It is unfortunate that so many people like to complain about fuel and other issues, but few are willing to write a letter or vote. Staying in touch with elected officials is a good way to make sure your voice is heard. Those who decided to go on strike didn't really have a good focus on what they wanted officials to do. There was no clear goal. The only complaint is that fuel it too high.

If you want to have a successful strike, then you need to have mass media coverage. You need to have a concise goal in mind. You need to tell officials what you want them to do and know that it is something that they can actually undertake.

 

We got a call last night from a driver warning us to stay out of Texas over this weekend because there was "gonna be a big trucker's strike." He went on to say they were prepared to shut down interstates, fuel islands (and that's different how?), and "run guys off the road that aren't with us." He went on to comment that we might even get some guys shot if we chose to run in Texas.

The sad thing is, more often that not, that's the mindset and that's what's being presented. Until this industry cleans up its image, claims of strikes and solidarity will be laughed at and dismissed as juvenile.

:roll: :roll:

 

And these guys(and girls) that yell "STRIKE" all the time wonder why they get no support from other drivers. :roll:

 

I doubt that they will use those tactics. That is what the Teamsters used to do back when they were strong. I don't think those tactics are good, but they can be effective. Personally, I think that if you have to force people to go on strike that you may not be doing the right thing in striking. If people want to strike, you should not need to threaten or coerce them to comply.

 

You know , if independents could band together and demand higher rates rather than lower fuel , that would accomplish the same result as a strike . Of coarse this would require a lot of organization and it seem this is lacking in the trucking industry . My brother in law who has a small home repair business charges atleast 15 dollars per hour more than anyone around town and he has so much work he can hardly keep up . The funny thing is he is not really any better than the other guys but he gets what he ask . He is going into his 7th year and there have been countless others during that time that come and go because they can't make it.
It took me a while being that I am still new to this but I did not really understand the whole concept of hauling cheap vs good paying freight.
I now can see that if you think you are doing yourself justice by taking that load just to get you home or to atleast cover expenses you are fooling yourself . Sooner or later it will catch up with you . One breakdown could put you out of business. Im thinking if a large organization such as OOIDA would get involved and promote an increase
of some sort , perhaps it could be done gradually. Although I am in a different type of hauling as most of you guy are but I have had to say no on a few ocassions. Recently I was asked to go to Paducah Ky to get one car , I told them there was no way I could do that . A little while later I got a call and they had found three more cars so I made the trip .
This week I have made two trips to Paducah, both trips were three or four cars . I have six to get monday, I will need to make two trips and there is a chance I will get a seventh and eighth car by that time.
One thing I learned this week is it is important who you talk to .
I have been dealing with a woman as a dispatcher and she calls me with my loads or I pick up my loads sheets when I deliver to Copart. Tuesday
ED the Manager had to do the dispatching and he asked could I go to Paducah , I said if there were enough cars I would be glad to go . He
said ,I will look at the computer and if there are not enough I will get them to release some. I found this interesting because all I have heard from the woman dispatcher in the past is the cars are not released period . Now I know that they can get cars released if they really need to so I feel I have some leverage .

 

Sorry, I really screwed up the sentance structure of that last post.

 

it's funny that every time i search the container/intermodal hauling topic, i hear everyone say that its cheap and you dont make no money.. well here in virginia ,trucks were striking by riding through the city blowing through horns and riding slow, but the funny thing is that most of the trucks i seen pulled cans for a living, the typical 99-03 Century Class Freightliner, also a copule of piece of junks (old Internationals and Volvo's) i see coming up I-64 from the ports pulling cans also...

 

I don't necessarily want to make the same as everyone else. I want to earn more. I usually do find a way to get better rates than many others, judging from those with whom I talk. I think the reason I get better rates is very simple. I think I provide a valuable service. I try to do the best job possible and honor my commitments. I am willing to walk away if I don't get my price.

I really don't want the government to get any more involved in my business. I don't want the government to regulate rates. I think that if the broker was required to disclose the total rate charged on the rate confirmation, it would accomplish the same thing. If you have ever hauled freight for the government, the rate is disclosed on the confirmation and bol. It is easy to see whether you have taken the load for less than you should. It also shows the one who originally received the load, so you can easily see if the load has been double brokered. Government loads are not supposed to be double brokered. Of course, that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.

Regardless of legislation, it is ultimately up to the carrier or owner operator to decide for themselves as to whether they are willing to haul at a cheap rate. You cannot legislate that people make good or poor business decisions. We are free to say no to any load. That is really all anyone needs to do. If a load doesn't pay enough for you to make a fair profit, then don't take it. Walk away. That will have more of an impact than any legislative effort.

 

If you are not allowed to fail then there is no reason to even attempt to succeed!

 

i almost ran over one of these striking drivers on i 70 the other day. he was going about 40 ina 55, no flashers, no sign stating why the slow speed. when i asked what the hell he was doing the response was, don;t you f'ng worry about what i am doing. after about 5 minutes of about 6 of us harrassing him we realized this was how he was supporting the truckers of america. i am not sure he was a real good rep for the fight, but he did sure create on hell of a cluster. next time we strike can you only invite the smart ones.