The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Strike Petition Update

I finally get a response from the people doing the Strike Petition and since we are between loads, I thought I’d add a little response. Here’s the email I get and instead of replying, I’ll respond here, it’s more fun that way.

First of all….If you don’t like the petition, Why are you commenting on it, You can keep your thoughts to yourself, Before you start downgrading people you need to make sure that your FACTS are straight, If you are a truck driver or involved in
the trucking industry at all(which I’m sure that you’re not)

First of all, I comment on anything I want, good or bad. And you sent that stupid petition to me because of this website. And besides, it’s my website, I do what I want. I didn’t mean to downgrade you personally, only your stupid ideas. Facts? Yeah, I got a few facts. I’ll get to them later. The rest, I’m not going to dignify with an answer, either read the website, believe it or not, I don’t care. Notice when people are losing an argument, they change the subject and get personal?

You should realize that there is a problem in the industry, not only with fuel
prices but also with freight rates, and a lot of safety issues. The 3225
signed petitions were presented to Senator Mel Martinez on Oct 17, with
media coverage after the meeting,

I know there are plenty of problems in this industry. For every problem there’s a solution, like raising rates and cutting expenses on things you do have control of. 3225 signatures or how many signatures on 3225 petitions? With media coverage? Good for you. But if a tree falls and no one hears it… I subscribe to every trucking newsletter in the US and Canada and have news feeds and alerts set up for almost anything in trucking, didn’t see you. Even on the Senators own web site, you’re not mentioned. Even the nuts that protested at midnight with stupid cardboard signs no one could see got media coverage. That was also in Florida, I wonder if there’s a connection?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HELP OUR INDUSTRY????? I’m sure that you are one of those people who wants changes but you can’t figure out a solution of your own, I as an owner/operator and one of the biggest supporters of this great effort
have to wonder why people like YOURSELF are always so critical of the ones ACTUALLY making an attempt to benefit themselves and others.

I belong to OOIDA and I don’t agree with everything they’re doing, but they are trying to help the right way. There are enough people in my business already. I’m trying to run my business the best I can within the rules, regs and parameters of running a business for a PROFIT and not a HANDOUT. I don’t want change. The government has changed things enough already. You start messing with the free market and it’s no longer a free market. It becomes government subsidized, regulated and owned by a few. That idea is going real well
for farmers. The airlines and AT&T probably thought deregulation sucked too, but they’ve dealt with it one way or another. Either prospered by reorganizing and doing business a different way or gone out of business completely.

If you want a valid website go to the URL that I sent you, one more time here it is, www.webspawner.com/users/keepamericarolling/index.htm.

Why is it no one has their last names or their company names on your site? The petition I got was definitely promoting violence with this line -

**ALL DRIVERS ARE URGED TO PARTICIPATE. ALL DRIVERS WHO ARE ON THE ROAD AFTER MIDNIGHT OCTOBER 31, 2005, WILL BE SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROADS ACROSS AMERICA….REGARDLESS.

I’m glad to see on your website you want a peaceful demonstration. And for goodness sake, get a domain. Too bad keepamericarolling.com is taken.

Here’s where I start to ramble (a little) - Why should I shut my business down to support people that can’t run their business? I understand owners are in a bad situation, some of it
they can do something about, other things are out of their control. I admit it, I got lucky. Still pretty lucky so far. I got into a good part of trucking and now I have people around me that know how to make money. Other drivers in this field are doing well also. Even in truck stops, I avoid the drivers that are complaining and generally in a bad mood. I don’t need the aggravation and I usually piss them off when I don’t join in with their pity-fest.

In fact, the fewer drivers that can’t run their business that are around the better it is for the rest of us. I’ve kind of mentioned that before. The trip we just finished, we were paid to go empty, at a good loaded rate, to drive 1100 miles to pick up something where no one else with this kind of trailer was around. Then back loaded 1100 miles at the same good rate. For those playing at home, that was $2.12 a mile. For running empty, picking up a few crates and taking them back. And why am I supposed to shut down again???

After hearing a lot of stories about the recent hurricanes I heard a comment about victims and survivors. Victims are expecting the government to do everything for them and when they do, it’s not fast enough and it’s never enough. Survivors are taking care of themselves
and are grateful for any help.

Trucking is full of victims. There’s always something to complain about and plenty of people to blame our problems on. I’m not saying I know everything, but I’ve learned a lot and I’m still learning.

Trucking gave me the opportunity to do something I’ve never done before. Back when I was talking to owner operators about buying my own truck, the majority gave a hundred reasons not to. That was four years ago when fuel and insurance costs were skyrocketing and out of control! There have been a lot of trucking companies go out of business, but there are still plenty of trucks and trucking companies on the road. I plan to be one of them. Later, I may even buy another truck and start adding drivers. Victims need not apply!