I have been involved in the trucking business mostly since 1973. What I am seeing across the portions of America I have been in lately is a mood of anger at the Imperial Federal Government.
People everywhere, not just truckers are fed up. Our wages have not increased much in 10 years while the wages of buricrats that we pay for have gone up big time. No offense against teachers, they should be paid far more than they are and given the freedom to teach without government and teachers union rules, but years ago a truck driver made twice what a teacher did. Now most teachers make the same or more in some areas.
Most truckers if they are willing to work can make from $40 to $60 grand a year, sometimes more with safety bonuses, holiday pay, and other fringe benifits. That has not changed in the past 10 years. Some companies pay more than they did then but all in all, our wages have not gone up with inflation. Ten years ago I could feed my family ribeye which cost around five or six bucks for two nice thick ribeyes, now the same thing is around 12 to 14 dollars. The same goes for all grocery items and most everything else except the junk we import from China and other slave labor markets.
Trucking is hard work and ranks in danger with law enforcement and fire fighters. When we apply for a job, they have to track our history back 10 years, no felony charges, and good companies will not hire you if you have had a DWI or lots of speeding tickets. If you have a hazardious materials endorsement on your license, it is even harder. The rules and regulations we have to deal with are harsh and unforgiving should we make a mistake. Much is expected with good reason. Going down the road in a 65 foot vehicle weighing 80,000 pounds requires care and darn good training plus a good attitude. As in most jobs, you find great people and a few not so great but the time is running out to put anyone on the road in an 18 wheeler. You find people from all sorts of backgrounds in trucking. From a total redneck (thank God for them) to doctors, to pilots, to writers, to former police officers, teachers, and every kind of previous job and background you can imagine in trucking. From college degrees to tech schools, to just high school, trucking has them all. By in large we are damn good at what we do and yes there are some idiots that should not be walking unattended much less driving but that is everywhere.
Should truckers shut down for three days, guess what? Your grocery store will be empty or getting there. Most all freight is "just in time" freight meaning if we do not get the materials there, a plant may shut down until we arrive. Fresh produce is a constant moving of goods from where ever the produce is to the food warehouses and produce has a limited life. If you own it, it probably came by truck.
Truckers are the backbone of America and you can't simply put someone behind the wheel of a big tractor and expect them to drive. Many companies have simply gone out of business in the past few years. I think about 900 or so the first quarter of this year. Fuel prices are out of bounds while freight rates have not gone up accordingly nor have wages. It is getting harder and harder to find good people to drive because of all the crap we have to tolerate including even finding a decent place to eat and park for our mandatory 10 hours off duty. We must stop for 10 hours after a work day not to exceed 14 hours, no more than 11 of which can be driving. This is the law yet many states are very unfriendly to truckers and finding a place to stop safely for the night is getting harder and harder to find. No one wants to work as hard as we have to anymore and even though we make good wages, it is not what it should be considering the responsibility we as professionals have.
Truckers could change America over night if we would stick together. Our actions as the last cowboys could force government to take some America friendly steps immediatly. If we stop, America stops!
I hope this strike happens. Maybe just maybe something good will come of it. It could however get nasty. Knowing the Feds, they could try to bring ailens in with their junk equipment to murder Americans on the highways and they are trying hard. Mexico operates equipment an American would not even dream of driving anywhere. It is junk. I am already seeing some of it and it should be a crime to even let this garbage on our highways.
Like all occupations in America, truckers are under attack only we will come nearer fighting back than most. We are different.
Ghostwolfemoon
Serving Freedom
and Liberty
