The trucking industry is made up of the safest drivers on the highways. According to recent numbers released the industry is improving on those numbers too. So with that being said – why is the DOT ignoring the real problems that exist within the trucking industry – such as parking or the lack of safe parking?
Why is the DOT so “ignorant” to what the real problems are? They are supposed to be an agency that looks out for the safety of truckers – and all the other drivers on the highway.
The DOT placed a ban on sending and reading of text and email messages for truck drivers and are making the punishments greater than most states that already have these “No Texting” laws in place. And what really is upsetting about it all is that they (the DOT) did it without any “real” proof the problem even existed in the trucking industry.
If they were really concerned with a problem, then fines and punishments would be the same for all drivers – but they’re not – it can/will be more of an extensive fine or punishment on a truck driver if caught texting while driving a commercial vehicle.
DOT claims to be all about safety – but agrees that anti-idling laws should be in effect for truck drivers. I wonder if in the summertime do the people in the DOT go without air conditioning in their house? Or without heat in the winter time while they are trying to sleep? How can a tired truck driver get any rest in the summer or winter when they have to worry about staying cool or warm?
The DOT wants to change the hours-of-service rules even though the ones in place now have been working as studies have shown a continuous drop in accidents. Why change it if it is working?
The DOT wants to implement new medical requirements such as sleep apnea testing. That is kind of ironic because the DOT won’t do anything to help a truck driver FIND a place that is safe and secure to park so the drivers won’t be tired. They (the DOT) would rather close rest areas or refuse to build anymore, but will implement a new rule to get more money in fines because a driver had to continue driving because of nowhere to park.
To the average person who has not been around the trucking industry and knows nothing about what it takes to drive a truck cannot imagine what it is like to try to find a place to park 70 plus feet of vehicle that weighs up to 80,000 pounds and try to find that place to park after driving 500 plus miles and in the dark.
The DOT’s solution to all problems is to screw up what is working and not address the real safety issues that have existed for a long time and only continue to get worse – the lack of parking and just in time freight deliveries. And then sit back and wonder why the drivers have no respect for them.
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Well, Jason. Another fine post. And I love the look of the lady’s face in the picture. I feel exactly like that nearly every time the DOT opens it’s big, fat yapper. Some of the things they do just astound me. Keep up the great posts!
Todd McCann
https://twitter.com/ToddMcCann
http://abouttruckingjobs.wordpress.com
A good read! I am not totally sure what DOT is but it sounds like its the governing body over rules and regulations for the trucking industry. That is a shame that they are missing the real problems that exist in the trucking industry. I hope they hear what you have to say. Continue to voice these problems, I enjoy reading you posts.
http://roadworthytruckinsurance.com/
DOT = Department of Transportation. In this case the Federal one. States also have DOTs or an equivalent.