Truck parking is in short supply. We all know that. But it raises the question of how you increase the number of spaces.

Commercialization comes up a lot. And this is one area of government working with private business that makes sense, that doesn’t trample on the rights of the motoring public.

You wouldn’t pay to park. But if we allow fuel stations and restaurants to locate in interstate rest areas, the money travelers and truckers spend would help support the cost of upkeep.

But that’s not the only way to commercialize rest areas.

Instead of creating rest areas like those you see on turnpikes – with fueling stations, restaurants, complete facilities for those stopping, using the money they pay to lease that space to pay the cost of upkeep – other folks have asked, why not just allow those folks to put up signs showing they’ve sponsored the rest area, or individual parts of it?

This picnic table brought to you by … this restroom brought to you by … these parking spaces brought to you by …

Some of the biggest opponents of rest area commercialization are the businesses at interstate exits, including truck stops.

However, if those businesses didn’t face additional competition from facilities in the rest areas, but instead were allowed to advertise there, you might see a different attitude.

At least, we can hope so. In any case, it’s a great idea, and we hope someone will give it some real consideration.

During the last Truckers for Troops Telethon, we had a little competition, with veterans of the four military branches competing with each other to donate the most to support our troops.

And just as all four services were involved on the front end, the packages go out to members of all four branches, as we can tell by this letter from a U.S. Marine.

I was recently surprised by a very large package delivered to me by OOIDA. Thank you for your interest and generosity.

I am continually humbled by the charitable packages we receive from people and organizations such as yours. We’re very appreciative of your efforts and concern.

It appears that you had quite the outpouring of support with the telethon. The gesture and simple knowledge that people are thinking about us is touching.

My First Sergeant and I shared the items with our Marines and ensured the Chaplain received a share to stock his shelves, too.

Thank you again.

Major Karl Johnstone

For more information about Truckers for Troops, click here.

Here’s the latest in a series of thank-you letters from soldiers who received care packages through OOIDA’s Truckers for Troops effort.

We received your care package today and I wanted to say thank you so much!

The items OOIDA sent will be very much appreciated and, of course, are very useful.

Our office is located in a large hangar next to an airfield that was one of Saddam Hussein’s air bases, and it is now used extensively by the U.S. military. Consequently, it has a fairly large PAX (passenger) terminal. We set up a table there and put out the snacks and items you sent.

We sent the muscle ointment, socks and body powder to the medical clinic. We just got a physical therapist on the FOB who said she can use it for her therapeutic treatment of soldiers.

The letters the youngsters wrote were very sweet, and it’s never too early to begin developing young American “patriots.” It was quite touching reading their letters, and I sent them to the clinic as well, and asked that they be placed in the “waiting room” for soldiers to read.

The poem you enclosed, “September Lingers” is quite appropriate in our case, since the primary reason we are in Iraq is due in large part to those vicious, unprovoked attacks, which we should NEVER forget, and most certainly, not allow to happen again.

September is also the month during which our unit will complete this tour of duty and return to the U.S.

Again, please convey our thanks to all of those involved in this “care package” effort.

Very Respectfully,

Robert Hernandez MSG, Camp Delta, Iraq

For more information about Truckers for Troops, click here.

The issue of cross-border trucking with Mexico is normally considered a U.S. issue.

But the fact is, from day one, it’s an issue that is potentially just as important to truckers in the great white north.

As one trucker told me, anyone operating in the U.S. has to follow every rule that applies in the U.S., and every trucker operating in Canada has to follow the same rules that apply to all truckers operating in Canada.

Problem is, under the pilot program, that didn’t happen.

U.S. officials said it was true and expected we would all believe it. Many folks in the general public did. And that’s what we’re fighting now.

Mexico does not have the same driver records the U.S. and Canada do, or hours-of-service regulations, or a way to confirm how many hours drivers have run before they arrive at the border.

They run more polluting fuel. They don’t have the same emissions controls.

Those are just a few examples.

Until those and all the rest are fixed, it’s not the same set of rules. And that’s why OOIDA and so many others have opposed opening the border.

The word “hero” gets tossed around a lot, almost to the point where it begins to lose some of its meaning. A mechanic who does some work for you at a steep discount? A good guy, sure. Let’s give him a ROSE. But a hero? No, not really.

Jorge Orozco Sanchez is a hero. If you’re not familiar with Jorge, let me introduce you. About a year ago, the OOIDA member from Firestone, CO, was driving his truck down the road when an SUV crossed into his lane and hit him head on. Jorge was unhurt, but he got out of his truck and found the SUV on fire, with two little girls crying in the back seat. Their mother was slumped over the steering wheel, dead.

Jorge worked with another motorist who had a fire extinguisher to get both girls out to safety before the car and his own truck exploded in flames. Jorge was awarded the Goodyear Highway Hero award earlier this year for his actions. He was also presented the Carnegie award for heroism. And deservedly so. There is no question that Jorge is the very definition of a hero.

Earlier this week on the show, we gave ROSES to two programs that honor the heroes of the trucking industry. One is the aforementioned Highway Hero program. The other is the Arrow Truck Sales Back on the Road program.

Now in its third year, the Back on the Road program aims to do just what its title suggests – take deserving drivers and get them back on the road. Though their stories may not be quite as dramatic as the Highway Heroes, they can be just as moving.

The 2009 winner awarded earlier this year was OOIDA member Dennis Lott of Columbus, OH. Dennis drove truck for the Air Force for many years before becoming an owner-operator. In 2000, he was injured in an Air Force Reserve training exercise and was forced to get out of trucking. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, while his back was still healing, Dennis was called back up by the reserves and went to work transporting injured soldiers from Iraq to Germany and prisoners from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay.

Now, his back is healed and, thanks to the Back on the Road program, he’s behind the wheel of his own Volvo truck courtesy of Arrow.

These programs are noble causes that spotlight the very best in the trucking industry each year, and the deadlines for new nominees for both are fast approaching.

If you know someone you think might be deserving of either of these honors, now’s the time to tell their story. Back on the Road nominees are due by Dec. 6 and Highway Hero nominees are due by Nov. 30.

You can submit Back on the Road nominees here, and Highway Hero nominees here.

We can’t offer enough praise to these programs – in these dark times for the trucking industry, it’s good to have something to shine a positive light.

For many years now, truckers have observed a simple practice.

When they see a law-enforcement officer, an ambulance, a four-wheeler changing their tires, a tow truck, whatever at the side of the road, they move over to ensure the safety of that person.

Not everyone follows that practice. Films of police being clipped by cars passing by a traffic stop are unfortunately pretty easy to find on the Web.

But sometimes, truckers don’t have a chance to show that courtesy. Four-wheelers see that turn signal, and they take it to mean “quick, speed up to get by the truck before it gets in front of me.”

Or, they just ignore it altogether, living in their own little world.

Here’s another problem. If a law says you aren’t allowed to move over because trucks are forbidden in the left lane, how likely is it for truckers to risk a ticket that can run in the hundreds of dollars just to show that courtesy.

If public officials are really concerned about roadside safety, they’d stop passing those stupid laws. And they’d start enforcing move-over laws on four-wheelers, many of whom don’t seem to think they have to obey them.

California’s Air Resources Board (ARB) recently announced it’s launching a new, online Q & A column for truckers.

Wouldn’t an advice column be better?

For example…

Dear Arbby,

I’m a livestock hauler and was thinking of taking a load of hogs out to Sausalito. But if they start tooting once I cross the California line, will ARB fine me big time?

Scared in Schenectady

Dear Scaredy-pants,

We love our bacon here in the Golden State, but you’re going to have to ‘cap and trade’ those hogs.

Once they’re fitted with anti-emission caps, you’ll be welcome to trade them in our state.

Arbby

Dear Arbbey,

I drive a brand new Pete with all the clean air gizmos. But when I recently tried to enter the Port of L.A., they refused to let me in. That was after I presented my CDL, MC number, DOT number, TWIC card, FAST card, U.S. passport, and underwent a retinal scan and a rectal probe. What’s up with that?

Confused in Concord

Dear Con Man,

Were you breathing when you pulled up to the gate? If so, you were emitting carbon dioxide – which would account for your being refused access. Next time, hold your breath until you get out of California.

Have a nice day!

Arbbey

If you have a question for Arbbey, simply go to our Web site:

http://www.dearArbbey/ca/gov.fines-R-us//don’tlikeit?/dropdead.url

One of the most enjoyable parts of the Truckers for Troops care packages is the letters and cards from schoolchildren.

The reaction to that from soldiers has always been great, but this letter really caught our eye.

I just received a package today from the Truckers for Troops Telethon!

I was so honored to get a gift and to receive all the letters from the kids. There are about 20 people that work in my section, and we are all going to enjoy the items that we received.

We are all from Kansas and several are from the Kansas City area. I lived in northwest Kansas City, Mo., for a few years.

Thank you for everything; it is great to feel appreciated and missed.

Do you have the address to Miss Carson's Second grade class? Some of the guys would like to write back to the kids who sent us the letters, so we can tell them how much we enjoyed the letters?

Thank you again for everything.

SFC Worcester
Battle NCO 287SB Camp Adder, Iraq

For more information about Truckers for Troops, click here.

For years now, larger carriers and many shippers have wanted to reduce their shipping costs by increasing the size and weight of all trucks on our highways.

The idea has a number of problems associated with it. And it has also drawn many opponents, not only from traditional safety advocacy groups, but also from within the trucking, including OOIDA itself.

The battle has been settled many times in the past, but so far efforts to increase the traditional standard of an 80,000-pound truck, 53-foot trailer, have failed.

We’ve reported before on the arguments made by supporters. And we’ve dissected those arguments, looking at the facts and what conclusions they lead to.

The discussion has brought out some very eloquent statements and opinions. And I’ve decided to spend some time looking at those, and sharing some with you.

One example is a recent call from Paul Sasso, a Life Member of OOIDA.

Paul points out – very correctly – that the productivity argument used by supporters is basically a code word for “doing the same work with fewer drivers.”

He also asked a question: Is there any study, any research at all, showing that all the new equipment that will be required – new equipment that owner-operators will have to buy in order to compete – will really save fuel?

I think Paul raised some very serious concerns and asked some very important questions.

The folks who are pushing to increase the standard size of trucks should answer him. But they won’t, and I think everyone reading this knows that.

We’ve seen truck size and weight before, yet truckers are not paid more. In fact, the average salaries of truckers have declined over the years – and that’s before we adjust for inflation. Those figures are well known.

The best way to fight this is for all of you with experience in this industry to share your experiences.

Members of Congress are used to studies and counter studies. And while they may pay some attention to that, the fact is that nothing will get their attention more than a constituent sharing what they’ve actually gone through, and that same constituent saying where they stand on the issue.

Some time back, we reported that the FMCSA was going to offer a $300 rebate.

The overcharges occurred because even after the law no longer required truckers to get either contract authority or common carrier authority, the FMCSA did charge separately for each type.

The method of refunding the money, however, had some folks perplexed. The FMCSA first sent a letter to those who it thought deserved a refund, telling them how to apply for it.

So why not just send a check to those addresses, rather than make this a complicated, four-step process?

I’m not really sure why they’re doing it this way.

It may be that they’re trying to make sure that folks are really there, so the check doesn’t go, say, to someone who lives where a trucker used to live, and who’s willing to forge a trucker’s signature to get a little unearned payday.

That’s me giving them the benefit of the doubt. It could also be that a bureaucrat just can’t help creating extra, unnecessary steps.

Whatever the case may be, I’m just glad they’re refunding the money and not just keeping it. It may not be perfect, but this is a huge step for a government that enjoys taking our money so much.

Let’s enjoy the little victory, and not sweat the little details.

Morale is a problem in any war. And with the struggles in Iraq and Afghanistan lasting so long, it could be a real problem for our military leaders there.

But efforts like OOIDA’s Truckers for Troops, fueled by the generous donations of truckers, have made a difference, as we can tell from this thank-you note.

Dear supporters of the troops,

Thank you for the many wonderful surprises you mailed! You helped keep our spirits lifted!

We distributed your gifts to the soldiers who work in all areas of our unit. There is no doubt that what you guys are doing has not only enriched our lives over here, but countless others.

We would like to let you know that when one of our soldiers receives a package or gift, their spirits are lifted in a way that words cannot describe.

Your support really makes a difference in our motivation! We are grateful for the care packages you have sent! God bless you and your families!

May God continue to bless your ministries as you reach out to us and we reach out to others.

In Christ,

CH Bankston and SPC Grohman

For more information about Truckers for Troops, click here.

Larger, heavier, trucks.

Three words that can spur some really heavy debate. And rightly so.

Some truckers see the move to increase all truck sizes and weights as a scheme to make them haul more with no increase in pay.

Others, who haul those trucks already larger and heavier, see opposition as an attack on them.

I should point out, just as I try to do every time we discuss this topic, that we aren’t against any truck being larger.

Those that are larger now are permitted. They’re generally driven by experienced truckers, most of whom have special training to drive larger vehicles.

Here’s the problem: If you increase the size and weight of all trucks, even the most inexperienced, poorly trained or irresponsible drivers will be behind the wheel of the largest, heaviest trucks.

We have a system that works now. Truckers who permit bigger pay a price, which helps pay the extra maintenance costs. Regulation requires extra training for bigger loads; our most experienced truckers haul them.

Sometimes, the right thing to do … is nothing.

Let’s try that for a change.

Here is another letter we received from a unit serving in Iraq that received care packages paid for by OOIDA members.

To all the great American OOIDA members,

Much thanks to you all from us over here in Iraq.

Today is a cloudy and, believe it or not, rainy day, but your package definitely lit things up.

Our commander, Maj. Ryan, set the big box you sent on our dayroom table. Immediately, it became an eye-opener. Soldiers would come into the room, go through it, and take a can of hot cocoa, pack of gum, couple pairs of socks, and my favorite (I got the last one): an OOIDA hat.

I just wanted to write to you and say thank you personally for what you've done. What you did and what you all do continuously for the soldiers is very patriotic, supportive, thankful and selfless.

You remind us of the supportive spirit our fellow Americans possess and willingly share.

Much thanks from us to you. Keep up the support; you will always be remembered for it.

Sincerely,

Maj Ryan and the gang

For some time, truckers based in New York, or who run through the state, have been fighting officials over highways in the Finger Lakes region.

State officials have proposed banning heavy truckers from a number of highways there, after residents filed complaints over truck traffic.

However, the complaints were mainly over trash trucks, not over-the-road, interstate haulers.

We would have preferred some compromise that would have allowed most trucks to continue to use those roads.

For example, one compromise proposed would have implemented so-called “R permit” restrictions on the state routes throughout the Finger Lakes region, restricting the weight limit a truck can carry to 80,000 pounds.

That would still allow farmers and truckers to use these routes, but would catch trash trucks, which often carry 109,000 to 119,000 pounds.

However, I spoke recently with one of folks here in the building who’s been keeping an eye on this situation.

She says that despite attempts to reach a compromise, the state has a formal proposal on the table that would basically ban all trucks from those highways.

However, the state has to take comments on that rule, just as the feds do with proposed regulations.

They recently extended the deadline for comments. You now have till Nov. 30 to file those comments. We strongly encourage you to do so.

You can visit the New York truck Web site here.

You can submit comments to:

Yomika Bennett, Director of State and Local Relations

New York State Department of Transportation

50 Wolf Road

Albany, NY 12232

518-457-2345

And if you’d like to share your views on the issue with New York officials, click on this link for a preaddressed email: mailto:truckregcomment@dot.state.ny.us

(Receptionist answers phone) “CTI, how may I help you?”

Caller: “Can I trust CTI to get my widgets to LA safely and by yesterday?”

Receptionist: “Absolutely! All of our trucks are equipped with the Iteris

lane-departure warning system, Delphi’s adaptive cruise control with forward-looking radar, Nissan’s new steering-override crash avoidance technology and Volvo’s full auto-brake system.”

Caller: “Jeez, what’s left for the driver to do?”

Receptionist: “Stay awake.”

Caller: “How do they do that?”

Receptionist: “Each CTI driver wears a ‘Smart-Cap’ that constantly monitors their brain waves and sounds an alarm if it detects drowsiness. They are also required to wear the Opt-Alert wrap-around sunglasses that use light impulses to detect if the eyelids are beginning to droop.”

Caller: “And I guess your trucks are all speed-limited too, right?”

Receptionist: “Roger that. 62 is the max.”

Caller: “Well, it sounds like a real safe deal…but how the heck do you get my widgets to LA on time?”

Receptionist: “We unplug all that crap.”

(Authors note: While this is a fictional scenario, all of the technology mentioned presently exists and much of it is already in use.)

For some time, we’ve become accustomed to truckers calling in horror stories about the fatigued driving evaluation checklist in Minnesota.

For those who haven’t heard our coverage before, the checklist is used by state enforcement officers there to determine whether a trucker is too fatigued to drive.

However, the questions involved in the interview often have little to do with how tired you are.

After a long period when all we heard about was truckers being put out of service, often after just coming off their 10 hours’ rest, we heard from several truckers about state enforcement officers who say the list is no longer being used.

That’s nice to hear. But remember, when you hear that, that’s coming from just one officer.

Believe me, others are determined to move forward with this thing. In fact, some have even sent memos to other officers asking that they not tell truckers that they’re being interviewed using the checklist, and have even suggested they keep information about the checklist away from state lawmakers, who have a legal right to see whatever the patrol is working on.

So if you are a trucker who’s been subject to an interview that included questions like “Is your sleeper messy, do you use prescription drugs, do you have allergies, have you bathed lately,” and that interview led to an out of service order in Minnesota, please call the association. The number here is 1-800-444-5791.

One of the unique things about OOIDA’s Truckers for Troops effort is the way the packages are assembled.

When the association receives a soldier’s name and address, we don’t send a package to just that soldier – we send it to his or her entire unit.

In response, we continue to receive letters like this:

On behalf of the U.S. Soldiers stationed in Basra, Iraq, let me extend a huge thank you to the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association for your Truckers for Troops care package.

I received your package in early March, and have been diligently sharing it with over 100 soldiers! You will shortly receive a signed card from us, in deep appreciation for such a generous, well-thought-out box of material.

Without naming specific units, I can tell you that you’ve brightened the faces of a maintenance unit, a material-handling unit, a warehousing unit, an MP company, and the attendees of an Army Sunday worship service.

The self-heating hot chocolate was ingenious, as was a simple bag of Ziplocs to help us share the peanuts, pistachios and other knick-knacks. But the most notable thing of all was the sheer size of such a large box of love, support and patriotism that your crew assembled.

Thank you, not only for sharing this with us, but for the job you do in moving freight across America daily. One of the primary missions of our unit is to receive, download, rest and return to the road the convoys that bring our vital supplies every day. As a result, we have a deep appreciation of the mission you’re doing back home.

Warm regards and thanks again,

LTC Henry M. Bass

For more information about Truckers for Troops, click here.

One of the longest-running issues in trucking is how truckers’ highway taxes are spent.

The short version: They’re spent badly. They’re spent in the wrong place on the wrong things. And they don’t need to go up until all of that is fixed.

One of the big sticking points for many truckers – and a topic that’s generated many a phone call to this office – is the spending of highway money on biking and hiking trails.

I’m not against bike and hike trails. I’m against them coming out of a user fee – the fuel tax – specifically set up to pay for highways.

If all the highway user money went into the highway account of the highway trust fund, and then a different tax was set up to pay for passenger rail, bike and hike trails, buses and the like, and that was put in a separate fund, I think we would all be fine.

But the fact is, many advocates of these alternatives want to use fuel tax money because they don’t like highway transportation.

I’m not casting aspersions here. There was actually a bill in Congress this year that specifically stated it wanted to move freight off of trucks and onto trains, that it wanted to make it harder and more expensive to use a car so people would be forced to use alternatives.

Honestly, if there were a bus from my house to my work, I’d take it. It’d be cheaper than the gas and upkeep on the car. And I hike on a bike and hike path. I like it.

But I’m a little tired of this government attitude that we can misuse designated tax money if the government decides it wants to punish us for engaging in legal behaviors, like driving.

Trucking holds the country together. The taxes drivers pay that were promised to go to roads should go to roads.

Whether we can convince the folks in DC to do it in a clear, straightforward, ethical manner is a different question entirely. But that is simply how government ought to work.

Almost five years ago, I came to work for OOIDA with a bunch of print experience and zero broadcast experience. I knew from my job interview with Land Line Magazine managing editor Sandi Soendker that the association was thinking of putting on its own radio show, to be broadcast on what was then XM Satellite Radio.

I remember well those early meetings the magazine staff had about the show. We knew Mark was going to host. Beyond that, we didn’t know much. We figured Mark could host and still keep up with his duties at the magazine at the same time. Sure, we said, he can run up to the studio, record the show in an hour, and come back downstairs with plenty of time to work on his stories for the magazine.

We had no idea what we were talking about.

Mark soon learned that lesson the hard way and it wasn’t long at all before he realized that hosting the show would be a full-time gig and that he would no longer be working for the magazine staff. I’d say that notion hit him after about 15 minutes in the studio. To listen to him today, you’d think Mark had been doing it his whole life.

But even after watching Mark go through it, I still had no idea what went into making the radio show happen until I followed his lead from the magazine into the studio to work for the show full time. Oh, sure, I knew things were recorded and Barry Spillman and Jim Fetzer, our sound engineers, edited them together and made them sound pretty, but, really, how long could that possibly take? This job will be a piece of cake, I thought, and a fun adventure to boot.

It was while I was sitting in the studio at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night entering my third hour of working on my first-ever story for the show that I realized I was only right about one of those things. It was a lot tougher than I thought, but I was having the time of my life.

Now, here it is, three years and change later, and I’m hosting the show for the second time. In those three years I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned how to do a newscast, which is not nearly as easy as Reed Black makes it look every day. I’ve learned how to translate copy from print to radio and back again. I’ve learned how to listen for every little imperfection and edit in a given segment for the show – stuff that I never even knew was there. I still don’t have even close to the ear for it that Barry and Jim do.

Most of all, though, I’ve learned that there is nothing easy about putting together an hour-long radio show every day of the week. It’s a lot of work, that’s for sure. But it’s also a lot of fun and I’m still learning new things every day.

You never know what’s going to happen next. But I do know one thing for certain – we’ll be back with more, so stay tuned.

This is another in the series of thank you letters from troops who received care packages through the OOIDA Truckers for Troops program.

I want to thank you and OOIDA for the fantastic care package you sent to me and my fellow soldiers! It was really appreciated!

Our tour of duty was almost over, and we were not receiving any mail from home. Your package came at a most convenient time!! EVERYTHING was greatly appreciated!

Our Tour of Duty in Kosovo has now ended. It was a lengthy, invigorating deployment! 99 percent of my fellow Missouri National Guard soldiers have returned home to Missouri to their families. I, myself, am back in the United States.

I am very glad to at least be back in the United States!

THANK YOU again, for the incredible care package!

Spc. Andrew Goodwin

Missouri Army National Guard (MOARNG)

Task Force Guardian

How do we reduce emissions? How do we cut air pollution?

Those questions are standing at the heart of a lot of the proposals we see in the halls of Congress and our federal bureaucracy.

Many of those public officials have settled on idling regulations as one way to meet their goals.

To the people who write them, idling policies are little more than paper rules intended to meet an environmental goal set by far-away federal regulators.

But to the people who have to live with idling rules, the problems created by them are very real indeed.

Many truckers would like to see the burden on another part of the motoring public that they see as a bigger threat – the millions upon millions of cars out on the road. And it is true, moving more four-wheelers onto some form of public transit would significantly reduce emissions.

However, this may be a case of be careful what you wish for.

Some folks on Capitol Hill share the view that we should get more commuters into public transportation.

They’re setting up policies that would make it far more expensive to drive a car than it is now. And their stated goal is to do just that – to compel, to force people into public transportation.

However, that very same proposal intends to force freight out of your truck and onto a train. And I don’t see the folks behind that plan backing away from just that part.

So let’s put that aside. How about just giving truckers some kind – really, any kind – of reasonable accommodation for their rest periods. Many don’t have an alternative to idling. And the conditions in which they often take their so-called “rest” are anything but restful.

We need to have reasonable goals when we ask the government for something. And asking only for a safe and reasonably comfortable sleeping environment in your truck – and nothing more – is right on the money.

But we have to educate lawmakers. Call yours.

Explain why you’re required to take these rest periods, and why hotels are not a reasonable option. Explain that truckers taking split sleeper time can’t use a hotel, and truckers often have to rest where there is no hotel.

That may sound silly to all of you, or obvious. But you would not believe how many public officials I talk to who simply do not understand these regulations, or the realities of the trucking industry.

Again, we need to do some education. And no other kind of education can match what comes from an active voter with a real complaint.

Recently on our program, I talked about carriers and the pressure they put on truckers to violate the hours-of-service regulations.

Shortly afterward, I heard from several truckers who touted an idea I’ve heard before – that using EOBRs will solve all that.

And you know, if we had an effective and accurate EOBR, that would be true. But the fact is, we don’t.

Let me demonstrate.

An EOBR can tell where you are and if your truck is moving. It can’t tell what you’re doing.

So how does it tell the difference between you arriving the night before your delivery appointment and legitimately resting, versus you arriving and unloading, while reporting that time in the sleeper? In either case, the truck could either be running or not; you would not be moving, and your location would be the same on a GPS.

So if it can’t tell, how does it stop a carrier from saying “unload the truck no matter how long it takes, and anything over 15 minutes list as sleeper time. Then get your butt back on the road”?

The answer is, no EOBR we have seen can address that situation, a common source of forced non-compliance.

I wish there were a magic box we could put on trucks that would eliminate this problem. But at this point, there isn’t.

I do think the technology is possible, but no one’s offering a system yet that accomplishes the task. If I see one, I’ll certainly rethink the whole issue.

Meanwhile, we are talking about the government watching and knowing every single place you go – openly violating your right to privacy, and providing that information to your carrier.

Do you trust your carrier with your private information?

And what if someone hacked into the carrier’s computers?

Let’s say you’re hauling hazmat. A criminal or terrorist would like to use your load to hurt some people. So that terrorist hacks into the carrier’s computer, or the FMCSA’s, and finds out where you are.

Do we really want some system following those trucks? The Pentagon has been hacked. The White House has been hacked. Virtually any computer that exists has – at one time or another – been hacked.

So why do we believe the FMCSA’s or the carrier’s computers are suddenly so secure?

The answer: They aren’t any more secure than any other computer. We are exposing truck drivers to privacy violations, to security risks, to freight thieves, and to God knows what else.

As I said, I would like to see an EOBR that really could protect truck drivers, that could settle this problem in a way that prevented the pressures that truckers face at the loading docks and elsewhere. But the technology just isn’t there yet.

Meanwhile, I for one don’t want to endanger all of you just so some techno-geek can use your well-being to test his latest gadget.

There are two Convoy for a Cure events set to roll in Canada this weekend. Truck drivers will ride across the Great White North in an effort to raise money for breast cancer research.

Both will take place Saturday, October 3^rd. The first, organized by OOIDA member and Cure convoy founder Rachele Champagne, will take place in Cornwall, Ontario. The second will take place in Alberta.

Two other convoy events – one in Canada and one in the U.S. – are coming up later this month.

The third and final Canadian event will take place October 17^th in New Brunswick. The first-ever and only U.S. Convoy for a Cure will take place on October 24^th at “Willie’s Place” in Carl’s Corner, TX.

Champagne told Land Line Magazine that she is very impressed with the efforts of all of the organizers so far, and she is already involved in the planning stages for two more convoys in 2010.

You can find more information online at http://www.convoyforacure.com/.

As first days go, the start of Ohio’s E-Pass electronic tolling system could have been better.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that there were huge traffic backups at several interchanges on the Ohio Turnpike on Thursday as drivers adjusted to the new system.

Because so few people were using the automated E-ZPass lanes, turnpike officials decided to shut them down on Thursday, meaning E-ZPass drivers had to wait in long lines with cash paying customers.

Turnpike executive director George Distel told the Plain Dealer that they had expected 30 percent of passenger vehicles to use the system, but wound up with only about 10 percent.

By Thursday evening, some adjustments had been made and traffic seemed to flow much smoother.

Delays were also caused by a toll increase that went into effect Thursday for non-E-ZPass users, forcing those drivers to dig for more change and hold up the lines.

Texas has some pretty strict idling rules. And a recent change in enforcement – eliminating an exemption for idling while taking required rest periods – has some people concerned.

One state officer told an OOIDA member that state officers weren’t going to enforce the rules, but city officers would.

At best, that’s dubious. In fact, I would be very careful about that advice. We’ve often seen that what one officer says isn’t necessarily what other officers will do.

We’ve also seen where the command of a state patrol will say one thing, but the rank and file officers do another. That’s not intended to cast aspersions on Texas in any way – but it is what we have seen in other places.

That being said, try this – Land Line Magazine staff writer Charlie Morasch has done very thorough coverage of this. A story he posted recently contains the latest information on Texas, including what cities and counties are enforcing idling bans, and what exemptions do and don’t apply.

You can read Charlie’s story here. In addition, the magazine has published a complete compendium of all idling regulations nationwide, from the August issue. You can read that here.

Be careful out there, folks. The fines can be horrific.

The Nevada Highway Patrol has launched a new program aimed at targeting drivers who drive recklessly around big trucks.

The program, called Badge on Board, will feature Highway Patrol officers riding in the cabs of trucks. When the troopers see another vehicle break the law, they will notify other nearby troopers, who will then take over.

According to a statement on the department’s Web site, Nevada had more than 600 accidents involving big rigs in one year. Of those, 43 people were killed.

In 56 percent of those cases, the driver of the passenger car was at fault and speed was the most common contributing factor.

This year, the Nevada Highway Patrol received two grants from the FMCSA totaling more than $250,000 to fund the Badge on Board Program.

In addition to the ride-alongs, the program will feature outreach and public education on the importance of operating safely around big trucks.

Maryland has announced its plans for tolling on the Intercounty Connector, a new highway project that will run 18-miles from I-270 and 370 in Montgomery County to I-95 in Prince George’s County.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010, and the state is looking for public comments on the tolling schedule.

Six-axle vehicles and up will pay between $1.88 and $2.63 per mile during peak hours, and between $1.50 and $2.25 per mile during off-peak hours. Tolls will be adjusted according to traffic.

Peak hours will be from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. Those hours may be adjusted once the road opens.

There are several upcoming public hearings on the subject, the first is on Oct. 28 at High Point High School in Beltsville, MD. Another will follow on Oct. 29 at Shady Grove Middle School in Gaithersburg.

Comments are due by Nov. 25. You can find more information on the Web at http://www.iccproject.com/.

Thursday was day 1 of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Distracted Driving Summit and things started off with the department releasing a report that nearly 6,000 people were killed and a half-million injured in 2008 as result of distracted driving.

The report, which was released just prior to the meeting, found that 5,700 people were killed in 2008 in crashes where at least one form of distraction was reported.

The report went on to say that, on any given day in 2008, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone.

The summit continues today. Truck drivers are expected to be a focus during the summit – though not the only focus.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it will be undertaking a study beginning this month and lasting through June of 2010 to examine cell phone distraction in conjunction with crashes and near crashes involving trucks.

But Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made it clear in his opening remarks at the summit that the worst offenders are, quote, the youngest, least experienced drivers.

He went on to say that the problem doesn’t end there, and that distracted driving occurs across all age groups and all modes of transportation, from cars to buses and trucks to trains.