Jason's Law for Truck Safety

[rebel]

I'm the first to deny money to another "study."
That's one of the job responsibilities of elected officials. If you can't figure it out without spending thousands or millions of dollars - get another job.
Ex.
Back in Lake co. Fl. when they were debating incinerator project, the first thing they wanted to know was how much garbage did we produce.
They authorized $100,000 for a "study"
I went to the library.
1 person averages 1 ton per year.
Population was 130,000 so 130,000 tons would be my answer. 5 minutes spent for "free."
3 months and $100,000 later, they came back with 133,000 tons.
Was that so hard?
As Bull said, the number of spaces needed and location can be ascertained on Ch. 19, for free, ding dongs!

 

[Sinister]

The "study" is the first waste of money that will be made. I am sure trucking associations would glady poll their members "for free" and give very accurate results on where truck parking is the biggest issue. I think just the members of this forum could come up with a good list for this.

I also think a little common sense regarding putting an end to this ignorant 14 hour clock would alleviate this problem some as well. With this rule, we are forcing drivers to get as close to their destination as possible, which results in even more overcrowding of truckstops near big cities. A little more flexibility in the hours of service would allow those drivers to stop an hour or three away, without killing their chance at productivity the next day, not to mention it would cut down on the falsification of logs by drivers that already do this.

I agree that a grass root campaign would both save money, time and effort, however, I think we can all agree that that simply isn't the way the government does things, unfortunately.

So, we have to play their game, and I say if they are willing to throw some money our way, we take it.

As far as the 14 hour rule, I'm not even sure it applies to how crowded parking is. All the same truck stops that are packed now, are the same ones that were packed under the last system.

That's why (and here I go off topic...) I think the HoS rules are impractical, foolish, and largely ignored but many many many drivers.

I think something else that would help would be extending recieving and shipping hours, so that guys could really sleep when they needed to without fear of not loading or unloading that day and missing other loads.

But holy crap, what would that cost businesses?

That's why they want black boxes. We're not fooling anyone, they just haven't figured out how to excercise complete control over that part of our life yet. Or at least, they can't make it legal.

The '05 379 I just got out of had a peice of paper in the glove box that said something about a California statute that said if the vehicle were in a wreck, it was legal for CA to pull the black box records in the event of a fatality.

Freightliner has installed them for years already.

They're already here. They just want to turn them on.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Studies have already been done. Demographics and demand models have already been developed. Field surveys, truck parking demand, truck parking inventories, usability characteristics...the ground work has already been completed over 9 years ago. And we continue to allow this gov't of ours to destroy the trucking industry (truckers). They (gov't) have yet to follow-up with action regarding a need identified several years ago.

http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/01158/01158.pdf

It's a matter of standing up and speaking out with this information during the development of the parameters of a pilot-program. This can only occur if this bill is passed...not before. So trying to put the cart before the horse will only result in the continued problem truckers face with truck parking shortages in specific regions.

-ss-

 

[Sinister]

So are you behind the bill then? It sounds like it to me...

 

[SilverSurfer]

So are you behind the bill then? It sounds like it to me...

I'm behind any action which has potential to bring about positive change for our brother and sister truckers. This bill has that potential...but we must not allow our gov't to be the ones to solely handle this. Truckers in mass must get informed and active with input on how this proceeds.

-ss-

 

[Sinister]

You think it would help if it were re-written to make that 120 million a grant to say, OOIDA, or ATA, so that they could in turn use it to pressure municipalities, and truck stop chains to buy more property such as the one I mentioned on the previous page?

I think private entities having the money is better than uncle sam.

Bull and yourself are right. Just giving it to the government isn't going to do squat. I just figure it's a start.

 

[SilverSurfer]

You think it would help if it were re-written to make that 120 million a grant to say, OOIDA, or ATA, so that they could in turn use it to pressure municipalities, and truck stop chains to buy more property such as the one I mentioned on the previous page?

I think private entities having the money is better than uncle sam.

Bull and yourself are right. Just giving it to the government isn't going to do squat. I just figure it's a start.

I hear ya. I wouldn't have any problems with OOIDA if this could be the case. But ATA is the last entity I would want to handle issues for truckers. Hell...ATA was the entity handed the responsibility of Highway Watch, and look how that turned out. It's being shut-down due to all sorts of bs.

I have problems with the private entities having the money without controls on how it's to be handled. Private entities have yet to truly address this problem already. And in my book private entities are part of the problem. Example: VA business's would rather have the rest areas shut down, than to allow the commercialization of those areas...which would realistically expand the availble parking. NATSO has flipped and is thoroughly against commercialization.

The bill is written to construct parking areas...not to expand a business. For those that see the potential in this bill need to get informed and active to help direct how this program will proceed if it gets passed. There is a real potential to address the parking problem with this, and it needs to be capitalized upon with serious attention.

-ss-

 

[Sinister]

I'm sure you've noticed when they do road construction in Texas, they have the companies name, number and scheduled completion date on the project in various places.

Let's say the truck stop chains get this money, and are required to prove they built new parking spaces, rather than revamping old ones, or painting new lines, or whatever. If they do not use the money properly, and for it's purpose, they get penalized somehow.

Oh, I realize the government is the LAST entity which should be worried about financial accountability, but if it gets more parking, personally, I'm willing to overlook the double standard...this time.

As far as the Highway Watch program was concerned, I always thought it was crap anyway. There was never any need for it. The guy who spotted the DC snipers wasn't ever part of any sort of program was he?

By and large, I think despite all the negatives regarding the image of drivers, and the industry as a whole, most truckers are concerned citizens, who are patriotic, and want to just make a living, so I think we can still count on that to keep watch on our highways. What tangible benefits ever came from the Highway Watch anyway?

 

[SilverSurfer]

I'm sure you've noticed when they do road construction in Texas, they have the companies name, number and scheduled completion date on the project in various places.

Let's say the truck stop chains get this money, and are required to prove they built new parking spaces, rather than revamping old ones, or painting new lines, or whatever. If they do not use the money properly, and for it's purpose, they get penalized somehow.

Oh, I realize the government is the LAST entity which should be worried about financial accountability, but if it gets more parking, personally, I'm willing to overlook the double standard...this time.

As far as the Highway Watch program was concerned, I always thought it was crap anyway. There was never any need for it. The guy who spotted the DC snipers wasn't ever part of any sort of program was he?

By and large, I think despite all the negatives regarding the image of drivers, and the industry as a whole, most truckers are concerned citizens, who are patriotic, and want to just make a living, so I think we can still count on that to keep watch on our highways. What tangible benefits ever came from the Highway Watch anyway?

I hear ya, and thus the need to get informed and active. We could possibly prevent the always occurring miss-use of funding with the proper type of controls being put in place. Truckers know what's needed...and I feel have the ability to provide substantial input on exactly how to handle this issue with those funds. If we don't get involved with the process...how is this going to truly benefit truckers.

As to Highway Watch...who knows how beneficial this project could have been if it wasn't handled by ATA. Your question of what tangible benefits ever came only supports the understanding ATA is a destructive force regarding truckers and the trucking industry. That program could have been handled in a completely different way.

-ss-