What new political party are you the founder of in Minnesota?
Is It Really True That Truckers Can't Agree? Let's Try.
- Thread starter ATeam
- Start date
In 1992, I founded the Independence Party of Minnesota. It changed its name to the Reform Party a few years later before Ventura was elected and then back to Independence Party when the party and Ventura split from the national Reform Party. It continues today.
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The funny thing is, in all this talk I've felt that we who drive CVs are out of the loop, whether by design or by happenstance I don't know. We've always been the "po' relatives" at this table, so no reason to believe this discussion will be different.
Ventura/ Stern 2016. Now there's a Party for ya ! 
zorry
Veteran Expediter
The full compensation point would probably gain a lot of truckers support if it looks like competent people are behind it.
It's not a big issue to expediters, as if we get held up its usually just an extra hour, occasionally.
In the T/L segment there are people routinely held up 5-8 hours. Grocery warehouses used to be the worse.
This would be a daily thing. Steel plants also were terrible years ago.
I don't know how/if this has changed with the new HOS, but it'd be an issue, if still a problem, that would rally truckers to the organization.
It's not a big issue to expediters, as if we get held up its usually just an extra hour, occasionally.
In the T/L segment there are people routinely held up 5-8 hours. Grocery warehouses used to be the worse.
This would be a daily thing. Steel plants also were terrible years ago.
I don't know how/if this has changed with the new HOS, but it'd be an issue, if still a problem, that would rally truckers to the organization.
What idea or mechanism could be used to actually make it happen? While lots of people may rally around the issue, what changes would need to be made in the law or industry to actually make it happen that truckers got fully compensated for the hours in which they are detained?
Very limited. You would be looking at some type of regulation/legislation or union. The path would likely be close to the airline industry. Not a fan of either but my opinion is that is what we would be looking at. Much of it would require the lobbying efforts and financial backing to make the right kind of push. Anything that raises the wholesale cost will be fought by shippers initially. It takes time for them to adjust and then pass the cost.
This is not my area of expertise. Nor have I looked into the unpaid time issues many truckers face. That said, I wonder if existing labor laws might be brought to bear, at least for company (employee) drivers. As for independent contractors who willingly bend over and take it while grumbling, they are their own worst enemy. Maybe we can have an impact by including some business basics and value of time items in the driver's training Truckers for Safety might advocate. Perhaps the increased professionalism that six months of driver's training could produce might lead truckers to assert their best interests more.
It's not all that hard to do. Back when we were with another carrier, Diane and I were victimized three times by a particular shipper. He'd order a truck on the chance that he might need it. The carrier made it easy for him to cancel and pay just a small fee, which the shipper considered a cost of doing business. There was no concern whatsoever for us and the fact that getting to this shipper left us in a remote location and a long deadhead at our expense to get to a better area.
After figuring out this pattern and the shipper's willingness to literally throw our time and money into the trash, we refused to serve that shipper.
The next time dispatch called and begged us to serve this "very important" customer, we said we'd be happy to do so if the carrier guaranteed full run pay if the load went or not. Instantly, this very important shipper became a not so important shipper and the carrier told him they could not cover his load.
Funny how quickly it worked out that the customer became unimportant when the carrier was asked to take the risk of yet another canceled run.
It was easy to protect our own best interests in that case, and I have to think that line-haul owner-operators can do the same if they simply have the will to do it.
It's not all that hard to do. Back when we were with another carrier, Diane and I were victimized three times by a particular shipper. He'd order a truck on the chance that he might need it. The carrier made it easy for him to cancel and pay just a small fee, which the shipper considered a cost of doing business. There was no concern whatsoever for us and the fact that getting to this shipper left us in a remote location and a long deadhead at our expense to get to a better area.
After figuring out this pattern and the shipper's willingness to literally throw our time and money into the trash, we refused to serve that shipper.
The next time dispatch called and begged us to serve this "very important" customer, we said we'd be happy to do so if the carrier guaranteed full run pay if the load went or not. Instantly, this very important shipper became a not so important shipper and the carrier told him they could not cover his load.
Funny how quickly it worked out that the customer became unimportant when the carrier was asked to take the risk of yet another canceled run.
It was easy to protect our own best interests in that case, and I have to think that line-haul owner-operators can do the same if they simply have the will to do it.
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zorry
Veteran Expediter
It gets real tricky.
Truckers aren't subject to the common sense labor laws many are use to.
Interstate commerce thing of sorts.
Thats why, unless bound to it by a contract, we aren't entitled to time and a half.
Not even sure if minimum wage kicks in.
A quick look at some labor law is needed.
Truckers aren't subject to the common sense labor laws many are use to.
Interstate commerce thing of sorts.
Thats why, unless bound to it by a contract, we aren't entitled to time and a half.
Not even sure if minimum wage kicks in.
A quick look at some labor law is needed.
WanderngFool
Active Expediter
I've been waiting for someone to get around to questioning what kind of mechanism would be required. There are just so many shippers/receivers/brokers and it would take a gun to their heads to make most of them put the needs of truckers ahead of their desire for profits. If not a gun then the firm hand of government regulation.
But isn't government regulation evil?
But isn't government regulation evil?
That's pretty much how expediters feel in the discussions of the various rules by FMCSA, because they're all about 'big' trucking: TL & LTL, where the schedules and demands are quite different.
It's a large part of why it's so hard to get truckers to agree on even the issues, much less the solutions: we do the same things, but in very different ways. We chafe at different points, and want different areas of regulations addressed.
I have to say, though, that if we can pull together behind the issue of safety, we have a chance to be heard with respect. And if anyone can make that happen, my money is on Phil: he's good at this.
Whatever is pursued, it must be easily understood and have the support of all sides. Anything that is just for part of the industry, will be an uphill battle. I like the detention idea, but that will garner little support from the LTL or union outfits because they get compensated already for it.
Safety would be one of the best angle because how are they going to say no?
Cherri has it right, has to be items that affect the largest crowd in order to get any kind of traction.
Safety would be one of the best angle because how are they going to say no?
Cherri has it right, has to be items that affect the largest crowd in order to get any kind of traction.
If the [union] TL/LTL interests don't care too much about detention, they should care about driver training, which we can support. If anyone knows about horsetrading to get the desired result, it's the unions, lol.
Support from all sides is difficult to obtain. And even if it is possible, various groups may withhold it because they are jealous of their place in the sandbox.
The trick is not to get everybody on board, just enough. Also, support attracts support. A small group can get some attention. As it grows into a larger group, it gets more, and that in itself can lead to an even larger group.
If it is a grass-roots, outside-the-beltway effort you have much more freedom. If you can articulate a small number (no more than three) issues that resonate with the masses, you don't have to worry much about what the existing players say or do. Just build the organization and call on state and federal elected officials not at their capitols but at their offices at home. Don't look to the bigs to support you. Build your group and make them react to the safety issues you raise. Keep it grass-roots. Keep it real.
True but in todays world of politics and quick news, it would seem you really need the money and or the numbers(people).