Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/566087
Voices channel 19 6 | Overdrive | September 2015 Visit Senior Editor Todd Dills' CHANNEL 19 BLOG at OverdriveOnline.com/channel19 Write him at tdills@randallreilly.com. An August Bloomberg News story covered Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo's reform of the state's pension system and an attempt to pass off a trucks-only bridge tolling program to fund infrastructure. The title made it sound like the guv has all the answers: "The governor who has figured out how to fix pensions and roads." But the success of Raimondo's simplistic approach – "Just pay the tolls" – is hardly certain. Rhode Island's legislature went into summer recess following the Senate's compro- mise bill (with less-expensive tolls). House members had not taken up the tolling bill. Whatever happens, Raimondo's clearly digging her heels in. She's charged with ignoring trucking industry representatives on the tolls issue, a charge that she denies. As reported by Bloomberg's Tom Moroney and Matthew Winkler, "Raimondo rejected the notion … saying industry representatives have spent hours in her office in deliber- ation. And why only trucks? 'They cause the most damage,' she said." After much consideration, she added, if she gets her way, truckers will pay. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administra- tion proposed a special annual certification for insulin-dependent diabetics, provided medical examiners attest the driver has the condition under control. Under the proposal, each driver would be assessed on how diabetes affects him or her, and not simply on a diagnosis of diabetes or the use of insulin. Driver William Maruyama said diabetes "does not affect the way I drive. I'm always prepared for a low blood sugar incident with candy, food, drinks and glucose tabs handy. I control my diabetes, as do millions of American diabetics." Medical Examiner Philip E. McAndrew of the Loyola University Health Clinic disagreed to "opening of DOT driving to those currently on insulin for" insulin-dependent diabetes. The pros and cons were discussed on the Ask the Trucker Live online radio program in late June. Catch the replay via the July 6 edition of Channel 19. Diabetes rule-change proposal in the works Governor to truckers: Pay the tolls, already! " I am a longtime CDL holder not cur- rently driving, but as a consumer of all things that magically appear in stores, I wonder if this toll business is what was intended when the interstate system was started. I for one will start using secondary routes, as not only are tolls unfair, tomorrow's drivers are going to be dangerous – not just truckers, but cell- phone-wielding four-wheelers. " — Popeye, via OverdriveOnline.com Join the conversation under the Aug. 8 post on the Channel 19 blog. Just pay the tolls … and fix the damned roads. — Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, speaking on her efforts to raise bridge tolls on large trucks to fund repair It was quite a scene around David McDaniel's 2002 Moore Freight Ser- vice-leased Peterbilt 379 in July at Overdrive's Pride & Polish event in Crossville, Tenn. He dubbed the truck "The Mistress" after his wife, Kelli, quipped about where the owner-operator spends most of his time. McDaniel's pictured here with the couple's 4-year-old, Desiree. As we talked, she climbed up into the cab with her father's help, and McDaniel patiently explained the gauges to her. Photos in the July 25 blog post show unique features of McDaniel's Mis- tress, including a painted behind-the-grille bug screen that pops in the right light. 'The Mistress' mixes with the wife and kids Todd Dills