The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Ban Trucks in NJ!

I was going through New Jersey a while back, as I was surfing radio stations I came across this talk show between candidates. I don’t remember if they were federal or state senators, but what I caught was that they both wanted to ban big trucks from New Jersey except on the turn pike. New Jersey already restricts through trucks to the federal highways. I guess they are trying to restrict that even more to just the turnpike. They say it’s a “safety issue”. The way NJ drivers are, trucks are not the problem. According to a report done by the FMCSA, car drivers are more at fault than truck drivers. Or see my earlier post about the same thing.

Here are some of my solutions for NJ’s problem:

• Make a rule that any industry that requires a big truck has to be within 1 miles of a turnpike exit.

• Or only 6 wheel straight trucks allowed in NJ. Since one big truck can carry about 2.5 times more than the largest delivery truck, that would mean three times as many little trucks in NJ. But I guess little trucks aren’t the problem.

• How about no trucks at all! All industry - move out of NJ! People only live in NJ. They have to shop in PA, NY or DE. Need a new car? Go to another state to get it! Want a job? Not in NJ! Want your trash removed? Have a zillion pickup trucks and minivans moving trash to take it from the transfer stations to the dumps. Want a building bigger than a house? Not in NJ! Want to see a big concert? Not in NJ! Need to go to a store bigger then a gas station? Not in NJ! Want gas for your car? Not in NJ! Have a happy life! Be careful for what you wish for.

What about New York City? I suppose they can only receive trucks from CT or NY State. Or move everything by boat! After all, it is an island. Save every truck driver out here the headache; ban all trucks from NJ!

New Jersey wants the road taxes, fuel taxes and the tolls. Trucks pay 3 times or more than a car toll. And everyone wants their stuff. Instead of banning trucks from certain roads, ban cars from certain lanes on the turnpike. The NJ turnpike has a section where there are express lanes in the middle and feeder lanes on the sides. No trucks allowed in express lanes ever, and even on the feeder lanes trucks aren’t allowed in the far-left lane. But cars can zip in and around trucks at will, impede us by hogging the middle lane when we can’t pass on the left. That crowds all the trucks going in and out of NJ into two lanes in each direction. That’s crazy!!! Even at 3 or 4 in the morning when all the truckers are trying to get to or get through NYC or Newark, or just trying to miss traffic in general, we are still stuck in those two lanes. From Midnight to 5 am open all lanes to trucks! Restrict cars to two lanes in each direction! You wouldn’t see trucks during the day unless they absolutely had to be there. Which is still a lot, but allow trucks to zip through at night and I’d sleep somewhere during the day just to be able to drive through on all lanes at night.

I’m not saying truckers are perfect, but take cars out of the way and you won’t have truck-car accidents. And probably fewer truck-truck accidents too. Simply because we drive more, most of us get constant defensive driving training, and we work with each other and talk to each other on the CB about what is going on. Even if I can’t see a traffic jam, I know to slow start slowing down even before I see it, because everyone is on the CB about it. Cars just zoom on by ignorant and think trucks are the problem making them slow down a little.

So it’s not a “safety issue”, it’s an idiot issue. No one is even thinking. It’s safer to put laws on trucks that don’t live in NJ and therefore can’t vote in NJ. Put restrictions on cars (voters) that live in NJ, you’d have to be held accountable and have to explain yourself. And God forbid anyone being held accountable in politics.

They seem to think that trucks intentionally go through NJ, like we’re sightseeing or something. There is a lot of industry in NJ. Plus you have to go through NJ to get to NYC or Boston or anywhere in the NE. I agree, ban trucks from NJ!!! I hate going there almost as much as NYC. I would love not to have to go in or even through NJ at all!