Originally published at: New bipartisan caucus targets trucking reform - FreightWaves
A group of lawmakers has launched the Congressional Trucking Caucus to focus on road safety, CDL integrity, and regulatory reform.
Nothing is being done. People in congress are all just trying to look busy. Literally, no carriers are being shut down due to abuse, no one is auditing them and cancelling MC numbers. TQL and such brokers are keeping them busy, are still loading them and the only difference now is that you have to set up on Highway and show your DL. Those are their new and grand ideas to prevent fraud and mitigate this catastrophe of the industry. I literally saw a truck yesterday, California Cargo at the time, with a clear slider pocket duct taped on the door so he can literally slide different signs and MC numbers depending on the pick up. This is the reality and is literally not helping any rates or any legitimate carriers stay in business. These people are encountering various weight station inspections and highway patrols along the way. No one is putting them OOS.
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I graduated high school with Mary Miller (nee Meyer) at Naperville IL, Class of 1977. She has no business being on any committee involving logistics or math. As for this â– â– -partisan panel, I see 1 Democrat. The rest are MAGA Republicans bent on posturing against illegal immigrant which, while part of the problem, are not the real problem. The real problem here is a non-fucntioning USDOT/FMCSA only just beginning to find their collective spine concerning enforcement. Solution? Get the FMCSA agents out of the cocktail parties and into the field. Everyone in this business knows we have certain notorious addresses for fraud such as 30 N Gould St, Sheridan WY. The problem is the motor carrier and freight brokerages which hire these drivers. And the problem is the motor carrier and freight brokerages which are controlled and operated outside of the United States.
I’ve worked in the Truck Sales Industry for 35 years and I can tell you firsthand that the majority of buyers are Immigrants with Non-Domiciled CDL’s. They seem to be the mass majority of individuals who are willing to become Truck Driver’s. It’s an extremely tough job that doesn’t entice Americans to take it on due to the strains it puts on their personal life’s. Truck Sales has come to a complete halt everywhere. American’s aren’t picking up the slack. In order to prevent a DISASTROUS SUPPLY SHORTAGE, which will DRIVE PRICES SKY HIGH, we need to solve the problem. RE-TEST EVERYONE WITH A NON-DOMICILED CDL. IF THEY PASS, THEN LET THEM DRIVE. Being able to understand signs doesn’t require anyone to be fluent in English. If the DOT needs to communicate with them, then use Google Translator in the meantime while they pick up the English Language. DON’T CHOP OFF OUR OWN FEET OVER THIS! IT WILL HURT ALL AMERICAN’S IF WE DON’T CREATE A BETTER PLAN!
So I regards to the truck dealer, 2 things stand out, first the reason they are buying is because they have 0 living expenses, that truck is the home to 3-4 people and they will run it into the dirt in just a couple years. Second, English is important for more than just communicating with DOT and road signs. How about the Big digital boards, those are important and in English. That’s just off the top of my head. Also the ELP has been the rule since the 30’s. It was the last administration that decided to make it a ticket rather than OOS.
Trucking, the one industry that has continuously kept food and important essential items in American homes and businesses is no long a respected industry. The government for the past few months whom swear they are protecting us, are the ones destroying us. They aren’t listening to the driver’s, or company owners who struggle day to day, or understand the truck drivers emotions of depression while sleeping in a box somewhere on a freeway, or back road in the middle of nowhere. To awake use the bathroom in a bottle or a trash bag for number two, washing up in a gallon bucket to try to keep clean. All while they sleep peacefully at home in a warm bed, waking up to kiss their children. Or a hot shower or meal. 24 years ive been in the industry. And yes i agree getting rid of the non domicile cdl will help, but they ALL have over looked one very important part that has destroyed trucking. The BROKERS. They set the rules, they are above the law. The are the ones setting the 780 mile runs that need to be delivered the next day at 9 am after you sat 5 hours to get loaded. You have no choice but to cross your fingers and hope not to get caught driving illegally or fatigue hoping you won’t crash and kill that family because you must make the appointment. There are consequences if your late. 250 to 500 rate deduction, possible freight gaurd on your company. All while you sit hour after hour for free, but the offer you 25 an hour or 250.00 for a 24 hour layover. But they have charged the shipper for your 24 hours.
Wake up. Its the broker who are setting the dangerous rules that are getting families killed on the highways. All while the companies struggle to make ends meet at 1.45 to 1.70 they offer you while all the responsibilities fall on the trucking company. All risk. No single load should move in the usa for less than 2 to 3 bucks a mile. Lawmakers you stop the brokers you stop the unsafe driving, the crashes, the ■■■■■■■of innocent families because we don’t have to rush to find another load to pay the bills.
I disagree. Americans do want to work in trucking but not for a pay they can earn at local McDonalds. And since foreign and specifically non domiciled drivers came to industry driver pay is competing with the one of a Walmart greeter. Being a truck driver once was a respectable job. They earned good wages, many were able to transition into contracting jobs and even buy their own rigs. They used to be called owner operators. My dad was one. If you are in truck sales you should remember those. They are extinct now thanks to people like you supporting this nonsense called non domiciled drivers. Obviously you have no idea what you are talking about so I will not go into details how influx of non domiciled people is oversaturating markets, taking rates down, increasing insurance costs, risks safety (40% increase in fatal crashes) taking driver salaries to the bottom of the barrel, is putting legitimate law abiding carriers out of business etc…just the fact that you think we should have DOT officers google translate safety to these morons speaks volumes about your comprehension of the industry
Letting the ATA - ergo, the Mega Carriers - in at this. What a plan! I thought we got Trump in to solve the problems of Big Everything … freedom and wage suppression, misery, disrespect, excessive control because they let the 3rd world mentality in.
With all due honesty, I 100% agree with the caucus. I believe that you are only ■■■because as long as the government is doing what we voted for them to do you are not selling truck and losing your commissions. Do I understand your view point as far as losing money, yes I do, but I believe that saving American lives and getting freight rates back up is more important than allowing immigrants (who hate america) to stay in the country and on our roads making it unsafe for everyone. And before you get snotty and bent out of shape, I am a truck driver and have been for 4 decades. I love this industry and this country and I believe there has already been too ■■■■many American lives lost at the hands of immigrants. If they want to come to this country and drive on our roads (my opinion) is they had better be able to communicate (read,write,and speak) fluent english. No one, especially law enforcement, should have to use a ■■■■translator of any sort to communicate with anyone whether it is in the trucking industry or at McDonald’s.
Yeah if you want to be that generous. I have my times I think I’d make more at McDonald’s and not have to work as much or as hard
Yes the brokers are the ones ■■■■■■■the industry and they are the ones that need to be shutdown by truckers. If drivers would quit running their freight they would have to bring the rates up. But the problem with that is that the ■■■■■■■immigrants and illegally licensed won’t stop because that’s the only place they can get freight. Unless they are in a woke Democrat state such as California and Washington