The State of Affairs and Where We Are At...Hello Everyone

[Constantin and Lori]

Lori has been watching this site for a while (cell phone app) and after some consideration and a little reading I figured I could add my 2 cents worth as to whats going on. Some of the snippets and comments are interesting and a little misinformed in some cases but over all, everybody's on the same page as far as sentiment for the industry and concern as to what is next; so where to begin?

 Government and regulation; without going to in depth as to my own personal feelings on the state of the government (the lunatics are in charge of the asylum and the fact that it doesn't matter who's in charge) the bottom line is this; they don't trust us 'the drivers;period. They don't trust the people we work for;period. They're concerned a bit about the brokering of freight (just enough to make a good press release to the public) and they are beholden-ed to the special interest in Washington who are they're bread and butter; period.

 If any of you want to make a difference then we all have to organize, contribute and eventually lobby Congress, the DOT and the FMCSA together at once, (I think that's the formula); otherwise our complaints go unnoticed (ask the guy who tried to call his Congressman or the people that went to FMCSA's "listening sessions"), unheard and ignored to really, our own peril. OOIDA has been trying, but really unless one spends millions on K-street lobbyists (sounds like certain "safety"groups I've heard about), then there's really no point.

 I've run across several articles regarding trucking not only here, but on other continents and I personally think that they're eventual endgame is to not only mimic the European and Australian models (my understanding is you have to insert a special key to run the truck identifying you specifically as the driver; ie EOBR's) but eventually having to settle once and for all the discussion of freight rates and basically telling you what you can charge; and oh by the way, they are also hellbent on putting the independents out of business(it's easier to tax and regulate a whole group working for a select few companies then have the IRS chasing every Tom, Dick and Harry who has their own authority).

 Its not about weeding out all the "bad actors ";it's about selecting the most domicile and compliant (I really hate that word) amongest us and giving them the "privilege", the opportunity of being professional drivers.

 Understand something, this is not a direct assault on just us or what we do. This is but one front in a multi-front  war against all vocations that they have deemed as "uneducated" and feel that through their "guidance" and through strict regulation and enforcement, that the job will be done safely and and compliantly (by the way, anyone ever notice that word has been recently used more often from the government; who do they work for anyway?)

 That being said,strikes and protests really will not help; they really don't care, and short of playing the dirty game of politics (finding someone sympathetic to our cause and bestowing them with untolds amount of money; only to have them stab you in the back later); don't believe me, ask the Tea Partiers; we are all victims and at the whims of not only our employers but the regulators, the DOT and the IRS...sorry to burst your bubble folks, but that's the way it is.

 My only advise is keep your nose clean, your books current and your head low and maybe the situation will rectify itself...

 Sorry for getting so political for a first time, but this whole situation really irks me...but on a lighter note...any owner operators need any help with their numbers ; I've developed a new software based system for keeping track of your monthly and quarterly numbers and I'm trying to get some feedback...anybody interested in helping me get the bugs worked out...otherwise let me know what you all think...

LATERS