Why do journalists write about trucking ?

[Crazynuff]

Recently a writer posted inquiring about info on the lifestyle of truckers ? The response she got wasn't very positive , just a "What's it worth to you ? I want some of the money "
Here's what happens when journalists get that type of response . They reject you and your views don't get posted . Instead they publish the opinions of ATA , Road Safe America , Public Citizen and other such organizations .
I have GIVEN considerable information to staff at Randall Reilly Publications and referred them to other o/o's that helped them write articles in "Overdrive " and "Truckers News " that gave accurate accounts of the industry . The editors and writers I know aren't motivated by monetary gain . They are dedicated professionals that will work to your benefit if they are given better treatment and more courtesy than they have received here lately . Here's an example of an article resulting from positive response from a forum . Small truck, big service - Overdrive . Todd Dills spent a lot of time interviewing hotshotters , going out to meet some of them personally .
I know several members here have been guests on radio shows and featured in magazine articles . What compensation did you receive for that and why did you do that ?

 

[Brisco]

Decided to log in tonight just to say something positive about this article.

I am a member of both the Hotshothauling.com and Flatbedcarrier.com's discussion boards. As of right now, on the Hotshot board, I am the oldest member there still posting to this day. (Besides Black, the owner of the board)

Yes, both boards are excellent excellent sources to refer to if anyone ever wanted to give "Hotshot" or "LTL Freight" hauling a try.

Todd Dills worked on that article for quite a while and he was an active participant not only on the board itself (HotShotHauling.com), but he also "Got Out There" with the guys and experienced exactly what it was like to be running these highways in a 1 ton truck pulling 40-53ft flatbed trailers with 15-20-25K lbs on them. We all appreciated the fine journalism he displayed within the outcome of the story.

If one ever wants to look into a different type of trucking and are considering HotShot or LTL hauling, those 2 boards will help you a lot, just as EO here helps people learn about Expediting. But also remember that the economy, low freight, low rates, and every issue here at this board has also affected our industry in a negative manner too. You'll be reading the same complaints as you do here, only in a different perspective.

If you ever get a chance, stop by to say "HI". We've all been friends for years on those boards just as you guys have been here on this board. And they are all a great of group guys as you guys are here.

Brisco

 

[Streakn1]

Recently a writer posted inquiring about info on the lifestyle of truckers ? The response she got wasn't very positive , just a "What's it worth to you ? I want some of the money "

I know several members here have been guests on radio shows and featured in magazine articles . What compensation did you receive for that and why did you do that ?

Excellent question!

In my humble opinion, with all of the bad press the trucking industry and drivers get on almost a daily basis, if some positive information you provided gets published or on the local/national news, is it not worth far more than a few dollars compensation?
It helps every compliant driver and trucking company out here in a good way. How do you put a dollar amount on that?

 

[Turtle]

Having a movie made out of your life story is worth compensation. Being interviewed for an article or a book, not so much. The author, Linda Sands, is very likely to come up with a good book on trucking and truckers, if her past works are any indication. She's a good writer.

I am a proud American woman. I drive my American-made vehicle to overstocked grocery stores, proudly paying extra for American-grown fruits and vegetables. I give to charities that benefit less fortunate Americans, and I raise my children with the hope they will embrace The American Dream, whatever that may mean to them.
...
Face it, the American Dream isn’t what it used to be. We raise our children in gated communities, sharing pools, tennis courts and playgrounds with people just like us. The American business “established in 1985″ carries a certain distinction, as if surviving more than 15 years is a monumental accomplishment.

 

[fastman_1]

I've been interviewed in the past for articles, not a book, My 30 years in the trucking business is worth something to me, to someone who will be getting paid for putting that in her book. If she wants to make money on me then I want some ofthat pie, its her choice to use or not.

 

[Crazynuff]

I've been interviewed in the past for articles, not a book, My 30 years in the trucking business is worth something to me, to someone who will be getting paid for putting that in her book. If she wants to make money on me then I want some ofthat pie, its her choice to use or not.

I could understand that if the book was mainly focused on your experiences or maybe only one or two others . We don't know exactly the way she will use the info . But like I said , there are plenty of people willing to provide the information for no fee so your take it or leave it attitude may get it left .

 

[TeamCaffee]

Good post! There is so much negative press about truck drivers we feel that anything we can do to show there is another side to trucking we try to do. Sometimes not getting paid for everything you do can you further down the road then always asking for compensation.

 

[fastman_1]

I could understand that if the book was mainly focused on your experiences or maybe only one or two others . We don't know exactly the way she will use the info . But like I said , there are plenty of people willing to provide the information for no fee so your take it or leave it attitude may get it left .

Then it can be left.

 

[LDB]

I'd want to be compensated... if I was spending hours and hours and hours providing the majority of input for a major work. If my spending a half hour or so visiting/yakking/chatting/talking/whatever with someone will get some of the truth and correct information about our wrongly maligned industry out to the public I'll gladly spend that half hour I would have spent visiting/yakking/chatting/talking/whatever with someone who wouldn't have done anything with it to help our industry. You have to spend time/information/intangibles to make money just as you have to spend money to make money. The interview would be some of the time/information/intangibles.

 

[greg334]

I am not agreeing with much here.

Many of you lump news of an accident or a problem as the negative press that seems to be out there. Yes there are stories about truckers and trucking in the press everyday but read the stories. It is like the story about the GPS destroying bridges, everyone seemed to miss the part that the whole story was about routing the truck with the GPS unit to save time and go faster while putting the truck on restricted or prohibitive roads. Was that negative press or a legitimate issue?

It is not all negative, some stories mention the work someone does, or how they helped one or another out. I read a good article about a trucker who has helped out a family who needed some food and clothing, they lost everything they had and I think it was even on CNN or something other cable news channel. These stories have the same frequency as the news of someone helping out a Iraqi vet going back to Iraq for closure.

A lot of times it is the location that is an issue when writting about the great big world of trucking, meaning that the north east is less likely to have an article in their news or put one on the wires about a trucker who helped save a family in a car wreck but likely to have a story about a yahoo who ripped the top of his trailer off trying to change the world of physics while ripping through a small town. The south and real west seem to be more likely to have a balance between good and the 'evil' while the far left coast views anything to do with a truck as true evil and out to destroy the earth.

Today I was listening to Hoffa trash Owner/Operators, and his message was clear. The audience is the tri-state area (Michigan/Indiana/Ohio) where there is a pro-union attitude towards everything. The press doesn't talk about positive things in the trucking industry here unless it has to do with the union or a union shop or a union driver. The interviewer made a point to push the O/O issues with Hoffa, it was clear that this wasn't just about how the auto companies are screwing the union but also how us, the independent trucker has a hand in it. Now this wasn't positive press about the industry, it was about the union and this illustrates another issue that presents a big problem for most journalist, how do you write about a profession that is so fractured and so wide spread?

Now Miss Sands took a specific segment and asked for input, OTR, which still is a wide subject because it encompasses more than independents, expediters and company people. So hats off to her if she can do it.

Compensation?

Yes ask about it, its fair to. But regardless if you are one of those "there are far better things to be gained than money" people, look around. Do you help the image of the industry by complaining about a guy who dumps his p*ss in the truck stop lot or call the cops when they pitch a bag of garbage out the window, or call the company when someone drives like an idiot?

 

[LDB]

Yes, I do call companies when warranted and yes, I do call the police on other drivers if they are blatant enough to deserve it but no, I do not personally confront others as some of them are too dangerous and I can't tell from a 2 second look which is which.

Yes, by all means ask if there's compensation of some sort and if there is then accept it with gratitude. If there isn't, then you have a choice to make. That's the time I was speaking of.

 

[blizzard2014]

Truckers smell, they are loud and obnoxious, they cuss like drunken sailors, and they like to imtimidate other motorists with their big trucks. At about sums truckers up in a nutshell folks. There aren't enough stereotypes to make for a lengthy or interesting book about the life of a truck driver. lol j/k!