Comments about the trucking industry

by Sandi Soendker

From TV host Jay Leno to media criticism organizations, a number of watchers are constantly dogging the daily news for fairness, accuracy, outright blunders and words that are used incorrectly. I’m one of those watchers, but I tend to specialize in mistakes that leap into the mainstream regarding truck drivers and the trucking industry.

This morning I happened upon a story that caught my attention. I wasn’t really looking for a problem, but the headline in a Maine newspaper lured me beyond these words: “Wilton police seek truck driver who offered young girl a ride.”

The Sun Journal, Lewiston, ME, covers Central and Western Maine news. Reporter Ann Bryant of the Sun Journal wrote that last week in Wilton, ME, a truck driver offered an 11-year-old girl a ride when she got off the bus. No crime was committed but they want to speak to the operator of the truck, said the police chief.

The police were called when the girl was approached by a man in a red truck. The driver asked her if she wanted a ride; she said no and kept walking. The truck was reported to have turned around and come back toward her.

OK, here’s a description of the truck, according to the newspaper article – that was posted online and therefore went all over the world.

“The truck is described as a red full-sized truck with a silver toolbox in the back. A gold and white logo is on the side of the truck.” The article notes that “there was lumber in the back that extended beyond the tailgate.”

You can guess where I am going with this. It’s a suspicious situation and obviously the police in this town have a predator they need to check out. I confirmed with Wilton Police Chief Heidi M. Wilcox, who clarified it was a pickup.

So when will mainstream reporters and headline editors punch into the fact that truck driving is a profession and this guy was in no way a truck driver? This improper use of these words has become a pet peeve of mine. And most of the time, a follow-up call or email to the paper is appreciated. Occasionally, the offending news outlet will insist it’s a “question of semantics.”

So, if that red pickup truck had been a VW microbus, would the headline read “Police seek bus driver …?”

They are not looking for a truck driver; they are looking for a possible pervert in a pickup.

Maybe I’m being picky, but the headline insults a whole working community of professionals. The police chief apologized straight away if the description was misleading, but the newspaper reporter was another story.

I called her up at the Sun Journal. Ann Bryant defended the headline, saying the guy WAS a truck driver. We discussed this briefly, but she was dismissive and insisted it was just “wording.” Yes, it is wording and words need to be used correctly when you are reporting news.

The paper no doubt has plenty of trucker readers, not to mention friends and family members of truck drivers.

Get it right, Sun Journal.

by Keith Goble, Land Line Magazine

There is a push underway at the statehouse to advance an ill-advised effort that is a direct attack on independent contractors.

Dubbed the “Truck Operator Independent Contractor Act,” the legislation – S1450 – would deem port truckers, including owner-operators going onto a port, to be employees. Parcel drivers would also be reclassified as employees.

The Senate Labor Committee is scheduled to consider S1450 on Monday, March 4.

Now would be a great time to contact committee members and urge them to oppose the reclassification effort, which would kill small trucking businesses throughout New Jersey.

Supporters of the reclassification in New Jersey claim that drayage and parcel truckers in the state are being misclassified. Lawmakers should know that the state would be better served to enforce existing rules on classification.

It should also be made clear to lawmakers that the reliance on owner-operators is not limited to the Port of New York and New Jersey.

The changes sought in S1450 would run off trucks and discourage them from doing business in the state. Instead, the reliance on owner-operators is a widely used and reputable practice that should be encouraged as a way to stimulate New Jersey’s economy.

Take time now to communicate with Senate Labor Committee members and let them know how you feel about S1450. An email and a phone call could go a long way to kill the effort.

For details on who to contact, click this link: http://www.landlinemedia.blogspot.com/2013/03/heads-up-new-jersey-truckers.html

Media previews report that President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night will likely focus, as usual, on daily headline topics from gun violence to the precarious unemployment numbers.

It will no doubt be a speech heavy on rhetoric and light on details.

So we in trucking will likely ask, is this good enough?

We understand that trucking and infrastructure aren’t sexy enough to grip a nation during prime time television. But isn’t transportation important enough to make the final cut of what the president reads to millions of viewers?

This is the 13th year with nothing specific whatsoever from a presidential administration when it comes to paying for transportation.

Two years ago the President mentioned infrastructure and highway investments in his speech a total of 6 times. Transportation wonks were thrilled! But the polished talking points were followed up by years of inaction from the current Administration.

Although the President called for investments, they really failed to put forward a meaningful highway bill proposal and lead the Congress toward robust transportation improvements. The result was a patchwork bill significantly scaled down from previous iterations.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The President can still deliver a meaningful speech, specific on details, and heavy on follow-up. This is particularly true considering that the Highway Trust Fund, the main mechanism for transportation and infrastructure spending, is anticipating a $138 billion short fall. With a few words he can educate a public, attempt to unite a Congress and lead on the issue.

The President has the opportunity to take ownership this time around. He is a lame duck, in essence, and although he will have Democratic party obligations, namely that the Dems don’t lose the Senate and make gains in the House, he can do what he has failed to do in the past which is present us with a clear cut transportation plan.

This could include:

A campaign for fuel taxes to stabilize the highway trust fund. No one believes that a magic bullet is available at this point to supplant fuel taxes. We’ve heard it ad nauseum that raising taxes is not popular, but they are far better than any other option offered so far. At what point did we stop doing something because it’s only 95 percent effective? We’ve never had anything that was one hundred percent!

Most experts agree that VMT, barrel taxes and construction indexing will only get you so far. Although the President has envisioned moving away from “foreign oil” in the absence of a viable alternative, it is timely for someone to rise above the special interests and advocate a position that is multi-inclusive. He has a regime ready to work with him in the House and Senate, identifying specifics and a clear cut path is desperately needed and would be a breath of fresh air.

Identify specifics on true small business aid. Certainly, the words small business will be uttered repeatedly tomorrow but the vision likely won’t be packaged in anything of assistance to small-business truckers, which will be particularly odd if the speech includes stimulating infrastructure spending.

Truckers were highly valuable in assisting during hurricane Sandy (and Katrina). During this time of national tragedy, this Administration recognized that the trucks simply needed to get through barriers in order to deliver life-saving goods. The vital importance of trucks was evident and small-business, “one-truck operators” were critical during this time, because they were among the most flexible – in addition to being ready, willing, and able. However, small businesses are treated identical to larger carriers when it comes to regulation. There is a consistent push to level the playing field by large corporations. But what they really want is to purge the playing field. And this Administration buys into it every time. How will this President ensure that small businesses can compete? What are the specifics?

Most Americans know there is no such thing as something for nothing. They are also worn out from the rhetoric. Whether the journey is short or long, we don’t get there without steps in the middle. Let’s talk about those steps and then move forward.

By Michael Applegate, special to Land Line

Throughout Allen and Donna Smith’s social media pages, you will find ongoing conversations about shared articles and blog posts. And you will come across information about a unique event – a convention touting the benefits of staying connected through social media.

Oct. 27-28, the Smiths will host the second annual Truck Driver Social Media Convention in Kansas City, MO.

According to Allen, the goal of this gathering is to “encourage understanding and the desire to build relationships through honesty, trust and transparency.”

“There are a lot of trucking shows across the country that highlight trucking products, services and companies,” Allen said. “But I just got to thinking that there isn’t anything for drivers themselves to put a highlight on all the hard work they do to keep the country moving. So we decided to put on a convention solely for the drivers.”

Donna said another goal of the convention is to raise awareness in general on the real issues that our truckers face and “not just what they hear from mainstream media.”

One individual will be the recipient of the Jason Rivenburg Making a Difference Award. This award is named after a driver who tragically lost his life because of unsafe parking conditions. It goes to a person who has bettered the trucking industry.  Voting took place online and the winner is Kari Fisher of the Missing Driver Alert Network.

Of the many features, attendees can look forward to conversations and advice from industry specialists, open-panel discussions, dining and connection with fellow drivers. Topics include trucking employment laws and what each driver can do to stop human trafficking.

“Everybody has an opinion. That’s one of the good things about social media. It gets people talking. If somebody using social media makes a comment, there’s always going to be somebody that disagrees,” Allen said. “With everybody throwing in their two cents, hopefully we can all come to a conclusion where we’re not just arguing and talking about the problems, but coming to the solutions as well.”

To throw in some good-hearted competition, the event will climax with the “Pride in Your Ride” big rig competition. Truckers who attend and arrive in their trucks can enter this competition. According to the Smiths, the contest doesn’t focus on chrome and add-ons, but rather the TLC shown to your truck.

The convention will take place at Harrah’s Hotel, Casino, and Conference Center in North Kansas City, MO. For more information, check out the website at www.truckingsocialmedia.com.

Copyright © OOIDA

By David Tanner, Land Line associate editor

Recent statements by the American Trucking Associations that electronic on-board recorders improve driver morale are insulting to say the least.

ATA President and CEO Bill Graves made the claim on Wednesday, April 25, as part of the association’s push to get Congress to mandate EOBRs in all trucks. It shows just how far the ATA is willing to go to further its agenda.

Graves started off his comments by saying EOBRs can help trucking operations improve routes, and manage fuel usage and other aspects involved with a fleet.

“In addition, research shows that drivers at fleets using electronic logging devices report improved morale,” Graves said. He then urged lawmakers to join “the vast majority in the trucking industry who want to further improve trucking’s compliance and safety record.”

These statements are insulting, and here’s why. For starters, the ATA does not represent or speak for drivers. Secondly, EOBR tracking technology likely has the opposite effect on driver morale.

Truckers have been subjected to pressure to meet delivery schedules set by other people since the beginning. Job pressure to keep moving can range from encouragement and incentives to outright harassment and threats.

Drivers routinely get calls and messages during breaks and rest periods and ordered to keep those wheels turning. As long as a driver has available hours left, he or she is expected to move at all costs.

The harassment issue is one of the main reasons OOIDA sued and beat the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s initial rule on electronic on-board recorders in court.

Why then would the ATA, or anyone else for that matter, think that EOBRs would improve driver morale? An EOBR is no different than any other method or device used to keep the truck wheels turning – without regard to whether a driver is tired or in serious need of a break.

Points about efficiency and productivity are one thing, but that hardly qualifies something like an EOBR for a government mandate. Big-business trucking can try to make an argument about safety, but they have nothing to show EOBRs would improve safety over paper logs.

Because an EOBR only logs the time the truck is moving, there’s no accounting for other industry pressures and hours-of-safety concerns such as uncompensated detention time at the docks or shutting the truck off throughout the day to throw off the clock.

If tired drivers are forced to keep driving because an EOBR says they have time left on the clock, then how does that improve safety?

Safety stats for trucking are as positive as they’ve ever been, yet truckers continue to face an ever-broadening onslaught of laws and regulations as if the numbers were getting worse. Talk about a blow to driver morale.

We found something else interesting this week.

The FMCSA has announced it is looking for carriers to participate in a survey about on-board safety systems and driver performance.

These include driver behavior monitoring, lane/roadway departure warning, forward collision warning, fatigue monitoring, alcohol detection, automated onboard recording of driver logs and continuous naturalistic data collection.

No doubt they have “improved driver morale” in mind, as well.