Hundreds of thousands of truck drivers lost their jobs as a direct result of deregulation. They were hired on with the major companies which survived, but only after taking a cut in pay. Since then, the monopoly has worsen. Who can haul the freight at the cheapest rate is the name of the game now, and service is no longer the primary concern. Furthermore, the one paying the most for cheap freight . . . are the drivers. Running longer, running harder . . . to try to make ends meet. This entire scenario could be eliminated by trucking companies simply raising the cost of freight transportation. Either the shipper or receiver pays the cost . . . or they will have no inventory. Of course, the rise in cost will lead to higher consumer prices, but this can even be monitored by controlling inflation.

One can go on about many issues facing industries today, and the first step to any process is discussion. Discussing issues have led to many victories ranging from wage increase for workers to tearing down the Berlin Wall. To openly talk about issues such as safety, driver pay, owner operator struggles, cheap freight, CDL training, hostility in the workplace and so forth, has nothing to do with “whining” and “complaining.” It has nothing to do with being weak or being a tough guy. It has everything to do with standing up for one’s rights and determining a correct path which can lead to a better life and work style for both employee and employer.

This “tough guy” persona that exists within the trucking industry only hampers the ability to correct things for the better. It never succeeds, only hampers. It is a powerful urge that some cannot overcome. I simply overlook it and refuse to accept that the best thing to do is simply sit back and leave things the way they are. Why would any driver not want to work to raise their wages? Why would any driver not want to stop abuse of any kind toward another driver? Why would any driver not want to correct a policy within their company that could only make the company a better one?

This type of driver would rather hold on to the tough guy image, than work to make life better for their own family. I determined a long time ago that it is impossible to rationalize with irrational people.

: deregulation, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, trucking industry, trucking issues

deregulation, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, trucking industry, trucking issues

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Truck Drivers CSA 2010 Scorecards

Posted by Allen Smith in Politics, Safety, Truck Driving Jobs, otr trucking, trucking, trucking companies, trucking life on February 24th, 2010

CSA 2010 truck driver scorecards will be made available to trucking companies by the risk management company, Vigillo. These scorecards are being endorsed by the ATA. The scorecards are being marketed as:

“Vigillo’s customized fleet performance scorecards perfectly meet the needs of operating your truck fleet. Problems are identified and addressed before they occur and all drivers and driver managers become participants in a culture of measurable, pro-active Risk Management.”

The scorecards will rate a driver’s performance on seven categories:

Unsafe Driving
Fatigued Driving
Driver Fitness
Controlled Substance
Vehicle Maintenance
Improper Loading
Crash Indicator

Furthermore, each category will be given a color-coded rating of the following:

RED – Deficient (90% to 100%)
YELLOW – Warning (75% to 90%)
GREY – Under Threshold (0% to 75%)

It will also provide the determination of whether or not intervention of any kind is likely. You can view a sample of this driver scorecard, offered by Vigillo.

There is nobody in the industry against safety measures for truck drivers and trucking companies. However, this “scorecard” reminds me of another program that was meant for good: the truck driver DAC Report. We all know where that lead us to . . .

Trucking companies, specifically within the OTR industry, are notable for their ability to pass the blame onto the driver. Will companies really use these scorecards for assessing problem drivers and working with them to correct their score and keep them driving? Or can this be used as another form of a DAC Report system?

As mentioned in our earlier post: CSA 2010 Severity and Point System Safety Rating for Truck Drivers, a driver caught with a leaky tire will receive a rating of 8 . . . only two points under a DUI. Could this scorecard be used to eliminate a driver by a disgruntled dispatcher?

I see the good being attempted by the CSA 2010 initiative, but with an industry as large as trucking, there looks to be too many loop-holes that trucking companies could still bend around, forcing blame on the professional trucker. Furthermore, these scorecards are provided for the trucking companies at a month to month subscription rate. Like DAC, companies paying for the information . . . and like DAC, could easily become another retaliation tool against drivers.

Just my take on it . . .

Allen Smith

: CSA 2010, driver, scorecards, truck drivers, trucking, vigillo

CSA 2010, driver, scorecards, truck drivers, trucking, vigillo

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Truckers HOS Rule Should Provide Safety, but Also a Livable Wage

Posted by Allen Smith in Jobs and Careers, Politics, Safety, otr trucking, trucking, trucking life on February 4th, 2010

With the average number of miles driven per year by professional truck drivers, the dangers of living life on the road increases far beyond what the average motorist experiences. Averaging ten times more miles driven per year than the general motoring public, the professional trucker is by far, the safest driver on the road today. According to studies done by various unbiased groups, including the AAA, automobile drivers contribute more to fatal car-truck crashes than do the actions of truck drivers. Although every truck driving job requires the skill of a professional driver, there are those which come with a higher degree of danger.

Normally providing a higher pay rate, drivers involved within the petroleum carrier industry can often become like any other veteran driver with years of experience under their belts . . . relaxed, complacent . . . whatever you want to call it . . . this complacency can become a hidden danger for all truck drivers, especially those involved in the transportation of fuel and other hazardous material, and most often, with deadly results.

With all the stress placed on truck drivers, through over crowed highways, forced dispatch and an endless array of Federal Regulations, trucking companies and officials need to fully understand and realize the true importance of safety. Not just bureaucratic talk and pleasing self-interest groups, but understand that when additional pressures are placed on our men and women in trucking, additional consequences can occur, not only on our truckers, but the general public as well.

Professional drivers need the proper rest required by the human body and at the same time, they need to provide a living for themselves and their families. Veteran drivers have no problem running ten, eleven or even fourteen hours in a day . . . this is why they are professional drivers. As the FMCSA looks to further change the hours of service for truck drivers, they should maintain the 34 hour restart and provide more flexibility with the sleeper birth and the 14 hour provisions, as stated by the ATA. Furthermore, the American Trucking Association also states that rest periods should not be mandated, but the FMCSA should adopt an optional rest period that would not be counted toward the 14 hour rule.

If changing the hours of service rule for drivers, once again, the FMCSA could not take away from the current HOS rule, but add to it . . . those provisions that not only will provide additional safety factors towards drivers and the general public, but also maintain the ability for truckers to provide a living for themselves and their families. Professional truckers are up to the task in facing the lifestyle of a truck driver. They understand the importance of safety and are well prepared to abide by all regulations. The FMCSA should understand that there are ways to increase safety and still not interfere with a drivers’ means of support.

Accidents are largely caused by fatigued drivers who are not purposefully wanting to break any rules, but only working that much harder in the time allowed to bring in a decent pay check. Allow drivers to drive . . . provide for adequate resting periods, but do not take away what little they have in the current rules that keeps them rolling, but add additional safety measures that will increase their ability to earn a livable wage and still give them the rest they need to keep safety as a priority as well.

Life as a trucker has enough stress, worry and dangers involved, being constantly concerned with paying the bills and putting food on the table should not be one of them.

: allen smith, FMCSA, gas haulers, hours of service, Safety, truck drivers

allen smith, FMCSA, gas haulers, hours of service, Safety, truck drivers

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Truth About Trucking “LIVE” Talk Radio Upcoming Shows

Posted by Allen Smith in Politics, Safety, Talk Radio Show, Truck Driving Jobs, otr trucking, trucking on February 3rd, 2010

Blog Talk Radio is the largest social radio media in the world, pulling in 6 million listeners every day. Truth About Trucking “LIVE” is the premier trucking talk radio show on BTR. Launching in July, 2008 the show has obtained a global listening audience of 100,000 with a +/- of three percent.

As noted by Blog Talk Radio: “Your show is exactly the kind we look for . . . something totally different and separate from the main media stream.”

In association with our main website, Truth About Trucking, my goal from the very beginning was to not be just more talk, but to stand up and take viable action in “raising the standards of the trucking industry” and to provide real and valuable assistance to CDL students and new drivers entering into a trucking career. One way of doing this, is through our BTR show, Truth About Trucking “LIVE.”

We have scheduled further broadcasts for February, 2010 and would invite everyone to tune in and come join the conversation:

2-11-10 – Florida High Speed Rail – Inside Florida Transportation - 7 PM EST

“The Florida High Speed Rail proposal, Private Public Partnerships, fiscal irresponsibility and the selling off of America. Former Orange County mayoral candidate and transportation activist, Sally Baptiste returns as our special guest to discuss the Governmental waste of your tax dollars and her role in the September, 2009 Tea Party movement in Washington, D.C. Visit her website at: http://www.tollscreategridlock.org

2-17-10 – Human Trafficking – Truckers Call to Action – 7 PM EST

“Human trafficking is America’s modern day slavery. Men, women and children are being bought and sold in the United States and abroad and has become a $32 billion industry worldwide. Kylla Leeburg, of chapter61.com is our special guest, as we look at this horrific crime and how truckers are being called to action to help rescue the victims of Human Trafficking in America. For more information, please visit: http://www.truckersagainsttrafficking.com

2-18-10 – Congressman Paul Tonko on Jason’s Law – 7 PM EST

“Congressman Paul Tonko (D) N.Y., is our special guest as we discuss the importance of passing House Bill H.R.2156. Better known as Jason’s Law, this bill will provide safe and secure parking for our nation’s truck drivers. Congressman Tonko will bring us up to date on this important issue that is so vital to the safety of all truckers.”

Be sure to bookmark us and add us to your favorites, and come join the conversation.

: blog talk radio, congressman, human trafficking, Jason's law- H.R.2156 S971, paul tonko, sally baptiste, talk radio, truck drivers, Truckers, truth about trucking live

blog talk radio, congressman, human trafficking, Jason's law- H.R.2156 S971, paul tonko, sally baptiste, talk radio, truck drivers, Truckers, truth about trucking live

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Truckers Fighting Against Human Trafficking

Posted by Allen Smith in Safety, otr trucking, trucking on January 28th, 2010

The first written record of slavery in the Colonial United States was recorded in 1619. Slavery in the United States was legal until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865. The horrific past of slavery continues to haunt American history nearly 250 years later. We can all be grateful that slavery is no longer a part of America . . . or is it?

As inconceivable as it may seem, slavery is still alive and well in the United States and abroad. Execrable acts against our fellow men and women continue on within a trade market that rakes in an astounding $32 billion worldwide. Second only to the drug trafficking industry, human trafficking is responsible for the modern day slavery of mostly women and children, used in large part in the underground world of the sex trade. They are the prostitutes on the street, at truck stops and in the hotels and motels across the country. Around the world, there are an estimated 27 million slaves today. Within the United States, the estimated number for human trafficking ranges between 200,000-300,000 per year. These are men, women and children.

Theresa Flores was blackmailed into sex slavery as a young teenager. She would be taken to affluent homes and hotels in and around the Detroit area and forced to have sex for hours with strangers. As she would recount later in life:

“I can’t describe to you the feeling of terror. No child should ever have to know that kind of fear. I didn’t know what I was going to have to endure that night, for how long, or if I was going to come back home.”

Sad to say, slavery still exists in the United States and across the globe. Victims of human trafficking needs our help. People are literally being bought and sold and transported from location to location, forced into a life of unbelievable fear and torment. One of the greatest fighters against human trafficking can be the eyes and ears of our nation’s professional truckers.

What other sector of people spend more time out in the real world than professional truck drivers? Truckers Against Human Trafficking needs your help. As professional long haul drivers, you can be a most valuable resource in learning how to recognize a victim of human trafficking. They can look like anyone on the street and learning how to correctly identify a victim of human trafficking can lead to the rescue of those in need. Truckers Against Human Trafficking provides information on how truckers can learn how to identify a victim of modern day slavery:

A victim of trafficking may look like many of the people you help every day. You can help trafficking victims get the assistance they need by looking beneath the surface for the following clues:

Evidence of being controlled
Evidence of an inability to move or leave job
Bruises or other signs of battering
Fear or depression
Non-English speaking
Recently brought to this country from Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, Canada, Africa or India
Lack of passport, immigration or identification documentation

Traffickers use various techniques to keep victims enslaved. Some Traffickers keep their victims under lock and key. However, the more frequent practice is to use less obvious techniques including:

Debt bondage – financial obligations, honor-bound to satisfy debt
Isolation from the public – limiting contact with outsiders and making sure that any contact is monitored or superficial in nature
Isolation from family members and members of their ethnic and religious community
Confiscation of passports, visas and/or identification documents
Use or threat of violence toward victims and/or families of victims
The threat of shaming victims by exposing circumstances to family
Telling victims they will be imprisoned or deported for immigration violations if they contact authorities
Control of the victims’ money, e.g., holding their money for “safe-keeping”

The result of such techniques is to instill fear in victims. The victims’ isolation is further exacerbated because many do not speak English and are from countries where law enforcement is corrupt and feared.

Help to fight back against human trafficking. Please visit Truckers Against Human Trafficking to learn how you can help.

: fight, human trafficking, slavery in america, truck drivers, truckers against human trafficking

fight, human trafficking, slavery in america, truck drivers, truckers against human trafficking

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Jason’s Law Remains one of Trucking’s Most Important Issues

Posted by Allen Smith in Politics, Safety, trucking, trucking life on January 19th, 2010

Rest Area Closed Never in my life have I seen so much interest from trucking and non-trucking individuals, companies and organizations focusing on issues concerning the overall state of the U. S. ground transportation industry, than what I’m seeing at present. As the largest sector of industry in the world, it is no wonder. Never before has the saying ever been more true: “Without Trucks … America Stops!”

At nearly every turn, there seems to be an issue facing the trucking industry today that will certainly determine the future of this massive industry that employs hundreds of millions of American workers. I was recently asked my opinion on what I considered to be the top issues facing the trucking industry in 2010. After a little thought, I came up with my 2010 Top Trucking Issues list:

Economy

Government Regulations

Fuel Cost

Highway Infrastructure

Hours of Service

Environmental issues

Truck Size and Weight

Border Opening

I’m sure I could come up with a few more if I set my mind to it. With so many issues facing the industry and the compounded uncertainty of the economy, it is easy to forget an important issue here and there . . . one which must not be ignored or forgotten is the serious factor that remains among our nation’s drivers: the need for establishing safe and secure parking for America’s truck drivers.

Jason’s Law, Bill H. R. 2156, will do just that. A petition is defined as: “A formal written document requesting a right or benefit from a person or group in authority.”

A signed petition shows those in authority that the specific request is needed, wanted and supported by all those who have affixed their signatures to the document. Those signatures are the telling signs that there is “power” behind the proposed cause. Because the more signatures received only adds to the just cause of the requested right or benefit, we need to continue showing our support for Jason’s Law by continuing the petition signing.

At present, 8,978 signatures of support have been received. Tell your friends . . . spread the word . . . keep the support coming. It will only further add to the showing of support by “We the People” to those who have the authority to make it happen.

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government – lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.”

Patrick Henry

: Bill H. R. 2156, issues, Jason's law- H.R.2156 S971, petition, safe trucking parking, secure parking, truck drivers, trucking

Bill H. R. 2156, issues, Jason's law- H.R.2156 S971, petition, safe trucking parking, secure parking, truck drivers, trucking

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The 7 Biggest Mistakes by CDL Students and New Truck Drivers

Posted by Allen Smith in Jobs and Careers, Truck Driving Jobs, otr trucking, truck driving schools, trucking, trucking companies, trucking life on December 18th, 2009

CDL Students Mistakes For thousands of new CDL students and truck drivers, entering into an industry that they know nothing about can be devastating financially. The ever present scams of the over the road trucking industry and truck driving schools continue to ruin the lives of many wanna’ be truckers. Not fully understanding the inside workings of OTR trucking, many newcomers to the industry will fail, through no direct fault of their own. The failed success of many truck drivers breaking into the business, is simply the way a large portion of the industry is set up to be. For many trucking companies, the truckers failure is their success.

The more one understands how this corrupt industry works, the better opportunity one has to succeed in a long haul trucking career. Most often, the failure comes from simply not knowing what questions to ask or what exactly to look out for, when pursuing a career in trucking transportation.

In my opinion, there are seven big mistakes that CDL students and new drivers most often make during this time of transition into a new career change. By understanding and knowing what these mistakes are, one will be more prepared for achieving success in an industry that has been described by many veteran drivers as the “most corrupt industry on the planet.” Enough said . . .

Download the PDF Bonus Report:

The 7 BIGGEST Mistakes by

CDL Students and New Drivers

By Allen Smith

: cdl, cdl students, mistakes, students, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, trucking industry, trucking transportation

cdl, cdl students, mistakes, students, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, trucking industry, trucking transportation

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The Dac Report – The Horrible Stories Continue

Posted by Allen Smith in Jobs and Careers, dac report, otr trucking, trucking life on December 9th, 2009

By Donna Smith

So, you don’t think we have a REAL problem with the DAC Report? If you haven’t received a copy of yours yet, I recommend that you do so. People’s lives are being ruined by a system that has no check and balances. Simply put, a company can send whatever comments they want about an employee to HireRight and that’s it!

Unlike the personal credit reporting systems where you can dispute something and then the burden is placed on the company to prove the accusation, not so with DAC. It is much more difficult to get wrongful information off of your DAC. You can dispute it, but it’s a lengthy process that is extremely time consuming and frusutrating for most ( many people need help with the process.)

Here’s an example of one of the many DAC emails we receive. You won’t believe this one…and it goes on all the time. The gentleman who wrote us gave us permission to place this on the blog with his full name.

Allen & Donna,

I pulled a DAC report on myself and noted a major flaw, as the company I haven’t even driven for yet stated that I damaged equipment that resulted in injury or death. I have threatened to sue them. Was I right in doing that or what should I do? It’s not that I’m looking for a career as a driver, as I’m seeking employment as a news reporter!

Thanks in advance!

Pete Kleckner

Please sign the petition. Also, we have updated our web page to reflect the changes in the DAC Services information: Everything you need to know about the DAC Report.

Also, we received an email from Wayne Weisser of Life on the Road News Blog a couple of days ago. He said that if you are an owner operator with 2+ years experience and are having problems because of a bad DAC, contact him at:

wayne@bohemian.net

He runs all 48, no Canada and no Hazmat. He has a small dry van company.

: dac, dac report, HireRight, truck drivers, trucking, trucking scams

dac, dac report, HireRight, truck drivers, trucking, trucking scams

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Retaining Truck Drivers Should be No Problem for Trucking Companies

Posted by Allen Smith in Jobs and Careers, Safety, Truck Driving Jobs, otr trucking, trucking, trucking companies, trucking life on December 9th, 2009

Recently, concerning the problem for trucking companies to retain drivers within their employment, an industry leader commented that no trucking company wants a “revolving door.” That statement is actually both true and false. The many decent and well respected trucking companies in the U. S. work extremely hard in keeping their drivers from finding another driving job elsewhere. It is also a fact that no company can keep every employee satisfied at all times. Regardless of the past 128% plus turn-over rate among drivers, there are those companies who do work diligently in keeping their drivers as employees. However, to say “no trucking company” wants a revolving door is simply not true, and there are thousands upon thousands of drivers who know this.

We know that there are those “starter” companies, as well as countless other trucking companies, who continually rotate drivers through their front doors. These are the companies which have the sole purpose of moving both the highest paying and cheapest freight, using the cheapest labor as possible. Who are the cheapest labor? New CDL students and drivers.

For years, there have been discussions on the trucking industry problem of retaining drivers. This problem should not even exist, and does so, due to the direct actions of the companies themselves. I recently read a comment stating that the driver turn-over rate is now down to a 56% overall average . . . but it is not because things are better, it is due to the state of the economy. Drivers are not leaving employment because of the poor job market. As soon as the economy gets back on its feet, which I do not believe will be any time soon . . . the turn-over rate among professional drivers will go right back up to where it once was.

To retain drivers should be a fairly simple task for a trucking company. Professional truck drivers do not ask for much . . . the companies keep the turn-over rate and retention rate going in order to continue the rotation of new and lower paid drivers, thus making more on their bottom line. Simple fact. There are 25-30 year veteran drivers who have not driven within the past one year, who are being turned away from trucking companies and not being hired. They are being told that they do not have the required verifiable driving experience for the past year . . . what about the verifiable driving experience for the last 24-29 years? Obvious reason, they would rather hire a new, inexperienced driver with 3 weeks driving experience, over a veteran driver with many years of OTR experience . . . cheap labor.

The pro driver with the 25-30 years experience will demand a CPM rate of .38 plus per mile, while the company can get away with paying the new driver a measly .22 to .24 CPM, sometimes even as low as .13 CPM. They can continue to rotate these new drivers out and keep the influx of lower paid drivers coming in . . . it’s all about the money, nothing about the safety.

Over the road trucking companies enjoy talking about the importance of safety and how the driver is their primary asset, yet they will turn away a years of experience veteran driver, and settle with a 3 week driver trainee . . . all because the veteran, for whatever reasons, has not driven within the past one year. This is another segment of the scams of OTR trucking, and they wonder why retaining drivers is so difficult. It is not difficult at all . . . it is done on purpose by the very companies who say they are working to try to solve the problem of driver retention. Let me help those companies out . . .

You want to retain drivers? Very simple . . . since most long haul drivers are paid by the mile:

Pay them a good and livable CPM wage - Starting point: .38 CPM plus – NOT .22 CPM and definitely not .13 CPM . . . could you live on that?
Give them MILES! - I know this may be a shocker to some of you, but since they are getting paid by the mile . . . GIVE THEM MILES!
Let them have their home time - When you tell a driver that you will have them home every two weeks, then get them home in two weeks. If you guarantee home on weekends, then get them home by the weekend. Also, don’t let them arrive home at 3 A.M. Saturday morning, and dispatch them on a Monday pick-up load where they have to leave home by 12 noon on Sunday . . . do you really consider this “home on weekends?”
Treat them with the respect that they deserve - Many companies advertise that the driver is their most important asset . . . really? Then treat them as such.

Your drivers do not ask much from you . . . they want to drive and earn a good living to support themselves and their families . . . the exact same thing that you want. Drivers can even live without Number 4 above, if you will at least give them the other three.

To bring down the trucking company self-made driver retention rate, the companies will have to stop their actions which are causing it in the first place. Secondly, give the drivers what they need, want and deserve . . . it is very simple and would greatly reduce this problem that should really be no problem at all.

: cdl students, driver retention, otr, over the road, retain drivers, retaining, retaining drivers, Safety, Scams, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, verifiable driving experience

cdl students, driver retention, otr, over the road, retain drivers, retaining, retaining drivers, Safety, Scams, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies, verifiable driving experience

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The Quest for The Truth About Trucking with Dan Rather Reports

Posted by Max4health in Politics, Truck Stops, Woman Truckers, otr trucking, trucking show on November 12th, 2009

by Donna Smith

Monday evening Nov 9, 2009, Dan Rather Reports videoed part 2 of an ongoing trucking industry investigation at Willies Place Truck Stop in Carl’s Corner, Tx. The objective of this broadcast was to follow up from the Show of October 20^th, “Queen of the Road” where Trucker Desiree and Tom Hansen discussed the poor practices going on in trucking, specifically the students in the CDL training mills and the new driver company training programs.

When the drivers first drove up and were entering Willies Place, some were confused, thinking that the show may create a poor image for drivers. After talking with many of them they soon realized that the intention of the show is to actually improve the image of the American driver by confronting the many scams that so many of them have faced throughout their career. The CDL school mills and new driver training programs are just 2 programs which are hurting the image of the drivers. This is because by churning out so many inexperienced drivers, not only are veterans being starved out of the business by newer lower paying drivers, but the lack of experience by these new drivers is not a true symbol of Dan Rather Reports Truck Talk the excellent driving skills which so many veterans possess. I personally talked at length with trainer Jimmy Watson of KLLM. Jimmy at first came to Willies Place concerned about the possibility that his reputation would be damaged by exposing poor training tactics of other companies. It wasn’t until I explained that by exposing and eliminating the poor training practices of other companies, that his company would not have to endure any kind of negative stigma which may result from them.

In this week’s follow up, “Truck Talk “, Dan Rather visited the big truck stop at Carl’s Corner, Texas, to hear from others within the trucking Industry. Truckers from across the country were encouraged to attend the live videoing of the follow up program so they could witness first hand the questions and discussions going on among Dan Rather and the stage panel: Todd Spencer ( executive VP of OOIDA), Michael Belzer ( Economics Prof of Wayne State), Miles Verhoef ( O/O), Derek Leathers (COO of Werner ENT), Tom Dean( Veteran Driver for Werner Ent) and Guest audience speaker Allen Smith of AskTheTrucker.com. Many Truckers were in the audience including Desiree Wood from the first Dan Rather Reports trucking Video, along with owner operators, company drivers, company trainers, and even a student who came to Allen for help regarding a wrongful statement on his DAC report which has ended his short lived trucking career of less than 1 year.

As you will see after viewing the Dan Rather Truck Talk video, the greatest part of this program has been the fact that it has brought truckers, blogs and organizations together, discussing the problems and issues within the trucking industry. As you are aware, Allen Smith has been an advocate for students and drivers and has been talking about the scams within trucking for quite a number of years now. TruckerDesiree and Allen, AskTheTrucker, for the last year have had a synergistic relationship, fighting for the rights of students, new drivers, the harassment women in trucking trainees, and even the veterans who are being starved out. Other issues only being addressed by Allen, are the DAC abuse and the Trucking Lease Scams,which hopefully will gain the attention of others as they are crucial topics which must be addressed.

Now, we have agreement with Todd Spencer of OOIDA, who personally told TruckerDesiree what a great job she did in the first video. Also notice in the video that Todd Spencer brings up how there never was a driver shortage, but the problem is the 125% turnover rate, something which Allen has been trying to explain to people for years and actually devoted a chapter to in his book, “The Truth About Trucking.” When I heard Todd say that, I wanted to jump out of my chair and personally hug him!! I did mention it to him later, although I didn’t hug him…

Donna Smith and Norita Taylor

I want to say that this meeting/forum at Willies Place has given me a hope that I have never felt before. I felt unity and comradeship, people standing around discussing problems together. I had a great talk with Norita Taylor, media spokesperson for the OOIDA, as we discussed things like the importance of Jason’s Law HR1256 and the CDL training problems. Norita told me also that her boss Todd Spencer said that Desiree’s depiction of CDL training was right on, and how great it was to be able to meet and speak amicably on all these important issues.

You see, we all need to have the same agenda, the same common goal….THE SUCCESS OF DRIVERS AND TO” RAISE THE STANDARDS OF THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.”

Watch Both Dan Rather Reports Videos ( “Queen of the Road” and “Trucker Talk” on the right side column!