Originally published at: VIDEO: Drivers voice frustrations with FMCSA enforcement - FreightWaves
Federal transportation officials at the Mid-America Trucking Show discussed a deregulatory approach that aligns with the Trump administration’s policy of eliminating 10 regulations for every new one introduced.
This whole interaction was pointless and useless as usual. FMCSA finger points to the states, the states “fingerpoint” to the federal government and nothing every gets rectified. So many times drivers will “sail” past regulations l, rules and the law due to a lack of enforcement agents from the FMCSA. FMCSA is the regulatory enforcement division for the trucking industry “well, FMCSA” Enforce the regulations and liaison with state and local law enforcement. I’m not understanding how the enforcement arms of the DOT keeps getting away with NOT being able to enforce what they are charged with
Who are these drivers?
We do not care about any of this stuff. None of it affects our businesses. We care about rates, brokers, and blatant price gouging.
Broker shares can’t be regulated because capitalism, but our productivity abilities are regulated beyond any other industry. Brokers paying 40% of freight pay is the root cause of these violations, as truckers cannot consistently afford the repairs that shops are gouging us with.
I was towed in to a Freightliner when my clutch went out. They quoted 4k for the clutch. I ordered the same clutch from another freightliner, 300 miles away, for $1,800. Shops are gouging us when we have no other perceivable options. Brokers control the freight industry, and we are dying because of them.
Why can we never discuss the real problems that are putting trucks out of business? It’s always truckers hating truckers. Damned planted questions instead of real issues.
These forums often provide interesting information and raise genuine questions or issues; but they seem to only frustrate stakeholders more. I’ve often checked on the government website for indications of hiring more FMCSA Officers and investigators, but rarely see anything. They have no where near enough personnel to enforce their endless rules- so they simply don’t get enforced. Speaking English should be a number one priority for drivers- instead it is simply overlooked and largely ignored. If safety is the ultimate goal, it can never be achieved if the rules and mandates cannot be interpreted by those that should be following them.
As for the fellow that claims no one cares about this, I would vehemently argue that many, many people care about this. If he does not, perhaps he is part of the problem.