Originally published at: Trucking advised to audit all drivers to limit CDL liability - FreightWaves
Trucking companies face a liability risk and a capacity crunch due to FMCSA’s new CDL restrictions.
Carriers using these drivers don’t care about liability. Brokers using these carriers don’t care about liability. They are all fly by night companies and as soon as they kill someone they will purchase a new MC on Facebook Marketplace and be back in business in a jiffy. All they care about is earning a quick buck and taking rates down to 1.52/mile inc fuel.
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The government needs to go after the companies that are loading and unloading these trucks. They are not getting the drivers to the next destination in a timely manner. The drivers’ hours are being sucked up by waiting to get out of the shipping and receiving companies’ lots. Their people need to be monitored just as the drivers are. They don’t care if that load isn’t at the next destination on time. It’s all on the driver. Drivers are also not getting enough time in for training. They send them through the school too quickly. There’s so much more with the trucking industry to talk about and needing improvements. It’s hard to make a good living wage with trucking. My dad retired and sold his truck to get out of it. My brother is still driving.
There is one way and one way only to fix this issue. The insurance companies, underwriters, etc, only need to modify their existing policies with language that states the insureds insurance company will not be liable for any claim by these drivers, companies, brokers, or otherwise who use them. These companies will disappear tomorrow if the insurance companies take this step.
All of this commentary reminds me of the scene in Casablanca where the local police chief says. “I am shocked, shocked to learn there is gambling going on in here”, and then proceeds to collect his winnings. Equipment leasing companies have given these drivers equipment and happily collected revenue from it. Banks have financed them and enjoyed the profits. Insurance companies have insured them and loved the premiums. Fuel chains allow them to aggregate their purchasing into groups and associations so solos can achieve a similar discount - while padding the pockets of the fuel chains - to those who have worked for decades to grow their businesses large enough to get those discounts. Brokers continue to give them loads without asking too many questions because who else will cover their freight at these rates. Much of the dollar compensation remitted to these drivers flows beyond our borders and creates no economic value domestically. Shippers play the spot market via the brokers and also do not ask too many questions while enjoying the savings and starving good capacity they will someday need - if it has survived. Now, everyone acts surprised? This is not a secret. There has been any number of articles written by people wondering how the capacity is still too high. They did not look close enough because there is no mystery here. The question is how many people have to die before all these interested parties decide the risk is no longer worth the reward.
Does anybody else think
Fmcsa or watever they call
themselves, rules should be
revisited? Thats why its so many people illegally driving.
The rules are too many and too strick. No research showing what they do helps safety on the highways.
After being a loyal member of the FW Forum for the last 6-7 months, I realized this space was missing something. It didn’t feel like a family, and it certainly didn’t feel like a space “where the freight community connects”. I no longer want to follow the lead of a failing FW, who in their infinite wisdom, fired the only talented member of their digital content team, Timothy Dooner. So, starting today, I decided to create this new topic. I’m calling it the REAL State of Freight because this is space where industry leaders will converge to share opinions and findings in the ever-complex logistics industry and talk ISHT about Craig Fuller and his bald shiny head. I know I cannot be the only one and I’m calling for us to unite. Let me be your Bat Signal. Let me be your Optimus Prime. I am Vicky, and I send this message to any surviving freight industry leaders taking refuge among the stars: We are here. We are waiting. WWG1WGA.