I seen A LOOOOT of trucks on the road today! I talked to a lot of dispatchers and brokers..business as usual! Funny how this coincides with the government grilling big oil on profits. Ironic that 20-30% of the fuel cost is because of taxes from the state and federal governent, no mention culling that expense from our fuel prices. No mention on repealing NAFTA to bring the manufacturing jobs back from eithier side of the isle in the up comming election. Politics aside I really don't blame the truckers for not striking that didn't. Afterall how many O/Ops can really afford to shut down for a day or two when they don't have to?
So much for the strike!
- Thread starter Vinnie T
- Start date
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
I shut down today. I was second on the board and a first out came in and pushed me down to third. I might be striking tomorrow as well. Solidarity.
eb
eb
arkjarhead
Veteran Expediter
Who really thought it would happen anyway? What I'm about to say I mean in offense to anyone, but I feel I need to say it. Look at how many people will take time off to go places like MATS incur all kinds of d/h, or even waste time playing video games in the truck stop but won't spend the time and energy to get in the ear of or in front of their elected officals. Seems kinda funny doesn't it. I can't blame people for not striking. It wasn't set up where it was going to make any positive changes. At least get in your reps. ear if not in front of them or their staffers. That will make more of a difference than a strike where most of the people striking will be scared to stand up and say why they are striking. Plus there is no unified front anyway.
Jefferson3000
Expert Expediter
Falligator
Expert Expediter
I seen two trucks on a bridge over I 80 going through PA with the signs painted on their trucks about the strike. just two. seems like there were a lot of other drivers who needed to make money more than they did....and of course is anything going to come out of these inquiries on Capitol Hill....???? Absolutely nothing like every other time they have been before congress. And on the news, CNN today to be exact....roughly 2$ a gallon profit goes to the oil companies. Hmmmm who's the one doin the gougin?
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ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
Can independent drivers really strike anyway? The Schneiders of the world will just move in and sell their services as "more dependable".
eb
eb
should use the word strike as it is against the law for o/o to strike
should call it a holiday and take time off
also don't forget to reg to vote and call write your rep in dc
they look to see who voted in the election
and if you don't vote you have no right to cry
and join ooida to
should call it a holiday and take time off
also don't forget to reg to vote and call write your rep in dc
they look to see who voted in the election
and if you don't vote you have no right to cry
and join ooida to
Bingo!
The big carriers picked up the slack
Again most O/Ops can't afford to miss a days wage!
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
Dispatch still hasn't called with a load offer, so I'm taking the strike into it's second day.
eb
eb
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
i sure hope you didnt turn your loads down because you sid you were on strke,good way to loose your lease,and why would an expediter strike?you want another company to get that customer that just got neglected.there is to much competition,to give someone else,or another company to get your load,is much worse than the fuel prices.you woud actually be better to strike against your company,to raise ther rates,that woud do more good than to try and shut the country down.some poor slob cant get his beer because of shut down,you think he is going to care why he cant get his beer,he just knows its fault of truck drivers
ebsprintin
Veteran Expediter
No, I'm no longer on strike. Dispatch called with a load this afternoon, so I'm back at work. 
eb
eb
Scuba
Veteran Expediter
I didn't shut down because i just bought a new truck can't shut down right now. Do i think shut downs help yes i do france and other countries proved it. The problem we have here in this country is we wont work together not that we cant we just wont. As far as the big carriers go they dont have enough trucks to cover all of the freight is even just half of the o/o shut down we make up 90% of the trucks out there. What did yesterday do for us? Well it got us exposure i am sick and tired of hearing everything at the store cost more because it cost more to get it there. The stinking brokers are the one profitting because some idiot will still take the load at 1999 rates saying well it covered my fuel. The light of day needs to be shined on the brokers and i think this will do it.
FedEx, Panther, Landstar etc. are the brokers!
Between the three they get a vast majoirty of thier loads directly from the customers, from there they decide to give it to a fleet truck or broker it out. If I were a betting man I would say with LS and Panther thier brokering division makes as much or close what the fleet brings in on a yearly basis.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
FedEx and Landstar are service providers for many industries, just like JB hunt and other trucking companies are. They make money with fleets more than they do with brokerage.
from Landline article to-day....
Norita Taylor, OOIDA media spokesperson, said she received more than 140 media inquiries on April 1 and 2 from major news stations, newspapers and radio stations around the country wanting to know the Association’s position on the shutdown.
However, she said the media calls have been steadily coming in during recent weeks as wildly fluctuating fuel prices failed to stabilize. Taylor said The New York Times, USA Today and CNN News were among the major mainstream media that contacted her since Monday.
“OOIDA has really been at the mainstream media forefront on the issue of rising fuel costs and how this issue is affecting our members and all independent truckers,” she told Land Line on Wednesday. “Our position has been to support our members in whatever decision they felt was best for their businesses.”
Boy and thats it???? OOIDA position is they have no position...if ever was a time to step up to the plate this is it...they can't lobby worth beans but this they could really help...how? I am not that brainy...
Norita Taylor, OOIDA media spokesperson, said she received more than 140 media inquiries on April 1 and 2 from major news stations, newspapers and radio stations around the country wanting to know the Association’s position on the shutdown.
However, she said the media calls have been steadily coming in during recent weeks as wildly fluctuating fuel prices failed to stabilize. Taylor said The New York Times, USA Today and CNN News were among the major mainstream media that contacted her since Monday.
“OOIDA has really been at the mainstream media forefront on the issue of rising fuel costs and how this issue is affecting our members and all independent truckers,” she told Land Line on Wednesday. “Our position has been to support our members in whatever decision they felt was best for their businesses.”
Boy and thats it???? OOIDA position is they have no position...if ever was a time to step up to the plate this is it...they can't lobby worth beans but this they could really help...how? I am not that brainy...
I can't speak for FedX, but Landstar has more broker/agents then anybody! They broker A LOT of freight! I am not sure how the numbers break down and what percentage of the revenue is brokering versus the trucking division, but I assure you it is significant. People blame brokers all the time, all the big carriers are also brokers...blame the idiot truckers that haul loads for a buck a mile! It's supply and demand! Capitalism at it's finest! Customers will pay a premium for the Panthers, LS, and FedX's to handle the load.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Yes that is true but they also have a much larger fleet than most. Panther is not providing the same services as Landstar, FedEx is also not providing the same, FedEx and Landstar provide different across the board solutions where panther can't. Just because they have brokers, does not mean they they are part of the overall problem, I think when it comes down to it, the deregulation of the industry in regards to brokers is at fault with the internet. The trucker, the guy who runs for a buck a mile is the enabler of the bunch, he allows the freight to drop, as does an aggressive company who undercuts the competition without thinking.
If fuel prices is the mitigating factor to many of the people who decide to hang it up, than a shortage of trucks will happen. Many, like me, want to see the ranks reduced to force the adjustment to the entire industry which means like in other industries, will help everyone in the long run.