One for the truckers,what do you think

[Hammer]

Ok,,After stewing on this most of the weekend I gotta let some steam off,,Its a little windy but tell me how ya feel about it,,When I returned from my weekly trip out west my company had dropped this note from our saftey department for us to read and it has had my in high orbit ever since,so here it goes..... "In response to the terrorist attacks of Sept 11,2001 the Federal Motor Carrier Saftey Administration is moving ahead to prevent trucks from being used as weapons of mass destruction,,These efforts are expected to include that all persons applying for or renewing a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement will HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED AS A NON-THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY BY D. O. T. ,,This is expected to take up to 6 weeks to process before your CDL with hazmat is granted,,The rule is not complete yet and will be soon,,Its highly recommended any driver with CDL/hazmat renewals contact their DMV to see if they can renew early(it will vary state by state) to avoid being delayed and taking a chance of their CDL/hazmat lapsing and ending in the loss of their driving priviledges"..... ,,Now I do not about anyone else here,but,this is just about enough,,After dealing with law changes that were supposed to eliminate the "problem drivers"(the current CDL program) it only got me wondering whats next for us,,Federally mandated drug screening(both company and random road side checking),extra testing and training to keep our CDL current,hourly restrictions(never will get this deal,guy can work 80hrs a week in the office drive down the road and cause a accident but,we can not for safety reasons) and constant roadside inspections making sure we are on the up and up,,Now I do of course realize the industry has caused most of it due to the few bad ones out there,BUT,the CDL was supposed to rectify this problem and it STILL has never got it done and just costs us more money for our license,,23 yrs of safe driving,no accidents or citations,3. 5 million miles credited with 4 major companies,numerous invitations to state driving championships,patches,pins and awards to back it up and it means absoulutely NOTHING to the federal government,,Personally I'm tired of their,guilty till proven innocent theories,,I thought it was supposed to be the other way around,innocent till proven guilty,,Guess I'll have to wait and see if my "background" check will show them some skeletons in the closet and remove me from doing what I enjoy,due to being a threat to security,regardless of what I have accomplished every day from when I started at age 18 till now at age 41,,Think its time for a new career path if this is passed... ...

 

[The patriot]

Do you drive into NYC? My brother is an owner operator. He spends hours at these check points. He hauls dirt!! Guess he'll be filling out a national agency questionnaire to do it, eh?

The other day he was in Conn. backed up on 95. The reason? Traffic to the GWB!!! That's probibally 20 miles worth!! He was parked right there on the highway, sitting on the guard rail.



Where I work, anyone with a match could cause a lot of harm. Guess legislation to ban "assault matches" will be next... ...

Eric

 

[Archive]

Same thing here....

Hammer, I received the same notice last week. I keep a CDL (w/Haz-Mat) even though I work in the shop. Tells me the Feds are trying to preempt a "dirty bomb" attack. I don't mind the extra hassle. You have an excellent safety record. Keep rolling.

 

[R.E. Miller]

I just love this garbage.

You know, this is what I can do nothing but just shake my head at, the government of our country, and how well it doesn't work. This is a case that just fits the bill. The government wouldn't spend time or money before 9-11 to prevent this kind of BS from appearing out of no where, but NOW after the fact, they go on RED ALERT! Well I'm impressed, it only took a lil' over 3000 dead Americans to make them do something, that's great, it's just like hearing a dial tone on you phone... something is happening. What a joke, all of the hub-bub about how great our country is (and yes, I know there is no better place), and yet look at us, we will blow millions on red-light, didn't wash hands, and who's doing what when they are not looking camara equipment, but skip things like National Security. Now National Security is all we talk about. It is like little league soccer here, every one runs right to where the ball or action is, and whatever else is going on just gets disregarded. Good thing they are thinking now, dreaming up things like what Hammer is talking about so that life for the people who don't cause problems, just gets more and more expensive and time consuming.



Sorry to ramble

Russell

 

[JR2]

I am sure that these terrorist are going to get CDL's before they steal a tanker full fuel and blow it up. I know most criminals buy there guns at the local gun shop too...

 

[Champane Flight]

Happens

At our terminal the drivers cannot leave their trucks unattended at any time, unless the truck is locked. If we observe a truck idling with no driver present and unlocked, we are to shut it down and take the keys. The drivers (most) have done pretty good in adhering to the rules.



It was right after 9/11 that thay found eight cases of CDLs with haz/mat licenses being bought by some suspicious Arab decents in Ill? Or was it Penn? Now everyone has to pay. A old freind wants me to Grandfather into a CDL in his truck. I told him I didn't need the hassle. Kind of wish I had kept it. When they rolled it over (from class A to CDL) they wanted $100. 00 to transfer, I thought it was just another ripoff for the truckers and let it drop. Probably have to go through some long drawn out security/money taking scheme to get one now. Oh well, anytime I miss trucking, I just go out on the loading dock and talk to my Buds. After they tell me about the twenty hour days and the idiot drivers out there, I have no desire to go back.



It seems to me that someone is trying real hard to try to justify why Uncle Ted hired him at the BHD. Now they plan on a couple more bureaus to take care of this oversight. Starting a couple more to handle what the INS can't. God, and I thought the Dems were the ones who loved more goverment?

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

I know most criminals buy there guns at the local gun shop too...

I agree, law abiding citizens are not the worry. Criminals don't live by the rules. I don't need a license to steal a hazmat truck and crash it. I would need a license to make a living with a hazmat truck.

Tim McVeigh didn't have a CDL or hazmat warnings on the side.



Making it hard for someone to get to work doesn't help.



This just reinforces the distrust I have for the government's ability to make sound decisions and protect my well being. I have absolute faith that the gov't at all levels can screw anything up with unmatched efficiency at exorbitant expense.

 

[M Barnett]

After 30 years with big trucks, I see it as just another step for government to get bigger and rake in additional money. As mentioned before, the CDL was supposed to put the pros back on the road again. As far as I'm conserned, the drivers attitudes and professionalism have gone down the drain. Governments biggest objective is to get bigger and we all have to pay. I have to carry an umbrella liability policy and my insurance company told me this year would increase $3,000 for this rider. I threw a fit. No accidents or claims in 30 years and none of my drivers have any tickets. When I pressed for an answer, I was told it was because off 9-11 attack. Glad I haul milk and I will be o-k until the government decides its haz/mat because of the fat in it.

M Barnett