1) We all ran legal, forcing shippers and receivers to pay more for detention.

2) We all ran decent speeds, increasing our industry wide MPG, reducing the demand for diesel.

How much? A lot!

What do you guys think?

Forcing the customers to pay more for detention pay and all that would only increase the cost of the goods we're shipping. But granted there would be a whole lot less stress out there. If we all ran legal the salesmen gaining the business and the CSR reps taking the calls to make these appointments would have to allow for the extra time.

In fact if everyone played by the rules everything would go a lot smoother, but it is human nature to "buck the system" and do whatever they feel like doing.

So what you're saying is that you should give away your time for free, just so that the public will enjoy lower prices at the retail level???

How noble of you!!!!!!

It's either I give up my time or my money, a lose/lose situation if you ask me.

on a totally unrelated note, I thought the gaming forums where filled with whiners and trolls. This is by far the worst I have seen. Supposed grown adults acting more childish then their own children. I guess I'll take my leave. Don't bother with smarmy remakrs like, "Good, we didn't want you here anyway.", or "Don't the the door hit ya..." since I won't be reading them for the little type to offend me anyway.

It would be nice to have shippers pay detention. I am not sure that running legal would necessarily do the job. We should be running legal now. Whether or not you run legal is a personal decision each driver must make for themselves. I think shippers and receivers should pay detention for wasting our time, but until everyone starts charging things won't change. The shippers will simply go to a carrier who won't charge them. About the only way a shipper will agree to pay for detention on a consistent basis is through government legislation, and I am not for more regulations. If you are a driver you can let the shipper know that they have a specific amount of time to load or unload you. After that time, you start collecting detention. If they say that they don't pay detention, then inform them that you will be leaving at then end of your FREE time and do so. Most times you will be unloaded or loaded before they run out of free time.

I think most drivers stay fairly close on the posted speed limits. I would say that the majority are within about 5 mph of the limit. There are a few who push the envelope. Unfortunately, it is the few by whom we are all judged.

If we slowed by a few mph it might reduce some fuel consumption. I think driving at a more steady pace would probably do more for fuel economy than constantly speeding up and slowing down. If you allow more space between you and the other vehicles, you would be able to better anticipate changing traffic patterns and could adjust accordingly which could reduce fuel consumption because your driving would be more steady. If you are accustomed to driving at 70 and slowed to 65, it may save some fuel as well.

Don't leave because a few people type things that if said verbally would sound completely rude/ignorant/stupid.

All I see lately is bitching about Mexicans, how OTR guys are dumb as a box of rocks compared to local, and how the industry used to be. Its like, in every thread, every post. People like to pick up something and run with it. :roll:

Back to the original post about fuel- if we all kept good running trucks, taht would help too. When you see thick black smoke coming from the pipes, something is wrong mechanically. Light/heavy loads aren't a factor, because it has to get moved anyway. The rate at which they are hauled for is irrelevant :wink:

As Gman said, we should all be running as legal as possible. If they change the HOS, people will still run 13 different log books doing 1100 miles a day solo.

So how do you figure that what I typed is "rude/ignorant/stupid"?

The thing that IS ignorant/stupid is for anyone to give away their time
for free.

If people in this business would lose that "it's part of the job" mindset, and actually demand to be paid for all the time they work, then maybe just maybe the "race to the bottom" could be stopped.

And before you say I don't know what I'm talkin' about, let me tell you I've been there, done that, and I finally wised up and now I've got a job where I'm paid for every minute from the time I get to work, till the time I leave to go home. Any other way of working is bullsh*t.

Giving away your time only benefits the rich corporate executives, while you slowly but surely go broke.

....But some people don't like to hear the truth.

It wasn't directed at you entirely splitshiofter. I've noticed over the past few weeks with some people here its the same repetitive BS though.