A1 Freight Broker Training and Logistics Consulting Freight Broker Training for individuals that have a desire to build a successful freight brokerage.

Bully In the Work Place A Blog by Beverly Peterson dedicated to those who are exploited and bullied at work

CDL Flash Cards An aid to Passing Your CDL Test

Courier Freight returnload/ backload service

DieselBoss Internet Truckstop for semi truck drivers

Driver Match ( a site for team driving matches) When you need a compatible Team/Co-driver then this is the website to trust

Drivers Watch Alert The “Drivers Watch Alert” group’s purpose is to alert drivers of information regarding critical/dangerous situations.

Find Me A Load One of the main benefits to Find Me A Load is that the brokers call you directly for a load.

GoTruckStop-     Gifts for Trucks and Truckers Truck Accessories- Gifts for the Truck or Trucker in Your Life

Healthy Trucking Association of America Addressing the current industry need to improve the health of professional drivers

My Radio Stop CB’s Phones, Bluetooth, Speakers….Let’s buy from our own…TRUCKERS

My Yango Pet Transport Co. High Quality Pet Transport Services

No Job is Worth This There is no Excuse for Abuse! Don’t Just Talk About it…Be About it!

Operation Roger Pet Transportation An affordable Pet Transportation Service nationwide

Overdrive Online Overdrive online presents business and equipment features relevant to the owner-operator trucker, as well as trucking news,
truck driving jobs and other trucking industry information of interest to the independent contractor.

Owner Operators Jobs Find trucking owner operators jobs at Drive4usf.com for  truck driving in United States

Owner Operators United Incorporated Representing ALL DRIVERS-Owner Operators and Company Drivers WORLDWIDE

Project World Awareness A current politics and economics information website

Pro Trucker Truck Driving Jobs are listed here with some of Americas top trucking companies. No matter the driver experience level, we have companies needing all types of truck drivers and owner operators.

RMR Consultants Need Help with your DAC Report?  Mike Rone can HELP….Understanding the laws trucking industry

Roadside Hazmat The hazmat help for truck drivers, carriers and the transportation industry

Self Defense Products- Alternative to Guns Alternative to Guns for Self Defense

The American Driver Trucking Site and Chat Room

The HiTech Trucker Technical Blog for Truckers and Technical Geeks

The St. Christopher Truckers Development and Relief Fund (SCF) Non profit organization that provides financial assistance to professional truck drivers  who have medical problems and can not otherwise afford health care

Trans Alive USA, Inc An organization for drivers and their families when they experience an accident, illness, heart attack or even death on the highway

Transport for Christ A mission organization dedicated to reaching, supporting and encouraging truck drivers

Truckers News - Truckers News serves both company drivers and owner-operators by providing timely in-depth and analytical reporting of trucking   industry issues and technical and operational information concerning commercial trucks.

Truck Driver Forums- A Blog For Trucking Forum News

Truck Driver Jobs – eTruckerDriverJobs.com  Company truck drivers and owner operators can review trucking companies that have job openings.  Review our products and services directory as well for other transportation related resources

Truck Driving CDL Jobs truck driving cdl jobs

Truck Hunt Bringing Truck Buyers and Dealers together in a whole new and dynamic way. Committed to being the online source for all things truck

TruckerHub Trucker jobs information and trucking companies information center

TrucksGo Truck Suppliers Network

Trucker Zone Trucking industry website company that works with transportation partners, affiliates and small- and mid-sized trucking companies throughout the United States to help them better manage their transportation business

Truckers AGAINST Human Trafficking Human Trafficking victims in the U.S. is estimated in hundreds of thousands. This website has been set up to enable truck drivers and other travelers to learn what you can do to help stop this atrocity.

Truckers and Citizens of America Get Involved & Unite In The Fight For Our Constitutional Freedoms

Truckers Forum A Top Forum for Truck Drivers

Truckers Justice Center Whistleblower Attorney Paul Taylor is aggressive in the courtroom when seeking justice for workers who have suffered at the hands of unethical companies. He’s brought successful claims against some of the largest trucking companies in the United States

TruckersSpace We offer forums, trucker clubs, chat and a whole lot more

TruckerToTrucker Truck Driver Forum, Trucks, and News

Truckerz Paradise Parts, supplies and accessories for cars, pick up trucks, class 3-8 trucks, all types of trailers, off road machinery, construction equipment, lawn mowers, all small engines, industrial applications, farm and agricultural machinery, power sports, off road…

TruckFLIX Offering trucking jobs, recruiter services, streaming video, and a community for truck drivers

Trucking and Pickens Plan Discussions Group Started by Mike Johnston

Trucking Jobs USA When you need help finding a trucking job

TruckingBoards.com Truck Drivers Forum

Underwear Maven Underwear designed for the Professional Truck Driver

United CDL Social Media Trucking Website

uShip Shipping Services Discount shipping of everything imaginable-large or small

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: trucking companies, trucking jobs, trucking products, trucking websites

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Rickey Gooch of PrePaid Legal Services

How serious is the FMCSA’s CSA 2010 for truck drivers and trucking companies?  While many truckers and trucking companies have taken a “wait and see” attitude, Rickey Gooch of PrePaid Legal Services, Inc., and Justice for Truckers, continues to address the seriousness of this new safety initiative.

Mr. Gooch was our special guest on Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio, on Thursday, August 12th, 2010.

The discussion took a more in-depth look into the CSA 2010 and why he sees it as the most serious law to ever hit the trucking industry, with the intentions of the FMCSA being to “absolutely remove drivers from the industry.”

Did you miss the live broadcast?  Not a problem . . . catch it from our show archives, or right here :

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: CSA 2010, justice for truckers, prepaid legal services, Rickey Gooch, truck drivers, Truckers, trucking companies

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Smart Way EPA

The last year for the professional truck driver has been filled with many challenges.  The recession has caused many drivers to take a significant cut in pay, drivers still endure negative retaliatory DAC comments by former employers, “fleecing” scams still exist, owner operators maintain their struggle with high fuel costs, HOS rules that cause conflict with shipper and receiver appointment times (creating fatigue from lack of sleep), the talk of new DOT medical requirements, and lets not forget CSA 2010, which has the entire industry buzzing.

With all these issues to contend with, I find none more inhumane than the “no idle” and “limited idle” laws and rules which are being enforced for large trucks by either the states or the trucking companies.  These regulations are disguised  as “being green” and “environmentally friendly,” attracting praise and recognition  from the general public towards the trucking companies  who voluntarily enforce them.

These trucking companies are more than happy to enforce  such idling regulations, as it not only gives a positive recognition from the general public and the conscientious “go green” advocates, but it also creates a larger profit and bottom line. How perfect is that?

Trucking companies are so concerned with the environment that they have teamed up with the  Smart way EPA program, creating their own strict limited idling rules for their drivers. This program gives awards to companies that are most compliant and “eco friendly”, and many times you will see these company trucks proudly displaying their partnership with Smart Way, sharing their enthusiasm for caring for “Mother Earth” and fuel conservation….But here comes the truth….the other side of the coin.

What the general public doesn’t realize is that by carriers creating limited idling rules, truck drivers health and safety is being placed in harms way. I don’t need to tell you what it feels like to be in your vehicle when it is either extremely cold or hot. Many of us turn on the ignition and cannot even wait the 5 minutes that it takes for the air or heater to work, and yet these laws and “carrier idle driver rules” are being enforced against their drivers, expecting them to sleep in 90+ degrees and sub-freezing temperatures without air or heat.

There are some companies that have trucks with an APU ( Auxiliary Power Unit)  on board for their drivers, but not all companies and not all of their trucks.  If you think about it, why would they?  The APU’s are too expensive.   After all, they do not have to sleep in these inhumane temperatures, right?  It is only the dog sleeping in there, I mean the driver . . . wait, I forgot, you are not allowed to have an animal in the truck under those conditions . . . drivers ok, pets not ok . . . what’s wrong with this picture?

Many of the Smart Way Partners are winning awards for being the “best ” in compliance ( SMART WAY EPA AWARDS), by forcing their drivers to abide by limited idle rules so they can receive and be recognized for their gallant efforts towards improving the environment and conserving fuel.  Yet, they are risking the health and safety of their driver employees.

So the next time you see a truck proudly displaying their Smart Way Partnership, give them a call and ask them what percentage of their trucks have an APU for their drivers, ensuring their drivers’ health and safety?  It is  just another way of asking them, ” Do you treat your drivers humanely?”

Many others within the trucking industry are concerned about this limited and “no idle” enforcement. Here’s another post by TruckerDesiree  of RealWomenInTrucking who has also written in detail about it.

Also Rhianna Weir, the Madison Trucking Examiner, has an interesting challenge for those of you  who may or may not believe just how serious a problem this is.

2010-  The Year of Safety!!!

For your additional reading enjoyment I wanted to share this article in the McDowell News, ” New State Rules Have Truckers Sweating.”

The article explains new rules in the state of North Carolina:  The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission now requires that operators of heavy-duty trucks refrain from idling their engines.   I wrote a lengthy response to the article, however, it was not posted, so I’ll post my response here.

Response 7/17/10  by Allen Smith

“I find it always amazing that those who wish to appear to be advocates of various causes or missions, will often do so at the sacrifice and expense of others, not to mention the total lack of respect and the disregard of another human life.

I wonder if Sheila Holman would be quite as emphatic and passionate about her remark, “Exhaust from idling trucks is a significant source of air pollution that we can’t ignore,” … “The idle rule will help improve air quality while conserving large amounts of fuel”,  if she or her family and friends were the recipients of the sacrifices required to reach these goals. In other words, I would like to know how she would feel if she and her children were made to sleep in a 100 degree closed truck ( 60 days consecutively) and then be expected to work a 14 hour day, driving 80,000 pounds down the highway safely and alertly.

Tell me Ms. Holman, would you be quite as worried about the air quality or saving fuel then?  Answer:  I DOUBT IT.  How easy it is though, for Sheila Holman, National director of the NC division of Air Quality, to so boldly, proudly and confidently share this air quality improvement solution with so many, accepting applause and recognition for doing such a marvelous and sacrificial job as she rides off in her air conditioned car and sleeps in her air conditioned home.

My suggestion to her is that if she truly believes this is the way to improve air quality, then she should request that herself, her staff, her family and friends, refrain from turning on the air at night, so they may also share in this much needed conservation and sacrifice.

Now, as far as the other statements:

“The EMC points out that some truck stops have power connections, so truckers can plug in their rigs and not have to idle the engine to keep warm or cool.  The release also points out that a truck can have more than one source of power installed.”

Let’s start with the “some stops have power connections”. Well EMC, that means that “some do not.  It also means that the driver pays for that, not the trucking company. . . Which brings up another fact that the general public should be aware of . . . drivers continually survive on limited wages, which by the way, the trucking companies have significantly reduced further because of the recent economic recession. Many of these drivers are new drivers, receiving sometimes as low as 18 cents per mile (between 200-400 dollars per week, depending on how many miles they drive).  Figuring that many send home most of this to their families, how much do you feel they would be able to spend keeping themselves cool or warm, depending on the weather?  I doubt many can even afford the 10-15 dollars per night for these luxuries of heat and warmth, let alone a motel room, which some extremely ignorant and naive folks have even suggested.

Let’s move on to the APU units which would solve all the idle problems, right?  Well yes they would, in a perfect world that is.  Company drivers have no authority over this. The Carrier decides whether or not they want to place APU’s in their trucks in order to accommodate their drivers health and comfort. MOST DO NOT!!  Yet, many of these companies are receiving awards for their “green efforts” again, on the backs and sacrifices of others while they themselves enjoy the comforts and luxuries of daily life.

I will end with this:  It is this kind of inhumane thinking and treatment which contributes to the former 128% turnover rate of drivers as an ongoing problem. Many people do not stay in trucking, or bounce from company to company, hoping to find a “good company”.  What is ironic, is that they define good as one which will not exploit or abuse them.

What keeps the trucking industry moving is the continuous influx of new drivers, those who do not know that they will be treated badly because they have been told the sugar coated “happily ever after” recruitment story. Many of these drivers leave the industry, and so the truck driver turnover rate continues.  One day, drivers may get fed up . . . and God help us all if that happens. Think about it, and then be concerned: No food, medicine, NOTHING!

What’s the saying?  “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”  Furthermore, stop telling truck drivers want they can or should do, until you have lived their life.

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: Smart Way, Smart Way Awards, smart way epa program, truck driver health, truck drivers, trucking companies, trucking safety

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By:  Allen Smith

OSHA and truck driver rights

Trucking companies retaliation against truck drivers

According to Federal Law, employers are prohibited from firing, demoting, or in any other way discriminating against an employee.  Supposedly, this law applies to trucking companies as well.  Truck drivers who refuse to violate HOS rules or to operate the CMV in a way that would violate a Federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Regulation are protected from any kind of retaliation by the trucking company, under the STAA, 49 U.S.C. Section 31105, and are encouraged to report any such retaliation to the FMCSA or to OSHA.

The Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) is suppose to provide a simplified and effective remedy for truck drivers who are fired for insisting on following Federal Motor Carrier safety regulations as set forth by the FMCSA.  If a trucking company takes action against a driver  for any complaint where the driver is protected from retaliation,  then he or she may file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that could result in reinstatement, back pay and benefits, attorney fees and costs, and other remedies.

Truck drivers and their OSHA rights

The OSH Act protects workers who report to their employer, OSHA or other government agencies about unsafe or unhealthful working conditions in the workplace or environmental problems.   The STAA prevents trucking companies from invoking retaliatory measures against a driver who invokes his or her rights under OSHA.  The FMCSA also encourages truck drivers to report safety violations by motor carriers.

Some examples of activities protected under the Surface Transportation Assistance Act are:

• Making a complaint to the U. S. DOT about violations, or possible violations, of commercial vehicle safety regulations.

• Making a complaint to your employer about violations, or possible violations, of commercial vehicle safety regulations.

• Refusing to drive a commercial vehicle when impaired due to illness or fatigue.

• Refusing to drive a vehicle that exceeds highway weight restrictions.

• Refusing to violate hours-of-service regulations.

• Refusing to drive a vehicle with defective lamps, leaky exhaust systems, inadequate brake pressure or adjustment.

• Refusing to violate speed limits.

• Refusing to drive in hazardous weather.

• Refusing to falsify a log book.

Trucking companies are prohibited from retaliation or discrimination measures toward the truck driver who exercises their OSHA rights.   Discrimination  can include the following actions:

• Firing or laying off

• Assigning to undesirable shifts

• Blacklisting

• Demoting

• Denying overtime or promotion

• Disciplining

• Denial of benefits

• Failure to hire or rehire

• Intimidation

• Transferring

• Reassigning work

• Reducing pay or hours

Most STAA cases involve drivers refusing to drive when fatigued or the load is considered unsafe.   Trucking companies who retaliate by reducing the miles the driver receives, is thus reducing the pay for the trucker, thus violating the STAA.   You can submit your questions to OSHA if you feel that you have been retaliated or discriminated against by the trucking company.

Is OSHA working for truck drivers?

One study found that OSHA ruled in favor of the truck driver only 31% of the time.  In most of these cases, however,  the employee chose to act without an attorney experienced in employment law. The study also noted that many of the cases that OSHA dismissed were successful when appealed.  The Workplace Fairness Organization provides a source to locate an attorney who specializes in employment law.

But is OSHA, the STAA and the FMCSA working for truck drivers?  Many truckers report that when contacting OSHA or the FMCSA on such matters, their complaints went unnoticed.  Furthermore, drivers state that they might as well had been “talking to a fence post” due to no action taken by OSHA or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The Act also is suppose to provide compensation for the truck driver who’s claim is successful in various forms as:

• reinstatement

• back pay

• front pay

• compensatory damages for such items as emotional distress and loss of reputation,

• interest on damages

• attorney fees and costs

Other remedies, known as “equitable remedies” include:

• purging of adverse information from personnel records, and

• posting of information about the case at the employer’s work sites.

Trucking companies beat OSHA and FMCSA at their own game

When it comes to enforcing the STAA and FMCSA protection in place for truck drivers and their employee rights, trucking companies have proven to be much smarter than these two agencies.  By creating the “Starving Out” process of truck drivers and placing the blame on economic issues and the lack of freight, it can often lead to the trucker unable to prove that they were actually retaliated against.  Even though both OSHA and FMCSA have acknowledged that this process of starving out drivers is in place within the trucking industry, there have been no parts created in the FMCSA regulations to hold motor carriers responsible.

Will CSA 2010 prevent truck driver retaliation?

Although CSA 2010 is expected to hold motor carriers more responsible for safety issues, the standard mileage for professional truck drivers have been set at 2500 miles per week.  If a driver uses their right under OSHA and the FMCSA, trucking companies will still be able to retaliate against the driver by utilizing the starving out process.  Federal regulations should include a sub-part stating that a motor carrier must supply the truck driver with the weekly miles that were promised at the time of hire.

Trucking companies will always tell the driver that the average miles per week that they can expect is 2500 miles.  A Federal Law should be enacted to hold the company accountable for this claim.  This could play an effective part in stopping the “starving out” process which is most often used as a retaliation tool against truck drivers.

If OSHA and the FMCSA is truly for the employee rights of the trucker, a regulation such as this should be in place.

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: employee rights, FMCSA, osha, retaliation, staa, Surface Transportation Assistance Act, truck drivers, trucking companies

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Foreign Workers Program

Is there an intentional movement building towards the initiating of a foreign workers program within the United States trucking industry?  With three major initiatives in the process :  CSA 2010, the FMCSA sleep apnea testing and the work in progress for opening the Mexican border, could this be seen as an attack on the American truck driver?  Each one of these three plans have underlying affects that can damage the career of truckers in the United States, yet open the door for creating a pool of cheap labor for the trucking companies.

As studies confirm that the number of  truck drivers with sleep apnea of all stages,  stands around 10% and not the 30% that is being reported . . . as CSA 2010 rolls out in full force which could very likely have a big impact on many drivers across the country . . . and the push toward opening the U. S. border to Mexican trucks, there are so many avenues within these ideas that seem to point at a phasing out of many American drivers.

Several people I have spoken with lately have shown concern of this very nature.  I was recently speaking with the VP of Safety with a large trucking firm and was told, “American trucking companies have to do whatever they can to survive.” Is this the beginning of a foreign workers program?  How could this come about when there are laws protecting the American people from such an act?   Before an employer in the U. S. can hire a foreign worker, they must first apply for a Foreign Labor Certification.   However, before they can receive the certification, they must first show that there are insufficient qualified U. S. workers available and willing to perform the work at the present wage.  This is to ensure that admitting foreign workers will not affect job opportunities, wages and working conditions for the American people.   Isn’t it reasonable to assume that opening the Mexican border would have a big affect on job opportunities, wages and working conditions for American truck drivers?   There could be such financial turmoil that the only means of survival is to bring down the higher wages commanded by our truckers, and allow a program that would create a body of cheap labor for the largest sector of private industry in the world.

It would be impossible to drain the U. S. of every American driver, but the area that would be the hardest hit would be the long haul trucking sector.  Many truck drivers are not earning a livable wage right now and many more trucking companies are struggling to hold on.   There are about 750,000 trucking companies in the United States and most of these are in the smaller category.  Is there a monopoly building?  Squeeze out as many American drivers that they can, bring in lower paid drivers and only have several mega-size trucking companies controlling the freight industry . . . is that even possible?

CSA 2010, sleep apnea testing and opening the border of Mexico is being touted as new safety measures and to come into compliance with NAFTA.   Is it really about the phasing out of higher wage earning American truck drivers?  There is underground talk that this is exactly what is taking place.

Would the United States . . . your country . . . do this to the American trucker?

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: cheap labor, foreign workers program, mexican border, truck drivers, trucking, trucking companies

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wrong way for truck owner operators

Several years ago, nobody in trucking ever publicly spoke about the scam and abuse of the truck driver DAC report or the owner operator lease purchase programs offered through the trucking companies.  There were written comments and posts on a few of the trucking blogs and forums, but never out openly and in the public eye.  Truth About Trucking changed that.  Never considering that possible change could occur within these two industry frauds, my primary purpose in exposing these scams were purely for information.

Information and knowledge that needed to be exposed, publicly, in order for CDL students and new drivers to become aware of just a few of the abuses that exist in OTR trucking.

Just recently, I received an email from a driver who stated:  “I’ve been a driver for 15 years and never even heard of the DAC report.  Now, I see it everywhere.”

I was listening to a show on Sirius Satellite Radio and they were talking about the DAC abuse and I had to laugh a little . . . now, everyone seems to be talking and writing about the problem with this DAC issue.  Also, many are now discussing the fraudulent scheme of the lease purchase contracts by many of the trucking companies.  I have to laugh because I always wonder, “Where were they all several years ago?” Regardless of how it all got started, the most important factor in all of this is . . . they are talking about it.

In the past years, how many new CDL drivers have fallen victim to the DAC and the lease scams?  They knew nothing about them because nobody ever told them.  Although the critics have grown more silent, I will still receive a message now and then which will tell me that I will never be able to change anything because the trucking industry is too big and too powerful.  First of all, I agree.   I alone, will never be able to change anything . . . but I, along with thousands of others . . . will.

The DAC may continue on being DAC and the trucking companies may continue on with their lease purchase plans, but what these critics are missing is that change has already happened.  These two abuses within the industry are now more known than ever.  New drivers coming into the industry are more aware and knowledgeable than they were before.  Thousands have now learned about the DAC report abuse and thousands more have discovered the trickery and deceit behind these owner operator lease programs which are a big money-maker for the trucking companies.  This awareness . . . this knowledge . . . IS CHANGE.

I always like to make it a point to mention that there are a handful of trucking companies that offer a decent, reputable owner operator lease option.  However, for the large majority, these lease programs through the companies are totally designed for the driver to fail.  These trucks have been paid for over and over again by drivers.  They are a huge money-pit for truck drivers and a massive income provider for the trucking companies.

Many advertisers for owner operators will claim earnings of $100,000 plus per year, attempting to pull in the naive.  There are those who do gross $100K and more, but they are experienced veterans, yet these numbers are dwindling.  Also, remember that this number is gross and many will see net income of 50% or less . . . in a good economy.  In a 2008 study, the report showed that the average net income for a truck owner operator was $36,150 and the average net income for a company driver was $38,000.   Owner operators contracted through a trucking company lease program has shown a failure rate as high as 87 percent.  We are currently collecting new and updated data for this issue with our owner operator lease purchase program survey.

For those truck drivers wanting to become owner operators, the lease purchase plans offered through trucking companies have a proven track record of being the wrong road to take.  Leasing should be done only through a reputable, independent leasing company such as Lone Mountain Truck Leasing.  The majority of trucking companies offering lease purchase plans have established these programs as another means of profitability for the company, not the driver.  Everything within the lease is against the truck driver and totally for the company, right down to the insurance carrier.  Drivers wanting to become independent should lease from an outside source, such as Lone Mountain and secure their own insurance through another source, other than the trucking company.  For truck insurance coverage, we recommend RigQuote.

When I started Truth About Trucking, one of the first statements I made was that you can make trucking work as a career . . . if you choose the right company.  While listening to Sirius Radio the other day, I heard a trucking company advertising for drivers.  The announcer said, “Trucking can offer you a rewarding career, if you choose the right company.”

I had to laugh a little . . . again.

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: dac report, lease purchase, owner operator, sirius satellite radio, trucking, trucking companies

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By: Allen Smith – Tampa Bay Trucking Examiner

Allen Smith

Local semi tractor-trailer drivers often find it nearly impossible to find work as an over the road truck driver.  Normally, trucking companies require six months to one year of verifiable, recent OTR driving experience.  Professional truck drivers who have been driving the big rigs locally for years, are often told that without this recent, verifiable trucking experience, they are not eligible for hire.  At minimum, these experienced drivers are told that they will have to take a driver refresher course, which can run between $1200 and $1500.  Well, not anymore.

Trucking Careers of America has joined forces with an over the road trucking firm which will accept local driving experience for OTR positions.  What has always been a major problem for truck drivers, their local experience can now be seen in a positive light, which it should have been seen as all along.

Furthermore, another problem many drivers face is being able to secure a truck driving job if they have been out of the driving force for any length of time.  Again, if a driver has not driven for a while, they are told that they have to go back to CDL school or perhaps pay for a refresher course.  It all goes back to the recent, verifiable driving experience.  There is good news for drivers who find themselves in this position as well.

If you are a driver with at least six months experience within the last three years, Trucking Careers of America can get you driving again.  With freight picking up in Florida and around the country, trucking companies will have to ease up on their hiring restrictions in order to meet any oncoming demands.

Truck drivers with a good work history and no problems on their DAC report or driving record, will be able to find that OTR driving job, even if their experience has only been locally or if they can show at least 6 months driving within the previous 3 years.

This is good news for professional truckers.

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: driving experience, employment, hire, Truck Driving Jobs, trucking, trucking companies

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Which trucking companies are the worse offenders for filing false information against truck drivers to the DAC Reporting Services?

The DAC Report has long since become a retaliation tool against drivers by various trucking companies.  Our STOP False DAC Reporting petition is the first phase of combating this abuse against our professional drivers.  We need further help with the beginning of the second phase . . .

A simple, two-part question survey – False DAC Report – Worse Trucking Companies will work to collect the names of those trucking companies known to be the worse offenders in placing false information on drivers’ DAC reports.   Furthermore, drivers who have fallen victim of the DAC Report scam, are asked to provide the details of what false information was placed on their report.

As in the Stop False DAC petition,  information provided will never be shared to any other parties, nor collected for commercial purposes.    Responses containing advertising, links or any such kind of commercialization will be deleted.

While we continue our case against DAC Services, many of you have written me asking for assistance in removing false information from your DAC report, which have caused you to be blackballed from the industry.  I wanted to advise you of an employment law attorney who specializes in trucking matters.

Attorney Paul Taylor is with the law firm of Taylor & Associates, Ltd.    Their investigator has 30 years of trucking experience and the firm handles trucking abuse cases such as :

Truckers Justice Center states:

“There are MANY incorrect reports in DAC  files.  Companies will put outright lies into DAC reports as retaliation against drivers.  USIS, now HireRight,  is a consumer reporting agency, which means you have a right to see the information kept in these reports and you have the right to correct the information under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.   The Truckers Justice Center can help you correct your DAC reports.”

You can contact the Justice Center for Truckers at:

Truckers Justice Center
900 West 128th Street
Suite 104
Burnsville, MN 55337
Telephone : 651-454-5800

We will keep you posted on our fight to stop false DAC Reporting . . . Click here to take survey

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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.

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

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

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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?

Truth About Trucking “LIVE” talk radio presented:  Truckers 14 Hour Service Rule – Safety vs Greed on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 7 PM EST :

“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:

© 2010, AskTheTrucker. All rights reserved.

: fatigue, hours of service, Safety, truck driver, trucking, trucking companies

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