Trucker: beet harvest driving rules ‘relaxed’ to possibly dangerous level

The Trucker News Services

11/20/2009

I just read the article about North Dakota and relaxed driving rules for the beet harvest.

Well in Manitoba and Saskatchewan it is far more widespread in that if a tandem grain truck is farm registered, a person with a regular Class 5 driver’s license is allowed to operate this unit anywhere. Also, a farmer can hook up a pup to this power unit.

Nowhere does it say the driver (who just might be 17 years old) has to get a medical, take a test in the operation, get an air brake certificate or anything.

I have questioned this practice and I get: "the political parties don't want to rock the boat" answer. These units can legally haul more than a straight semi and be more dangerous and that puts the regular driving population at risk.

I find this such an antiquated system; sure 20 years ago farmers hauled their produce 10 miles to the local elevator. Now they haul 100 miles or more and in some cases over 800 kilometers to market.

I just thought that maybe with your publication you could actually research this type of thing. Thanks.

— Ray Christie,
Foxwarren,
Manitoba, Canada

Reader would like to see national ban on cell phone use, texting

I read your recent article on cell phone and texting. I live in Mount Pleasant, Mich., a college town, and all you see is people on their cell phones and texting and not paying attention to how they're driving.

Instead of going through a green light they sit there or [they’re] running lights.

I’d like to see a national ban on all cell phones and texting with heavy fines.

— Michael Thayer

Shake hands? Not on a cold, snowy day in the high country

Seriously? 

Shake hands and be done with it?

What in the corn bread hell are you talking about (in response to Editor Lyndon Finney’s opinion column posted recently on thetrucker.com Web site)?

I mean come on, truck drivers are already faced with big box companies driving the median wage down to nothing.

Brokers low-balling freight and skimming fuel surcharges and Mexican based trucking companies coming into the U.S. hauling freight for 15 pesos a mile with no health care benefits or 401k.  Now you are advocating reducing drivers Hours of Service? 

By shaking hands, you and anyone else suggesting such action are undermining the professional skills CDL holders have. … 

I am sorry, but making a statement like you did in your recent article is criminal to the 1.8 plus million professional truck drivers out delivering America's on-demand, my way right away Burger King lifestyle.

Shake hands? 

Not on a cold snowy day in the high country.

— Seth Ward

Special interest groups ruining joy of trucking for career driver

I've been a driver for almost 25 years. Over the years I’ve been afforded many opportunities to drive all kinds of trucks and trailers.

When I first started I woke up every morning [and] couldn't wait to jump behind the wheel and go. I still love to drive but these special interest groups need to mind there own business. Have any of these people from the special interest groups every driven truck or have any idea what we go through on daily basis? Sure, anyone can tell someone else how to run their trucks, but can they drive a mile in our shoes or back up a mile in our shoes?  In their perfect world sitting behind a desk it always looks good on paper.  Do they have any clue in the world what really goes on out here? Shippers and receivers are rude and don't care how long we sit in their docks. If we are late — regardless of the reason — we get no sympathy. If they are late we have to be understanding and polite.

 Next thought: over the years I’ve watched many sunrises and sunsets through the windshield and missed holidays and birthdays of my loved ones in order to get the job done. This caused my divorce because I love to drive so much. I've now found a company that actually treats me like a human being not a number working in a sweatshop or the owner of the company being completely driven by greed not need. For that I am grateful.

These EOBRs in some cases [are] for newer drivers, not that I am knocking them because we all had to start somewhere. But as a seasoned veteran I am going to run my truck the way it needs to be run to service my customers to the best of my ability. I know when I am tired in the middle of the afternoon and need to take a two- or three-hour nap [and] I am going to. I don't need equipment to tell me when I'm tired or when to rest. I’ve been very fortunate in my 25 years to have zero at-fault accidents and very few other citations. So who is someone in Washington to tell me what to do, when to do it and how to do it?

These states that are shutting down rest areas because of budget cuts should be ashamed of themselves. You've got people sitting idle in prisons; why can't they go out and mow grass and clean toilets to help keep these rest areas open? We are already supporting their laziness, now. They can get out and earn their three square meals a day.  And while they are doing it have them wear pink like the warden in Phoenix does to curb their appetite from doing anymore wrong doings.

These states that treat us drivers as soon as they pull us over like hardened criminals should also be ashamed of themselves. We are guilty until we can prove ourselves innocent.

These truck stops that charge outrageous prices for meals and showers should be ashamed of themselves as well. Without us they would not be in business. The tourists are only out here a short time during the year; we are out here 365 days year. The alleged stuff they call food the owners of the truck stops should be forced to eat every day. Then they might have a different opinion on what they consider food.

In closing, thank you to The Trucker newspaper for allowing us to get out our views and opinions. Although sometimes we may not agree with everything that's printed, we still have freedom of the press and freedom of speech. A few of my favorite quotes are:  “American by birth, trucker by choice.” And “be kind to strangers; a stranger is a friend you haven't met yet.”

— Mike Kobak,
Park Rapids, Minn.

Trucking needs a few lessons on ethics, driver says

I’ve read a few articles in The Trucker. One article caught my attention, the one in regard to what Dan Rather aired.

Why does the public point the finger at the drivers? There are a lot more people trying to move the trucking industry, including the schools. …

I’ve heard of trucking companies with driver trainers that are in it just for the money. These driver trainers are not teachers; in my mind, they’re drivers who have been with the company for a while. What I mean by a while like two to three years of company formalities. Their thought of mind is you’re out of school and you should have all the knowledge a seasoned driver has.

Now the drivers are relieved of this so-called trainer and get a dispatcher/fleet manager who's been on the job all of a month.

Because they have to pay their way through college and their course of study has nothing to do with the trucking industry, now it’s only a job to the college student. Their focus is on the future, not the trucking industry’s future

The trucking industry needs to focus on off-interstate work ethics then the on-interstate work ethics are pretty much in the hands of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

These companies need to look around the office and see who’s really in it for the love of trucking, not for a paycheck from their sales representative who sits behind a computer screen and has no knowledge of what’s required to move a load.

… Too many times these people don’t take the time to either visit [with the driver] or ask the right questions … These people send their information to the dispatcher/fleet manager’s [computer] screen and expect them to make it happen. They don’t give a care if the truck is out of hours or has to stop and get the right equipment to haul the load or even how long their wait is.

Or, you get to the customer and the order is not ready, yet.

If each and every one of us drivers received an hourly wage the shippers and receivers would be asking Congress for bail-out money.

The industry functions on a lack of knowledge.

… Because of all the ignorance running the trucking industry the school of hard knocks is not the best teacher. It costs a lot of money even right now. The industry should take time out and look at the future of trucking before the economy picks up.

— Robert Brand Sr.

The Trucker staff can be reached for comment at editor@thetrucker.com.

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