The Changing Industry

[Flying W]

To the originator of this post....I generally agree with most of your comments, and would be interested in hearing why you believe night driving will become more predominate if pay goes away from a cpm basis?

I do take exception to the APU comment though. The day I see office workers sleeping in their cubicles for weeks at a time in 90F+ heat without a/c or a person allowed to leave their pet in a vehicle in the same conditions is the day I accept this. Companies send drivers to CA (etc) where it is illegal to idle without a means of staying cool, and into other places expecting them not to idle while not equipping the truck with an APU (or other means). I understand the economics of it, but I wonder how much longer would you be doing your job in the same conditions?

The easiest way to resolve this issue in my opinion is for law enforcement in the state of California to ticket the companies for every driver idling, and not the driver. The driver is merely trying to get some sleep, is not driving "their" truck as frequently pointed out, and is unable to alter the vehicle in any way to comply with the laws. Also, as mentioned previously the driver is under forced dispatch, and is not there by choice. Ticket the actual owners (companies) for failing to provide a means to meet the anti-idling regulations. Anyone doubt company trucks would have APU's then?

[Twilight Flyer]

To the originator of this post....I generally agree with most of your comments, and would be interested in hearing why you believe night driving will become more predominate if pay goes away from a cpm basis?

Because it’s going to be about cost. If things ever get moving more toward hourly pay, you’re going to see a greater push toward maximizing the OTR portion of freight hauling business and that’s going to entail the OTR drivers driving at night a lot more than they do now, for a variety of safety and cost reasons.

I do take exception to the APU comment though. The day I see office workers sleeping in their cubicles for weeks at a time in 90F+ heat without a/c or a person allowed to leave their pet in a vehicle in the same conditions is the day I accept this. Companies send drivers to CA (etc) where it is illegal to idle without a means of staying cool, and into other places expecting them not to idle while not equipping the truck with an APU (or other means). I understand the economics of it, but I wonder how much longer would you be doing your job in the same conditions?

Where do you see anything in my APU comment to take exception to? I’m not saying I disagree with APU’s…personally, I think they are a great idea. They reduce fuel costs and provide drivers with more amenities and comfort than those without. But APU’s are definitely a wild card from a company standpoint. They are illegal in some states and there are pushes in others to do the same thing. Don’t ask me why…that seems to be about as stupid as one could get, but then again, we’re talking about governments here.

Few companies are running APU’s and some that have had them in the past, have taken them out because costs went way up. Again, it’s a wait and see approach. Why spend $30 million on installing APU’s in 3,000 trucks that voids your truck warranties and is not legal in all states anyway. And companies are the ones paying the tickets (or they should be), whether the tractor is idling or the APU is running. It’s a lose/lose situation for both companies and drivers and only the states benefit. I absolutely believe that the reason that APU’s are illegal in some states and will be in others is because it provides a steady revenue stream for the state, no matter what is done. It damns the company and the driver both, no matter what they do; Idle or run the APU.

So trust me, I’m with you on this one. But it’s nowhere near as cut and dry as you would think...or hope.

[Flying W]

Your comments about the enforcement of the apu's varying by state makes me cringe when thinking we may start seeing the same thing applied to snow removal from equipment (NJ). I can see it now, a driver gets a ticket for failing to remove snow from on top of a 14' (13'6") trailer, somehow manages to get on top of it without killing himself, and then gets a ticket for an OSHA workplace safety violation for not having fall protection.

I figured your response to the night shift would have to do with less traffic and more miles run because of it. I just don't see the safety or cost reasons associated with this. Numerous studies, and accident statistics have shown that the likelihood of having an accident at night is higher than during the daytime despite the reduction in traffic (DUI's, sleep patterns, etc). "Daytime driving, particularly at the noon time (10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon), results in a significantly lower risk of an accident." 1 "93.8% of all DUI-cited crashes in 2005 occurred during the nighttime hours." 2

I also wonder if there actually will be an increase in miles by doing so (I'll defer to your companies documentation on this one, but..). The customer base would have to allow for loading or unloading during these off hours, and depending on how the shift goes the driver is still likely to end up in commute traffic on one end of their shift (say starting at 1900, working a 14 hr shift, and ending at 0900 for example).

Like you said, I also do not do well at night and readily admit that. I also understand that it is part of the job at times, and accept that as an aspect of it. It doesn't change the fact that some of the weirdest things I have ever seen have been at night, or darn near falling asleep and barely limping into a rest area at dawn near Moses Lake. I prefer early morning runs, and have found vans to be ideal for that. It is also one of the main reasons I dislike flat bedding. I believe this is one area where companies could do a better job of explaining when visiting driving schools for recruiting. I don't think it is something people take into account.

Sorry about the long post, but I'll end this with one last thought. It is something my trainer told me about work hours that has stuck with me. He told me that if I consistently switched shifts I would burn myself out at best, and I believe this to be true. To the others out there correct me on this if you will, but I have found that a conversation with your DM about being a safer driver at certain times (say daytime, etc) has an effect and I have had their assistance (via the planners) to get me back to days (that could be more an issue of HOS, shipper hours, etc...but I'll kid myself that the DM cared.



1. ITS-Davis: Time of Day Models of Motor Carrier Accident Risk
2. http://www.dps.state.vt.us/ghsp//cra.../Tbl4_3305.pdf

[GMAN]

Drivers and owners need to become more involved in the political process. When we hear of foolish and poorly thought out potential legislation, we need to make our view heard and in big numbers. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. One reason we have so many anti trucking laws on the books is due to apathy or lack of involvement of drivers and those directly affected by these rules. I make a point of voting in every election, even if it is through absentee ballot. My state has early voting which make it much easier for me to get home to vote. I also write and call my representatives. I want to make sure that my views are heard. I certainly don't want only the views of the opposition to be heard. Truckers are among some of the most vocal people I know, until it comes time to being vocal where it counts. We complain to each other but few will take the time to contact their representatives or those in other states who can put legislation on the books that will directly affect our lives. It is no wonder we have so many nutty anti trucking laws on the books. We should be able to idle our trucks if we don't have an APU. It is a matter of safety and being able to comply with HOS rules. So, you need to pick which law or rule you will comply.

[AsphaltVoyager]

Drivers and owners need to become more involved in the political process. When we hear of foolish and poorly thought out potential legislation, we need to make our view heard and in big numbers. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. One reason we have so many anti trucking laws on the books is due to apathy or lack of involvement of drivers and those directly affected by these rules. I make a point of voting in every election, even if it is through absentee ballot. My state has early voting which make it much easier for me to get home to vote. I also write and call my representatives. I want to make sure that my views are heard. I certainly don't want only the views of the opposition to be heard. Truckers are among some of the most vocal people I know, until it comes time to being vocal where it counts. We complain to each other but few will take the time to contact their representatives or those in other states who can put legislation on the books that will directly affect our lives. It is no wonder we have so many nutty anti trucking laws on the books. We should be able to idle our trucks if we don't have an APU. It is a matter of safety and being able to comply with HOS rules. So, you need to pick which law or rule you will comply.

Writing your congressman MIGHT be beneficial, as long as it's not John Cornyn (R-TX). When there was a lot of talk about letting Mexican trucks deliver inside the country, having been to Laredo a number of times and seeing the quality of trucks being used there by Mexican trucking companies, I was extremely concerned about them being allowed to roam our country at will. They were a serious safety hazard. So, I wrote Cornyn, as well as Kay Bailey Hutchison, and the reply I got back from Cornyn? "Dear Constituent, I wholeheartedly agree that there needs to be serious reform to our immigration laws and more done to enforce the ones already on the books." ???? WHA??? > I should have known better than write that clown in the first place, but I was giving him the benefit of the doubt. Mistakenly. I know that most congressman don't have time to read all the letters they get from their constituents, but at least they should have staffers who care enough to actually READ what you write and not send out rubber-stamped form letters in response. In my opinion, this shows how little Cornyn cares about our opinions. If he cared, he'd take the time to ensure his staffers are worth a hoot in a holler.

[Dambry2gsbo]

I am exactly in your boat. i will take my roadtest tomorrow and will be on my way with the company I choose on Nov 1. I had at least 4 pre-hires. I believe these companies are looking for people that want to do the job. I will go w/ my trainer, keep my mouth shut, learn all i can learn while I am with him. I think you will need as much experience as possible before your assigned your own vehicle. i can't believe a new driver to the industry would would have a list of demands. i hope when i get enough experience I will be able to help anyone that needs it....

[TruckingGuy]

Fantastic post! Wealthy amount of information for all of us to understand. I enjoy reading up on all the news and happenings on what's new in the industry. keep up the great post. Thanks AJ

[straightflush]

to u all night driven beats day driving hands down,and ,when u go asking for a job U DONT DEMAND ANYTHING u just take it as it is and if it does not fit you ,well move on and dont be a b.... about it,period.