Truckers Strike?

In the local paper there was a article about the high price of diesel fuel. They had a interview with a trucker filling up at the local truck stop. He was talking about ways truckers were trying to conserve fuel such as slowing down from 75 mph to 65 mph and not letting their rigs idle since that burns as much as a gallon per hour. He mentioned a possibility of a national strike the first week in April to protest. Anybody else hearing these comments?

Yea, I've heard the scuttlebutt as well. If they do strike I think it will be counter productive. How many people do you think will be sympathetic to their cause when groceries are not on the shelves. Truckers will become the enemy, not the victim they want to portray themselves as. I get truckers in my workplace almost weekly. When asked how much they net at the end of the year I have yet to hear one say less than $150K. Gross is always over $400K. One showed me his new truck in pictures. Just bought a new KW. He buys a new one every year he says and then pays someone to drive his old one. Had six trucks so far and was going to pick up his seventh the next week!

Didn't they try that back in the 70's during the last fuel crisis, and got just as far with public sympathy. Anybody remember that one??

Mike

I remember it. Don't know what the public thought of it but fuel prices dropped big time immediately. I was buying several thousand gallons a week for a truck line with 5 terminals at the time. Our company didn't strike, no common carriers did, the independents made it happen. The whole strike thing lasted a little over a week.

I remember it too. A dangerous week for common carrier drivers and independents still on the road. Lots of cinder blocks dropped off of overpasses into the windshields of trucks still running. The independent truckers got the blame, but I suspect that it was done by some sickos with too much time on thier hands, and no conscience.

Tom T

I heard on the local news that the independent drivers in the Pittsburgh area are organizing a strike and a local company is offering their parking lot for the trucks to be parked in. Not sure when this strike is supposed to happen though.

If the truckers strike, the country will come to a halt.

I think we take truckers for granted and do not realize what a vital role they play in the US economy.

Non-union large trucking companies will benefit...prices and profit will go up for theses companies.

Truckers will lose what respect they presently have from the public. A strike by them will be a dumb move. They need the public's support. A trucker's strike because of diesel prices will be seen as a statement that they consider themselves above the gas using public and are worried only about theirselves with no concern for the public needs.

Just curious, if a trucker's strike keeps you from being able to buy what you need to survive, who will you blame for the shortage? The store? Bush? Opec? or the truckers?

I have noticed much more freight moving by train than just a couple of years ago. The railroads are advertising how little fuel it takes to move large amounts by rail. If the rails had been properly utilized all along, I daresay we wouldn't be in the situation we are now. Problem is they take a little extra time and this is a "gotta have it now" world. If you parked even half the 18-wheelers out there, after a few weeks, Chavez would be down in Chile drinking #2 Diesel for breakfast, and calling Bush to apologize...

Railroads use diesel, too. One problem with rail transit is the time required to get something from one point to another. Another is the arrogance they display when they know they have you by the nads. Dealing with ICG years ago in my previous job showed me their "FU" attitude when they were asked to do something different than what they want to do. My brother worked for ICG for thirty years and has seem much more of it than I have, to the point of being laid off because someone with more seniority wanted his job. To their defense, they did offer to transfer him across the US to take someone else's job.

All I know is that the shit is going to hit the fan this year.



She ain't gonna take it, Captain, there's no more power.