Thread: Truckers in difficult spot!

Wonder why the planned truck blockade of DC was less than stellar?

Don't be too hard on the independent truckers. After all, the word "independent" means exactly that, working on one's own without a supporting network or coordinator. Also keep in mind the extremely high cost of diesel fuel and vehicle cost/maintenance. After all, you ain't makin' money unless you got a load and the wheels are turnin', and riding around in circles is paying nobody's bills. That means a double hit financially for a trucker wanting to participate in any such action. You can also forget the protest signs on the sides and backs of trailers that have been suggested because most independents nowadays own the tractor but not neccessarily the trailer they are pulling.

Unlike the farmer protest which circled DC, truckers don't just risk losing one piece of equipment from their inventory (a tractor), they risk losing their commercial license AND all their equipment in a law enforcement backlash. Effectively, they lose their ability to provide for themselves entirely for some period of time. That is a VERY high price to pay to excercise their right to freedom of speech, especially when vast multitudes of their fellow Americans are sitting at home with a Coke or a beer grousing and little else.

As for the company drivers and union drivers, well they would certainly be fired for participating in a political action in a company vehicle. (Keep in mind many of the corporations are behind a lot of the corruption in government to start with) Unions could not call a strike action against the government and not even against a company except for the most severe contract violation. Speaking of the unions, don't be deceived by the BS they are piping in all of a sudden. As I recall many of their leaders were waving banners and slapping backs in support of last year's pro-illegal rallies. If you want to get the big picture on where they REALLY stand check out this document at:

http://www.nlpc.org/pdfs/union_immigrat ... _24_06.pdf

Matter of fact, perhaps you can clue in some of your union friends and relatives to the facts because most of them are just stumbling along believing whatever they are told by their "handlers"!

That's a shame, I was hoping for a real blow-out.

Excellent post, tiredofapathy, and I agree.

My grandfather was an independent trucker. My father told me he was always on the road because it was necessary to pay the bills and provide modestly for the family. Supposedly he averaged about 1-day home week. You're also right about the trailers that independents use - they're normally owned by the company they've contracted to haul for.

By the way, has anyone checked the price of diesel fuel lately? Most independent truckers would find the expense of driving around without a load an extreme financial burden - it could mean the difference in paying this months mortgage.

Independent truckers, unlike criminal aliens, can ill afford to take a day off work. Actually that one day could very well turn into three days, depending on where they're coming from. For us to expect them to incur that kind of expense is a little unreasonable in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it was an excellend idea, but it was an idea that failed to consider the circumstances of independent truckers.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

Thanks for the support MW! I hope eveyone will take the time (warning: it is LENGTHY) to read the info at the link I provided.

Having many friends that drive OTR, I understand what you're saying. I talked to several in the weeks leading up to the event, and their answers were pretty much exactly what you said.

Fuel, boss, time, miles, etc.

The government has us working so hard to keep our noses above water that we don't have the means to fight back anymore.

I see a large, black cloud of anarchy on the horizon...

More likely that dark cloud you spotted is a political puff of smoke big enough to give us all colorectal cancer