Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/933951
February 2018 | Overdrive | 31 Products, to fight the ELD mandate. They made their case in Washington, D.C., along with protests there from other groups. Concurrently, three California rallies in Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield were attended by Sikh truckers. A convoy that started at the Sikh Temple in Yuba City and rolled through Sacramento capped the protest week. A later ELD protest rally in Yuba City coincided with the 38th annual Sikh Parade, the largest Sikh event outside of India. As Overdrive went to press, SikhsPAC and a group representing Punjabis, with roots in northern India, peti- tioned FMCSA for a delay in ELD compliance for small business trucker members and members who haul agricultural products. Khalsa says Sikhs have been growing trucking businesses in America since the 1980s. That's when waves of immigrants came here fleeing anti-Sikh violence sparked by the 1984 assassination of Indira Ghandi, India's first female prime minister. Most Sikh truckers are owner- operators based on the West Coast and in geographic clusters that include Indiana and areas in New York, New Jersey and Virginia, among others. Khalsa says he and other Sikh immi- grants gravitated to trucking for its business potential. He and his brother started a trucking company in 1998. "The goal was to work hard, earn a good living and get your own author- ity as soon as possible," he says. The tight-knit community expanded to help transition newly arrived Sikhs into truck- ing. Trucking schools such as Fresno, California-based Dashmesh Trucking School catered to Sikhs. "For the newly arrived Sikhs fleeing the genocide in India, language was a barrier at first," Khalsa says. "There was an effort then to penetrate the truck- ing industry, where a strong work ethic made trucking a good path. Once we became business owners, we could not only provide for our families but also stay faithful to our beliefs." Now there are as many as 150,000 Sikhs in driving jobs ranging from Class 8 long-haul to local delivery and voca- tional work, estimates SikhsPAC. For Manpreet Singh, an Indian-born trucker who came to the United States in 2010, providing for his family of five makes him proud to be a trucker. "I'm very grateful to contribute to the American economy," says Singh, who's based in Noblesville, Indiana. But he wishes his fellow truckers knew more about Sikhism and understood how much they have in common rather than their perceived differences. When the opportunity arises, Singh will try to explain his beliefs, including why he wears a turban, to his fellow truckers. "Some are interested," he says. Others, including dock workers, contin- ue to berate Sikh drivers, accusing them of being Muslim terrorists, he says. Research shows that most Americans know little to nothing about Sikhs. Mistaken perceptions have resulted in verbal abuse, violence and discrimina- tion against Sikhs since 9/11. But there are other challenges that come from following their religious beliefs. Because traditional Sikhs don't cut their hair, some have run afoul of corporate policies at fleets that require hair samples for drug testing. Harsimran Kaur, senior counsel for the Sikh Coalition, a legal defense group, was the lead attorney in a case involving J.B. Hunt Transportation and four Sikh truckers who refused to provide hair samples. The four reached a $260,000 settlement with the com- pany in November 2016. As part of the settlement, J.B. Hunt agreed to amend company policies to comply with federal anti-discrimination laws. A RELIGION TRANSPORTED The Sikh religion was founded in northern India in the 15th century. Sikh (pronounced "sick") means "disciple" or "learner." Sikhs believe in three basic principles: meditating on the name of God, earning a living by honest means and sharing the fruits of one's labor with others. Sikhism rejects caste and class systems and emphasizes service to humanity. Initiated Sikhs are required to carry or maintain what they call the Five Ks: Kesh (unshorn hair covered by a turban), Kara (steel bracelet), Kanga (small wooden comb), Kacchera (under- shorts) and Kirpan (a tiny ceremonial dagger). The five articles signify com- mitment to the faith and its ideals of love and service. Other facts about Sikhism: • It is the world's fifth-largest re- ligion, with 25 million adherents globally. • Sikhs have been in the United States for more than 100 years and now number roughly 700,000. • Sikhism is a religion distinct from Hinduism and Islam. • Sikhs believe in one God and free- dom of religion. • Observant Sikhs abstain from meat, alcohol and illegal drugs. • Sikhs cover their hair with a turban, representing a commitment to equality and justice. • 99 percent of people wearing turbans in the United States are Sikhs of Indian descent. Source: Sikhnet.com Where are your family's roots? OverdriveOnline.com poll In the U.S. for at least three generations, including my own 56% At least one grandparent born outside U.S. 23% At least one parent born outside U.S. 8% I was born outside U.S. 9% Other/not sure 4% Forty percent of Overdrive readers have at least one grandparent or parent or are themselves from out- side the U.S. originally.