So who,( beside us) is NOT running today in a show of solidarity against the cost of fuel?
Are You...........
- Thread starter ConfusedMuse
- Start date
DannyD
Veteran Expediter
I'm not exactly sure what that would solve. The cost of fuel is something we're going to have to deal w/. If it goes up too high & our rates don't increase, some of us will have to look for other work. Unfortunately people HAVE to drive or the economy will stop. I don't mean just people who drive for a living, but I mean teachers, shop workers, etc.
There's no way that 1) a strike would work & 2) even if it would, people couldn't sustain not driving. It's almost like a baseball strike. As the saying goes, the Billionaires (owners) can outlast the millionaires (players). In this case the oil companies can far outlast us.
Also, the price of oil isn't just the oil companies anyway. Ya have the devaluation of our dollar. Ya have China & India now using a lot & therefore there's competition for supply & demand. Plus ya have Bush ticking off most of the planet. Who do ya think is going to give ya a better price on something, a friend or someone who hates your guts? So there's a lot of factors in the price of oil.
This might sound nuts, but I think all in all the oil companies are doing a decent job w/ the prices considering the state of the world we live in. I'm not happy about paying higher prices, but I don't think the oil companies are the devil in all this.
Take care,
Danny
There's no way that 1) a strike would work & 2) even if it would, people couldn't sustain not driving. It's almost like a baseball strike. As the saying goes, the Billionaires (owners) can outlast the millionaires (players). In this case the oil companies can far outlast us.
Also, the price of oil isn't just the oil companies anyway. Ya have the devaluation of our dollar. Ya have China & India now using a lot & therefore there's competition for supply & demand. Plus ya have Bush ticking off most of the planet. Who do ya think is going to give ya a better price on something, a friend or someone who hates your guts? So there's a lot of factors in the price of oil.
This might sound nuts, but I think all in all the oil companies are doing a decent job w/ the prices considering the state of the world we live in. I'm not happy about paying higher prices, but I don't think the oil companies are the devil in all this.
Take care,
Danny
Jefferson3000
Expert Expediter
If you're a leased Owner op, just remember, you signed a contract to take care of your carrier's customers. If you have a lower acceptance rate and/or strained relationship already, they may decide to take action against all of their trucks who just decided to take "vacation" on the same week as the strike. You may get a letter in the mail telling you that you can take all the sitting time you want.........
alborada
Seasoned Expediter
I am agree with a DannyD , the strike would help us anything. So many issus we have to deal now , not onlythe oil price, we have a a lot a problems now ............The country going down this is for sure ........26 000 000 geting a fodd stamps to put a food on the table, specialy the eldarly people in the worst situation, the moadt bad situatian is in Miachigan , we have to thinging how to help the other people who really need are help and not to strike . I can't understud the Bush Adminastartion, we have a lot poor people latly and we countinied to repair and rebuild the Iraq? What for?
P51bombay
Expert Expediter
Its been on a couple times per hour on NWCN this morning.
Video On Demand | NWCN.com | Northwest News and Weather
Video On Demand | NWCN.com | Northwest News and Weather
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I am listening to WSB Atlanta, and all they say is some truckers are going slow blocking traffic - that is dumb.
I have not heard much, you know it is April fools day?
To beat all, congress has hearings today with 'big oil' and they are going to ask what are the oil companies are going to do about this problems, sure?
I listened to the BBC this morning and they were talking about the £1 to £1.10 a litre gas. They pointed out that the fuel actually cost 35p and the tax is 65p. The government is the problem - to translate what I just said.....
I listened to the BBC this morning and they were talking about the $7.50 to $8.25 a gallon of gas. They pointed out that the fuel actually cost $2.65 and the tax is $4.85 a gallon. The government is the problem.
I have not heard much, you know it is April fools day?
To beat all, congress has hearings today with 'big oil' and they are going to ask what are the oil companies are going to do about this problems, sure?
I listened to the BBC this morning and they were talking about the £1 to £1.10 a litre gas. They pointed out that the fuel actually cost 35p and the tax is 65p. The government is the problem - to translate what I just said.....
I listened to the BBC this morning and they were talking about the $7.50 to $8.25 a gallon of gas. They pointed out that the fuel actually cost $2.65 and the tax is $4.85 a gallon. The government is the problem.
Greg...I've noticed a trend in your responses and it seems any kind of physical protest your against....any particular reasoning?
People have to have an outlet for thier emotion not everyone feels better after writing thier congress person...it doesn't satisfy that feeling...sometimes just doing something feels good.
Do you know what a few thousand farm tractors did to Toronto??? And they came into town from every direction...it was a mess....
It wasn't long after they got thier farm bill movong again...
And where's the farm bill here??? Sitting in Congress and now it's too late the planting season is here!!! Again they blew it.
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Just curious of those who are sitting out today in support of the strike, would you have taken the load we are on? It is disaster relief for flood victims, it picked up late last night to deliver today. We were not shutting down today anyway, but even if we had made that decision, in good conscience we could not have refused this load. I am just curious how many "strike supporters" would or could.
I would like to think there ain't trucker in this whole country that would turn that load down...truckers are softies at heart and they do care about this country.
OVM,
I agree that the vast majority of drivers would take the load. The reason I asked, I was wondering just where a driver choosing to strike draws the line. Most of us on here drive expedited freight, the concept is that it has to get there and get there now. So I'm just wondering (for expediters)...why strike at all?
I agree that the vast majority of drivers would take the load. The reason I asked, I was wondering just where a driver choosing to strike draws the line. Most of us on here drive expedited freight, the concept is that it has to get there and get there now. So I'm just wondering (for expediters)...why strike at all?
greg334
Veteran Expediter
OVM, look around dude, people here are not like the ones in Toronto, in Milan, in Rome or Paris. The people here don't have the time to sit in traffic for a bunch of truckers who are blocking their way to protest anything. It is not like standing on the capital steps with a megaphone screaming that the fuel prices are too high but slowing and stopping people from making it to appointments and other obligations - what a way to get a real support. People don't tolerate somethings that interrupt their lives.
Most people who experience the slow down will not understand what it is all about, they hear it is about fuel prices then you have Dan what ever his name is say it is insurance, it is the rates and so on but the public does not understand and when they don't understand, they don't care. With farmers, they can understand what is going on because food is purchased by them and they know if the farmer is paying more for things, they will be. I said it before, truckers need to educate the public on what they do and how they fit into their lives. I am trying to help, I wrote about it before and will here in this post.
The people in the government don't care, I know this from Levin's comment a few years ago. It was the same comment from this guy named Abraham. They both said that protests draw little more than a media piece, they listen to their constituents, the people who vote. They also say that every PAC has to have voter involvement because they don't listen to anyone except their constitutes. It matters for people to pull their crap together and follow the lead of other groups who have actually got the government to listen. In all honestly, the environmental groups I have watched amazingly used the protests to gather point, not a real protest and they pulled people together to use the political process to get things changed. They know how to get things down, working within the system does work and I am trying to tell others what I see and know that works.
See, something like MATS would have been a great place to stage a protest, to get people involved but I heard very little of anything except the concert and some things about the parking. I didn't see a get out and vote thing on the list at MATS, I could have done that, but I didn't get there for a number of reasons and didn't have the money for booth. Maybe there was something like that there, someone can tell me if there was. How many people wrote to Hillary, Obama or McCain campaign people asking one of them to go to MATS? I bet not more than a handful. How many called congress and go to the show or invite them to see what it is like to be a trucker?
And to answer your question, no I am not against protesting, if there is some sense behind it. The waste of fuel alone is misplaced in this case, like someone dumping milk they just bought... I am trying to help, I see two big holes in this industry, voting coupled with political involvement and the public that does not know what the industry is really all about and how it fits into their lives. by the by, I got two quotes to produce a short, so I got a couple other things to do before I tell others more details. Maybe I will call Micheal Moore?
Greg...Your right about MATS and probably every other truck show should have information booths and try to get the general public educated..and it wouldn't cost a bunch of money....The OOIDA sets up booths for joining up....but is there any info on the condition of our trade?? Not that I seen. All the regular people that come on Sundays to see all the big shiney trucks and ooh and awe...There should be a concerted effort to educate and there isn't. Some say OOIDA doesn't have the lobby power on the Hill...they could at least do this?
greg334
Veteran Expediter
OVM, nice and shiny trucks won't be on the road unless we all actaully do something quickly.
And THATS where the word can be spread and education begin...
If want want to see this truck and others like it again...We need your help.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Thank you.... that is what I am getting at.... just to d*mn dumb at spinning things.
You do seem to have a problem at condensing context....not to say your long winded at times......*L*
Gotta go they want me to work....interesting concept eh???
jrcarroll
Expert Expediter
So your saying just let nature take its course?
Each and every day I see and talk to many truckers, who, not by choise are leaving the trucking industry. High fuel prices along with all the other taxes, permits, etc they have paid, leave them with no other choice. Now here lately seeing a number of trucking company;s closing their doors for the same reason.
As an industry we have taken it for many years. We have called, faxed, and talked to the powers that be. This time I think it will take more than just talking, and it's already started. Many of the general public understand what truckers are up against and support the cause.
Others here are right if I/we are driving for someone else then we have to abide by their choice..to shut down or to continue to run.
I personally agree with what they (truckers) are doing and will support them 100%.