The upcoming election is one of the most important in our history \u2013 and in your life. Before you vote, please ask yourself, \u201cWhat has the current State and Federal Administrations done for the transportation industry \u2013 especially trucking?\u201d You might also ask, \u201cDo we really need more laws or more taxes?\u201d These are truly dismal times in the most important and regulated industry in the United States. But no matter what the product is or how much or how little it costs, it still has to get to the public on some type of a truck. I have seen too many small carriers pack it in and move to another state, or go out of business altogether, in the last four years. We must stop the bleeding!<\/p>\n
No matter how you view your job or career in trucking, you are one of the most important people in your neighborhood, as everyone depends on your driving abilities to move their freight in a safe and efficient manner. But no one really appreciates what you do \u2013 as evidenced by the truck parking shortage across the nation, the third-party meddling and continued indecision on the final hours of service rules, the attacks on carriers for utilizing independent contractors, and much more. Simply put, as an industry, we just have too many regulations to abide by and too many people to please.<\/p>\n
In the United States, there are around 49 million people on food stamps, 100 million on some type of government aid, and 23 million unemployed. And with \u201cObamacare\u201d on the horizon (January 1, 2014), companies with 50 or more employees, like Olive Garden and Red Lobster, are already boosting their number of workers on part-time status (meaning they work less than 30 hours a week) to avoid any fines. We do not need any more business regulations \u2013 we already have enough. Diesel fuel was just $2.88 and gasoline was $2.84 per gallon before the current administration was put into office. Now look at it! The trucking industry also has the EPA and CARB cracking down on \u201cclean air\u201d regulations that are crippling the economy and forcing many truckers out of business. Where does it end?<\/p>\n
The trucking industry has to deal with even more Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigations now that the economy is going so slow. OSHA whistleblower complaints, pursuant to the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA), are escalating on a weekly basis. Extra diligence is now required of trucking companies to avoid complaints and respond to any claims appropriately. All trucking companies now have to be aware of what is called \u201cprotected activity\u201d under this Act. Some example lawsuits in the news lately include a $30,000 settlement to a Knoxville truck driver who complained about faulty trailer lights, and in another huge lawsuit, a California truck driver was awarded $18 million in a wrongful termination judgment for retaliation for reporting alleged safety violations to federal agencies. The trucking industry also has the Federal Department of Labor and the California Employment Development Department (EDD) harassing carriers, trying to misclassify independent contractors into employees, in California and all over the United States, in an effort to simply collect more taxes.<\/p>\n