Truckers News

August 2010

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FEEDBACK Show Some Common Courtesy H ow often when you are driv- ing these days do you hear a bear report without having to call out to the opposite traffic for a half hour? Or better yet, at free will? Or how about getting the “blink blink” when you pass someone or the reverse for a thank you? Today it seems all you hear on the CB are ignorant steering-wheel holders talking about how big their **** is or showing how badass of a CB Rambo they can be. Seriously, y’all sound like a bunch of sec- ond-graders out here and act like kindergarteners. We are supposed to be professionals — start acting like one. I was trying to get some local information the other day, and do you know what I was told after about a half hour or so? “Shut up, stupid, and buy a map.” Oh, I’m sorry if my question interrupted you from getting that lot lizard over to your truck. Now don’t get me wrong. I like to have fun out here, too. I’ve been doing this almost 20 years. When I’m behind the wheel going down the road I take pride in what I am WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE FORECAST FOR A SEVERE DRIVER SHORTAGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? Via Facebook: When I see it reflected in my pay, I’ll believe it — after all, supply and demand says that if they are short of drivers, they should be paying higher rates to those that they have. — Bruce B. I don’t see one. Fact is that most major and medium com- panies continue to recruit fresh drivers on a weekly basis. Most of these drivers are green drivers, filled with high hopes and dreams about how they can make “all this money driving a semi.” Fur- thermore, a majority of those drivers are ones that have no idea of what trucking is about and are in it for the paycheck. Fact is that a large percent of the trucking schools these days are just “driver mills.” — Scott G. There may be a shortage in certain areas of the country, but we are still waiting for freight in the Northeast. Pay has increased for the new drivers, but the companies are doing very little to keep the experienced veteran drivers. They are still want- ing cheap drivers. — Robert S. There is going to be a huge shortage. When I drive by bases of operation and see large numbers of trucks sit- ting idle that tells me that they are not getting filled, 8 TRUCKERS NEWS AUGUST 2010 and when all the new “green drivers” find out how hard it is on the road they will disappear. Today’s youth (for the most part) are lazy and don’t want to work. — David C. I don’t really believe that there is a driver shortage. It is a matter of poor planning on the part of load plan- ners, shippers, dispatchers, consignees. Just-in-time deliveries only work if proper planning is done. — Scott K. I believe in the driver short- age. I have my CDL, and no one wants me to drive. They said to me, “No experience, can’t help you. Come back when you have experience.” This is why there will be a driver shortage. All my friends hear the same — no experience, so stay home. I read in the newspaper a few weeks ago: 120,000 trucks are needed for 2012. If they said the same thing to all the others that they said to me, then good luck to all the companies that want new green drivers. This has been forecasted and said for so many years that some major carriers even started hiring drivers from other countries at one point in time. I see too many truckers sitting and waiting for me to believe that there is or will be a shortage. — Aric C. The way I see it, a driver shortage means more miles and freight for the current drivers. I am local, but for my friends that are OTR, I think they will get better and longer runs. — Jamie R. — Simon H. Via Twitter: There are plenty of experi- enced drivers out of work right now (like myself). There’s no need for a driver shortage if companies would hire us! — @zeccalc doing. Always have and always will. Now I run [oversize], so 90 percent of the time I cannot see behind me. I admit I drive an older truck, but c’mon, people. Have a little com- mon courtesy and sense. Flash your lights, let us or any truck that passes you know it’s OK to come over. I don’t think the truck man- ufacturers put the headlight switch someplace you can’t reach it any- more. Or for that matter, your four- way or clearance-light switch to say thanks. I could go on for days about how BRUCE SMITH

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