When stating what drivers' complaints are you have to also state someof the reasons WHY carriers cannot comply or find it difficult to comply with drivers' demands to be fair.
The median OTR comp. driver solo gross income today is $48,500 for drivers with at least 5 yrs recent long haul experience with a clean record. The #1 complaint I get from almost all Company drivers is money w/ hometime coming in at #2. Now add to that it will soon also be about the benefits. Right now most companies of any real size offer better benefit packages than a lot of other blue collar industries. And the drivers are right, in part as the list of reasons why people are not going into the professional driver pool or not staying or jumping company to company is long. A sure fire way to get drivers stirred up is to talk about the driver shortage. Drivers don't believe there is one but in fact right now according to many researchers who have published their findings claim, there are about 200k long haul jobs available with hardly anyone interested in applying.
There are numerous reasons for this but to name a couple, young people can make more $$ n the computer and internet industry, in the medical field and in communications and in most of those positions you are home everyday. Baby boomers are retiring or dying off. A lot of young people who do want to be a driver find out that that one time they caught with weed or cocaine even tho it was 10 or 15 yrs ago, will keep them out of a driving career. Many have a bad driving record or DUI in their past. So the number of new drivers coming in who do not qualify for most carriers is through the roof.
Seven Reasons why driver retention is so high:
1) Driver pay
2) Hometime
3) Rising cost of health benefit packages
4) Rising cost of living on the road
5) Dispatcher aka Fleet Mgr or Driver Mgr
6) Unsympatethic TM
7) Over regulation
Seven Reasons why many carriers don't pay drivers & mechanics more than they do
1) Rising cost of fuel
2) Rising cost of hiring drivers
3) Rising cost of equipment
4) Rising cost of providing health benefits in part or 100%
5) Rising cost of medical insurance
6) Mismanagement of company funds
7) Over regulation
Driver hiring and driver retention challenges will not be solved overnight and for many, due to things beyond anyone's control, there may never be a solution that pleases both the drivers and carriers. And something we all have to remember...the CUSTOMER always come first!
by Marge Bailey
The DriverFinder Network
Truck Driver Forum. Where the job meets the road.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
HIGHEST Demand for Truck Drivers in 4 Years!!
Rising Gas Prices Haven't Stopped Hiring Demand for Truck Drivers
Even though gas prices average $3.84 per gallon across the US, we noticed
that hiring demand for truck drivers hasn't been deterred. In March, almost
41,000 jobs were advertised online for this occupation, a 33% increase compared
to March of 2011. This also marks a new 4-year high in demand for truck drivers
– far exceeding pre-recession volumes. Recruiters in Chicago placed the highest
volume of job ads for drivers during March, growing more than 30% over the past
year in this one city. Other locations with the highest number of job ads for
truck drivers during March included Dallas, New York, Houston, and
Philadelphia.
Hiring Demand for Truck Drivers – 4 Year
Hiring Trend
Source: WANTED Analytics
Monday, July 9, 2012
Are You Right for Trucking?
If it seems as if more and more big and small rigs fill the highways every year, it's not just your imagination - over 9 million Americans drive tractor trailers (2004 statistic) for a living both long and short haul. If you'd like to be one of them, here's how.
STEP 2: Maintain a clean driving record. Excessive moving violations and/or any Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions can disqualify you from trucking.
STEP 3: Obtain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) to drive trucks over 26,000 lbs. or any size truck that transports hazardous materials. Getting a CDL requires applicants to pass both a written and driving exam to prove their ability to operate a commercial truck.
STEP 4: Prepare for and pass the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) exam of the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition to a written test, truck drivers must pass a physical exam, including vision and hearing screenings.
STEP 5: Pass the FMCSR physical exam every two years to maintain your qualification as a commercial trucker.
Contact your state's Department of Motor Vehicles for specific instructions on how to apply for a commercial driver's license where you live.
Keep in mind that the life of a truck driver can be lonely, with countless hours spent on the highway for long stretches of time.
All employers must now conduct pre-employment and periodic drug testing of truck drivers. Failing a drug test can result in immediate termination.
Information provided by: www.e.how.com
Two of expediting is well known owner/operators are Linda and Bob Caffee of Missouri. Linda always rode along with her husband, Bob, while he was employed as an OTR driver for a line haul carrier. Although she held a dormant class A CDL, Linda resisted Bob’s constant encouragement to relinquish her company-authorized passenger status and could join him as a co-driver. She did not feel comfortable behind the wheel of the big truck and dreaded the day she might have to share driving duties in Bob’s class 8 tractor dragging a 53' trailer. During a visit to the Expedite Expo Trucking Show, Linda and Bob were introduced to expediting. The couple spent two days talking with expediters, expedite carriers and looking at a large assortment of expediter trucks. After the truck show Bob had little trouble convincing Linda that they could obtain and drive a smaller straight truck and earn a larger joint income as team expediters than they enjoyed in Bob’s tractor.
Soon thereafter, Linda and Bob, they purchased a 40' class 7 straight truck with a 96" sleeper and, after researching the business on www.expeditersonline.com, they entered into a lease agreement with FedEx Custom Critical. Along with many of their expediting colleagues, Linda and Bob have come to realize that:
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.
As owners of their own businesses, expedite owner/operators are independent contractors that set their own financial goals, determine their own work schedules and accept or reject load offers that conform to their personal, as well as their business credos. They generally travel about 100,000 - 150,000 loaded miles and log on-duty about 255 days annually. Unlike line haul truckers, expediters do not have established routes, they do not drive every day, they have no terminal or warehouse. All communication with the carriers’ representatives is via telephone, satellite device such as a Qualcomm unit, the U.S. Mail or TripPak. An expediter’s typical load is a piece of equipment necessary to repair a downed assembly line, or back ordered parts needed to satisfy a customers just-in-time routine. Expediters also carry a large amount of sensitive, expensive or delicate material for which a customer prefers door-to-door service and time specific pickup and delivery.
The most difficult aspect of expediting, that former line haul truckers have trouble accepting, is the usual wait between load offers. Expediters might be pre-assigned on their next load or they might have to wait a day or more for their next offer. They soon realize that the financial rewards justify the wait and they learn to enjoy the downtime during layovers, like the Caffees, by visiting local sights in any of 49 States and all of the Canadian Provinces. Reading, movie watching and visiting with friends and family are also favorite pastimes.
Authored by: Linda Caffee
Instructions
STEP 1: Complete high school or obtain your GED. Although not a formal requirement, most trucking companies (with about one-third of all jobs in this field) strongly prefer to hire high school graduates.STEP 2: Maintain a clean driving record. Excessive moving violations and/or any Driving Under the Influence (DUI) convictions can disqualify you from trucking.
STEP 3: Obtain a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) to drive trucks over 26,000 lbs. or any size truck that transports hazardous materials. Getting a CDL requires applicants to pass both a written and driving exam to prove their ability to operate a commercial truck.
STEP 4: Prepare for and pass the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) exam of the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition to a written test, truck drivers must pass a physical exam, including vision and hearing screenings.
STEP 5: Pass the FMCSR physical exam every two years to maintain your qualification as a commercial trucker.
Tips & Warnings
Many private schools offer training to prepare potential truckers for the CDL exam, which includes a period of driving under the direction of a licensed truck driver.Contact your state's Department of Motor Vehicles for specific instructions on how to apply for a commercial driver's license where you live.
Keep in mind that the life of a truck driver can be lonely, with countless hours spent on the highway for long stretches of time.
All employers must now conduct pre-employment and periodic drug testing of truck drivers. Failing a drug test can result in immediate termination.
Information provided by: www.e.how.com
Expediting IS Trucking
Surface transportation encompasses several categories of trucking; one of the fastest growing and most women friendly segments of trucking is Expediting. Carriers that specialize specifically in freight that picks-up and delivers door-to-door, with exclusive use trucks, on a schedule determined by the customers, are known as expedite carriers. There are many dozens of expedite carriers in the United States and nearly all of them use leased owner/operators driving tractor-trailer, large and small straight trucks and cargo vans. Many of the expedite drivers came to expediting from other forms of trucking, but a very large percentage of expediters are second career professionals or empty nest couples seeking a new lifestyle. The option to drive a variety of truck sizes is appealing to many of the women expediters who are lured to the road but don't feel comfortable starting out in a large tractor. Many of them soon learn that women are prevalent in trucking and they are capable of any and all of the job requirements performed by their male counterparts.Two of expediting is well known owner/operators are Linda and Bob Caffee of Missouri. Linda always rode along with her husband, Bob, while he was employed as an OTR driver for a line haul carrier. Although she held a dormant class A CDL, Linda resisted Bob’s constant encouragement to relinquish her company-authorized passenger status and could join him as a co-driver. She did not feel comfortable behind the wheel of the big truck and dreaded the day she might have to share driving duties in Bob’s class 8 tractor dragging a 53' trailer. During a visit to the Expedite Expo Trucking Show, Linda and Bob were introduced to expediting. The couple spent two days talking with expediters, expedite carriers and looking at a large assortment of expediter trucks. After the truck show Bob had little trouble convincing Linda that they could obtain and drive a smaller straight truck and earn a larger joint income as team expediters than they enjoyed in Bob’s tractor.
Soon thereafter, Linda and Bob, they purchased a 40' class 7 straight truck with a 96" sleeper and, after researching the business on www.expeditersonline.com, they entered into a lease agreement with FedEx Custom Critical. Along with many of their expediting colleagues, Linda and Bob have come to realize that:
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.
As owners of their own businesses, expedite owner/operators are independent contractors that set their own financial goals, determine their own work schedules and accept or reject load offers that conform to their personal, as well as their business credos. They generally travel about 100,000 - 150,000 loaded miles and log on-duty about 255 days annually. Unlike line haul truckers, expediters do not have established routes, they do not drive every day, they have no terminal or warehouse. All communication with the carriers’ representatives is via telephone, satellite device such as a Qualcomm unit, the U.S. Mail or TripPak. An expediter’s typical load is a piece of equipment necessary to repair a downed assembly line, or back ordered parts needed to satisfy a customers just-in-time routine. Expediters also carry a large amount of sensitive, expensive or delicate material for which a customer prefers door-to-door service and time specific pickup and delivery.
The most difficult aspect of expediting, that former line haul truckers have trouble accepting, is the usual wait between load offers. Expediters might be pre-assigned on their next load or they might have to wait a day or more for their next offer. They soon realize that the financial rewards justify the wait and they learn to enjoy the downtime during layovers, like the Caffees, by visiting local sights in any of 49 States and all of the Canadian Provinces. Reading, movie watching and visiting with friends and family are also favorite pastimes.
Authored by: Linda Caffee
Friday, June 29, 2012
OTR Driver Shortage Worsens! June Report
By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY
A worsening shortage of truck drivers is pushing up freight rates and delaying some deliveries, defying the weak economy, high unemployment and falling gasoline prices.
"It's getting harder to get drivers," says Mike Card, president of Combined Transport of Central Point, Ore., and incoming chairman of the American Trucking Associations. "I could hire 50 guys right now." He now employs 393 drivers.
Many Baby Boomers are retiring and fewer young people are interested in long-haul-trucking careers that often require drivers to be away from home for weeks at a time, says Ben Cubitt, senior vice president of Transplace, which manages freight delivery for businesses.
Despite the 8.2% national jobless rate, many unemployed construction and factory workers can't afford the $4,000 to $6,000 cost of a six-week driver-training course, says Rosalyn Wilson, senior business analyst of consulting firm Delcan.
In addition, she says, truck drivers must be at least 21, leading many 18-year-old high school graduates who might consider trucking to instead pursue plumbing or other trades.
Another barrier: The government began publicizing the safety ratings of trucking companies 18 months ago, prompting some carriers to hire only drivers with unblemished records and narrowing the pool of qualified applicants.
The annual driver turnover rate at large carriers rose to a four-year high of 90% in the first quarter from 75% a year ago, according to the trucking association. The turnover rate at small carriers jumped even more sharply in that period, to 71% from 50%.
The shortage has increased average driver salaries about 5% this year to $45,000 to $50,000, says Noel Perry, managing director at FTR Associates.
The crunch is expected to become even more dire next year when stricter federal limits on the number of hours drivers can work take effect. That safety move will force companies to hire more drivers.
Driver shortages are effectively limiting truck capacity and helping push up freight rates by 2% to 5% this year, despite the sluggish economy, says analyst Benjamin Hartford of research firm R.W. Baird. Also driving up rates are rising wages and truck prices that have increased as much as 40% the past few years because of modernized engines that must meet tougher emissions rules.
Card of Combined Transport says 10% of his deliveries are one or two days late because he doesn't have enough drivers.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
DOT Orders WTSA US Express to Shut Down
FMCSA 15-12
Friday, June 08, 2012
Contact: Shashunga Clayton
Tel.: (202) 366-9999
FMCSA shut down WTSA US Express following an extensive review of the company’s operations that discovered multiple federal safety violations in the areas of drivers' hours-of-service compliance, driver qualifications and drug testing requirements.
"Commercial truck and bus companies that blatantly violate federal safety standards and jeopardize public safety will be shut down. Safety is always our top priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
FMCSA immediately placed WTSA US Express out of service after agency investigators found a range of safety infractions that substantially increased the likelihood of serious injury to the traveling public. For example, investigators uncovered that the company employed drivers without valid commercial driver’s licenses and medical certificates, and the company allowed its drivers to operate without records of duty status. Additionally, WTSA US Express did not test its drivers for controlled substances.
“Our aggressive safety enforcement efforts, designed to shut down the bad actors, are effectively raising the bar for truck and bus safety,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "We will continue to do everything possible to protect the traveling public and help save lives.”
On May 30, in the largest single safety crackdown in the agency’s history, FMCSA shut down 26 bus operations, declaring them imminent hazards to public safety, and ordered 10 individual bus company owners, managers and employees to cease all passenger transportation operations. The bus companies transported over 1,800 passengers a day along Interstate-95, from New York to Florida. Further, earlier this month, FMCSA and its partners conducted safety inspections of motorcoaches, tour buses, school buses and other commercial passenger buses in 13 states and the District of Columbia resulting in over 2,200 safety inspections and the successful removal of 116 commercial motor vehicle drivers and 169 buses from the roadway for substantial safety violations.
A copy of the imminent hazard out-of-service orders can be viewed at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/about/news/2012/wtsa-us-express-ih-order.pdf.
Friday, June 08, 2012
Contact: Shashunga Clayton
Tel.: (202) 366-9999
U.S. Department of Transportation Orders WTSA US Express to Shut Down
FMCSA finds Wisconsin-based truck company to be imminent safety hazard
WASHINGTON, DC– The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) ordered Wisconsin-based truck company WTSA US Express to immediately cease all transportation services, based on serious safety violations that posed an imminent hazard to public safety.FMCSA shut down WTSA US Express following an extensive review of the company’s operations that discovered multiple federal safety violations in the areas of drivers' hours-of-service compliance, driver qualifications and drug testing requirements.
"Commercial truck and bus companies that blatantly violate federal safety standards and jeopardize public safety will be shut down. Safety is always our top priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
FMCSA immediately placed WTSA US Express out of service after agency investigators found a range of safety infractions that substantially increased the likelihood of serious injury to the traveling public. For example, investigators uncovered that the company employed drivers without valid commercial driver’s licenses and medical certificates, and the company allowed its drivers to operate without records of duty status. Additionally, WTSA US Express did not test its drivers for controlled substances.
“Our aggressive safety enforcement efforts, designed to shut down the bad actors, are effectively raising the bar for truck and bus safety,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "We will continue to do everything possible to protect the traveling public and help save lives.”
On May 30, in the largest single safety crackdown in the agency’s history, FMCSA shut down 26 bus operations, declaring them imminent hazards to public safety, and ordered 10 individual bus company owners, managers and employees to cease all passenger transportation operations. The bus companies transported over 1,800 passengers a day along Interstate-95, from New York to Florida. Further, earlier this month, FMCSA and its partners conducted safety inspections of motorcoaches, tour buses, school buses and other commercial passenger buses in 13 states and the District of Columbia resulting in over 2,200 safety inspections and the successful removal of 116 commercial motor vehicle drivers and 169 buses from the roadway for substantial safety violations.
A copy of the imminent hazard out-of-service orders can be viewed at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/about/news/2012/wtsa-us-express-ih-order.pdf.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Driver turnover soars among small US truckload fleets
2012-06-15
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Driver turnover among US truckload fleets pushed higher in the first quarter, according to the American Trucking Associations.
Small truckload fleets, with revenue of less than $30 million per year, saw their turnover rates surge 16% to 71% in the first quarter, reaching their highest level since the second quarter of 2008.
Large truckload fleets saw a small increase in driver turnover to 90%, its highest rate since the first quarter of 2008.
“We were surprised that the turnover rate dipped in the fourth quarter,” said ATA’s chief economist Bob Costello. “This report of a slight rise at large fleets and a significant increase at smaller fleets matches up with what we hear regarding the health of the industry, the tightening of the labour market for drivers and demand for good, quality, experienced drivers.”
Turnover among LTL fleets remained at a “remarkably low” 8%, the ATA reported.
Bigger carriers are paying more than small carriers and the trend will continue as the driver market tightens.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Driver turnover among US truckload fleets pushed higher in the first quarter, according to the American Trucking Associations.
Small truckload fleets, with revenue of less than $30 million per year, saw their turnover rates surge 16% to 71% in the first quarter, reaching their highest level since the second quarter of 2008.
Large truckload fleets saw a small increase in driver turnover to 90%, its highest rate since the first quarter of 2008.
“We were surprised that the turnover rate dipped in the fourth quarter,” said ATA’s chief economist Bob Costello. “This report of a slight rise at large fleets and a significant increase at smaller fleets matches up with what we hear regarding the health of the industry, the tightening of the labour market for drivers and demand for good, quality, experienced drivers.”
Turnover among LTL fleets remained at a “remarkably low” 8%, the ATA reported.
Bigger carriers are paying more than small carriers and the trend will continue as the driver market tightens.
Quote from Ricky Gooch: A lot of drivers jumping ship will never work again as these drivers will get PSP scores for the first time and become un-hireable.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
One Day I'm Gonna Blow That Horn!
When I was growing up we would take family trips down to
Georgia, and just like kids today, when you pass a truck you would ask the trucker to
blow that horn. I told myself that one day I’m gonna blow that horn
myself.
When I graduated from high school my dad asked me what I was
going to do with my life and I told him I was going to be a truck driver. He
told me if you drive a truck, you gotta know how to fix it – he was a diesel
mechanic.
I wondered who would teach me to fix a truck. I woke up one
night and decided to join the military - the army. When I went downstairs that
morning, lo and behold, a recruiter called me – I hadn’t called him. He was
going through a solicitation process and I asked if the army could teach me to
be a mechanic? He said yes, and I pretty much signed up. I couldn’t join right
then, so I went to college studying sociology at Bowling Green State University
in Toledo, Ohio. In January, 1993, I joined the army. I did eight years in with
the reserves as a 63 whisky (W) (heavy wheel heavy duty mechanic).
When I turned 23, I realized that if it wasn’t my truck, I didn’t
have to know how to fix it. So I went to truck driving school. A city driver
had to teach me how to be an over-the-road driver. I really didn’t know a lot when I finished school. I’m in the process of making
a movie called
The Things They Didn’t Tell You in Truck Driving School.
I didn’t even know how to fuel a truck. I didn’t know that a
satellite pump existed; they had to show me how to do that. I didn’t have a full u n d e r s t a n d i n g about
log books. I like the independence of driving solo. But, I get scared when I
get lost and I used to get really paranoid, breaking out in a sweat – a panic attack.
So what I do now is just laugh and say I can’t believe I did that, and that
calms me down. I try to get directions from the guy I pull for or better than
that, I call the people where I will deliver. Nine times out of ten they know
how they get to work.
I remember one time a truck driver came on the radio that
needed help slidinghis tandems and when he saw me come over he was surprised.
He never thought that a woman would come and help before
a man.
Halloween is my ultimate – I love Halloween. In October I like
to dress up and hand out candy to truck drivers. Once I was dressed up like the
Nightmare before Christmas – that big white head –
and wear a suit. Some ladies at a truck stop told the police
and they asked me if I was workin’. I said no I am a truck driver. If I was
working why would I be dressed up like this?
I joined Women In Trucking because it is like a sisterhood.
Shannon Smith
Source: Women In Trucking www.womenintrucking.org
Friday, May 4, 2012
Illegals Can Claim Children Who Live in Mexico!
An
IRS loophole allowing illegal aliens to get tax returns for children who don't
even live in the United States.
Source: IRS Watch Video
Source: IRS Watch Video
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Auzzie Trucking is Feeling the Pain
News for trucking jobs
Sydney Morning Herald- Hundreds feel axe as diabolical jobs outlook gets worse
Herald Sun - 6 hours agoVICTORIA'S horror run of job losses continued last night with 250 jobs gone as a trucking company collapsed and the Commonwealth Bank ...
- The Australian - 5 hours ago
- Source: Google Search Results
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Your Job - What's Love Got to Do With It??
Maybe EVERYTHING!!
Long haul driving is for many solo drivers, LONELY. It is much more exciting and less boring to team drive with a compatible co-driver, especially if the team is in love.
What are the pros and cons of solo driving versus team driving?
I'll just point out a few here. Most people reading this know all of them I'm sure but I hope to see comments posted to my short list that will start an open discussion:
PROS
Marge/Admin
Long haul driving is for many solo drivers, LONELY. It is much more exciting and less boring to team drive with a compatible co-driver, especially if the team is in love.
What are the pros and cons of solo driving versus team driving?
I'll just point out a few here. Most people reading this know all of them I'm sure but I hope to see comments posted to my short list that will start an open discussion:
PROS
- Some people like solo driving and are not a candidate for sharing their condo space or the wheel. But for others they dislike the lonliness, enjoy sharing their space and love having a partnership, IF it's compatible.
- The reason that 99% of the drivers who sign up for trucker dating sites like mine, TruckerCupid.com, is they not only want a co-driver, they want the co-driver relationship to be a loving, committed relationship. Also drivers post to trucker dating sites so they can find someone who understnads and accepts their job's lifestyle. Most are only off the truck about 42 days per year! That is the #1 reason.
- Whether or not the driver's significant other is on the truck as their co-driver or jump seat passenger, a loving relationship is their goal. When a driver is in that kind of relationship, he or she is happier, less prone to road rage and believe it or not, loves what they do in most cases, even more. Happy drivers are safer drivers!
- Sharing a 2x4 space with someone, 24/7 is a huge challenge for some people. A lot of compromise is required.
- Sharing the driving for many is out of the question. They don't mind a passenger but they can't rest or sleep with anyone other than themsleves under the wheel.
- Hygiene is often times a problem when one of the team doesn't bathe often enough.
- Not being compatible on more than 1 or 2 levels is the #1 reason some will not team.
Marge/Admin
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Docu-Film - The TRUTH About the Bailouts
“American Casino is a powerful and shocking look at the subprime lending scandal. If you want to understand how the US financial system failed and how mortgage companies ripped off the poor, see this film.”
Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel prize-winning economist
“FASCINATING! A TERRIFIC documentary chronicling the subprime-mortgage mess and the financial collapse of the past two years…
With a rare cohesive power, the Cockburns fill in the lines of connection. They function a little like Raymond Chandler as he traces the corruption that produces, at the end of a long chain of circumstances, the lady in the lake…
The movie is a lucid and comprehensive picture of a rotten system.”
David Denby, The New Yorker
“sensationally effective”
New York Magazine
| “Politicians and the media like to talk about the relationship between Wall Street and Main Street, but investigative journalist Leslie Cockburn’s debut feature gets to the guts of the matter, visiting defectors from Bear Stearns and Standard & Poor’s and other high-level players in the subprime mortgage gamble and, on the flipside, visiting the working-class Americans who were the unwitting chips on the table.” — Tribeca Festival programmers 2009 | “It is rare that a documentary director has the privilege to shoot a film that, while in production, becomes the greatest story of our time. The “worst case scenario” of January 2008, when we began work on American Casino, turned into reality in the year that followed. We were able to follow our characters through Wall Street’s collapse, foreclosure, bankruptcy, homelessness. We watched whole neighborhoods ravaged by the subprime meltdown. I have spent much of my career filming in war zones and post apocalyptic societies — Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan. But I never expected such a disaster at home. To be there, with a camera, while it was happening, telling the story, was certainly the highlight of my career.” — Leslie Cockburn, Director |
American Casino presented by Table Rock Films, produced by Leslie and Andrew Cockburn
Mortgage Bailout Under Obama - $27 Trillion+
Greasing the skids for mortgage help
As part of Obama’s Making Home Affordable plan to help 9 million borrowers stay in their homes, the government is allocating $75 billion for various incentives.
Related bailout Links
| Servicer | Date | Taxpayer Support | Trial mods started | Percent of eligible delinquent loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saxon Mortgage Services Inc. | 4/13/2009 | $886,420,000 | 32,931 | 41% |
| Aurora Loan Services, LLC | 5/1/2009 | $447,690,000 | 23,889 | 33% |
| CitiMortgage Inc. | 4/13/2009 | $2,089,600,000 | 68,248 | 33% |
| Nationstar Mortgage LLC | 5/28/2009 | $25,170,000 | 8,413 | 28% |
| J.P.Morgan Chase Bank | 7/31/2009 | $2,684,870,000 | 117,196 | 27% |
| Select Portfolio Servicing | 4/13/2009 | $782,500,000 | 15,706 | 26% |
| GMAC Mortgage Inc. | 4/13/2009 | $3,554,890,000 | 19,331 | 26% |
| Wells Fargo Bank | 4/13/2009 | $2,475,080,000 | 62,989 | 20% |
| Residential Credit Solutions | 6/12/2009 | $17,540,000 | 313 | 17% |
| First Federal Savings and Loan | 6/19/2009 | $770,000 | 3 | 15% |
| Green Tree Servicing LLC | 4/24/2009 | $221,790,000 | 474 | 12% |
| Bank of America | 4/17/2009 | $967,120,000 | 94,918 | 11% |
| Wilshire Credit Corp. | 4/20/2009 | $203,460,000 | 2,929 | 10% |
| National City Bank | 6/26/2009 | $610,150,000 | 3,845 | 9% |
| Ocwen Financial Corp. Inc. | 4/16/2009 | $553,380,000 | 5,193 | 8% |
| OneWest Bank | 8/28/2009 | $814,240,000 | 5,217 | 5% |
| CCO Mortgage Glen | 6/17/2009 | $29,590,000 | 158 | 3% |
| Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC | 4/27/2009 | $222,010,000 | 584 | 3% |
| U.S. Bank National Association Owensboro | 9/9/2009 | $139,140,000 | 863 | 3% |
| Wachovia Mortgage, FSB | 7/1/2009 | $1,357,890,000 | 2,019 | 3% |
| RG Mortgage Corporation | 6/17/2009 | $45,700,000 | 64 | 2% |
| Bayview Loan Servicing, LLC | 7/1/2009 | $68,110,000 | 196 | 2% |
| Litton Loan Servicing | 8/12/2009 | $1,087,950,000 | 2,229 | 2% |
| Farmers State Bank West | 7/17/2009 | $80,000 | 0 | 0% |
| HomEq Servicing | 8/5/2009 | $552,810,000 | 0 | 0% |
| MorEquity, Inc. | 7/17/2009 | $42,010,000 | 0 | 0% |
| American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc. | 7/22/2009 | $1,218,820,000 | 440 | 0% |
| Franklin Credit Management Corp. | 9/11/2009 | $33,520,000 | n/a | n/a |
| Others | n/a | $1,420,750,000 | 18,910 | 8% |
Total |
$27,347,580,000
|
487,681
|
16%
|
Source: Treasury Dept.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Beware of nuts in a jar of peanuts!
Recently I purchased a bottle of baby lotion, because I like
the smell of the pink stuff they put on babies.
For some reason I looked at the back of the bottle and the warning label
surprised me, “keep out of reach of children.”
REALLY? Where would you set the
bottle if you were applying the lotion to your baby?
Okay, sometimes it seems as if we are being over
cautioned. One of my friends lamented
the label on her child’s playpen. It
said, “do not leave child unattended.”
She said, “Why else would I put her in a play pen?
If you want to see some useless labels, check out dumbwarnings.com. A sign near a state prison near Phoenix
warns motorists not to pick up hitchhikers.
DUH! Another road sign on US 131
in Michigan urges drivers to, “not pass while opposing traffic if present.” Wow, aren’t you glad someone felt the need to
create a sign for that? Maybe they
should review their driver’s education curriculum.
The folks in Tennessee are reminded when traveling through
Smokey Mountain National Park to remove their sunglasses if the tunnel is
dark. Drivers on Oklahoma’s Interstate
44 are cautioned to not drive into smoke.
At Estes Park visitors are asked to climb to safety in the event of a
flash flood.
What ever happened to common sense?
At times, it seems as if someone believes we are unable to
take care of ourselves. Do we really
need to be told that the ice in a Slush Puppy cup might be cold or that the
coffee in a McDonalds cup might be hot?
Apparently someone wasn’t as alert and decided to complain,
or even file a lawsuit. So, now we have
to anticipate the next idiot’s actions.
Perhaps you’ve felt this way in the trucking industry. Drivers are told where to park, when to
sleep, what to eat and punished for trying to stay warm on a cold winter
night. Don’t park here. Don’t use your
engine brake. Don’t use that lane. Shut that engine off now!
Every rule you are subjected to was probably the result of
someone else’s carelessness or perhaps, cluelessness. Someone compelled those in authority to feel
the need to make a rule or law or penalty so it doesn’t happen again.
It’s society’s way of accommodating the lowest common
denominator. In other words, the one
idiot out of thousands of safe, cautious and responsible drivers is the cause of
the stress you experience in your job.
You cannot anticipate stupidity, but you can legislate!
Do you really need a warning label on a jar of peanuts that
states, “This product contains nuts”? Really? Maybe the nuts aren’t necessarily
inside the jar.
When a driver crashes into a family because he’s watching
porn on his cab mounted computer, everyone is told to keep the laptops away from
the driver. When someone causes a crash
because he or she is talking on the phone, then the entire industry is told to
put those cell phones down.
It’s unfortunate that we live in a CYA (cover your backside)
environment, but until we can stop giving them reasons to protect us from
ourselves and from the one out of a thousand idiots in the cab of a truck, the
rules will continue.
What can you do? How
about pointing out the idiot on the road so he or she won’t represent the rest
of the professional drivers? When you
see behavior that is unacceptable, report the driver. Don’t allow someone else to be the motivation
for a new law that will affect you.
Stop ignoring unprofessional behavior on the road or at a
loading dock or truck stop. Call
attention to the driver’s actions and hold him or her accountable. If it doesn’t
stop, let the carrier know. Take photos,
get witnesses and document the behavior.
Don’t let the idiots represent you.
This industry is heavily regulated and your day is filled
with rules, laws and warnings. Do we
really need to be told that a jar of peanuts contains nuts? That’s just crazy. The nuts aren’t all inside the
jar.
Ellen Voie CAE, President/CEO
P O Box 400 Plover, WI 54467-0400
888-464-9482
920-312-1350 Direct
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
How Important Are Diesel Mechanics?
Without qualified, top rated diesel mechanics to keep trucks running safely there would be no trucking industry. Everything would have to go by rail with local drivers picking up and delivering to the rail yards. We don't have enough rail for this to happen and won't for many years to come.
Mechanics are as important as are the drivers to keep freight moving by trucks. I hear the stories on a daily basis from drivers all over this country screaming about bad shop results when drivers get their trucks out of 'sick bay'. Either the issue has not been fixed or it's worse. What happened to the mechanics of yesteryear who KNEW their craft and CARED about their job rating?
That answer can be summed up in a brief explanation but if you have anything to add, please do!
1) Skill centers associated with high schools and colleges are and have been closing down for quite some time. Community and state colleges all over the country can't get enough enrollment to keep the offer on their curriculums.
2) The last 2 generations find that they make better money using the keyboard than a wrench and it's much less dirty and labor intensive.
3) Pay for mechanics has not increased much over the years to match up with inflation.
4) Baby boomers, as we know, are retiring and the 'old hands' are fading away fast. For every 10 we lose there may only be 2 to replace them.
Our industry is not the only one affected of course. Employers MUST step up their game plan or we will be facing a shortage of mechanics this world has never seen! Horse and buggie is romantic but I don't for one second believe anyone wants us dependent on that mode of transportation for moving people, food, goods, vehicles or medical supplies. This is a scary situation folks!
Mechanics are as important as are the drivers to keep freight moving by trucks. I hear the stories on a daily basis from drivers all over this country screaming about bad shop results when drivers get their trucks out of 'sick bay'. Either the issue has not been fixed or it's worse. What happened to the mechanics of yesteryear who KNEW their craft and CARED about their job rating?
That answer can be summed up in a brief explanation but if you have anything to add, please do!
1) Skill centers associated with high schools and colleges are and have been closing down for quite some time. Community and state colleges all over the country can't get enough enrollment to keep the offer on their curriculums.
2) The last 2 generations find that they make better money using the keyboard than a wrench and it's much less dirty and labor intensive.
3) Pay for mechanics has not increased much over the years to match up with inflation.
Career Information for Graduates
As of May 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the middle half of the almost 223,000 diesel service technicians and mechanics employed nationally earned between $33,310 and $51,450 (www.bls.gov). The average hourly wage was $20.63 in 2011. Further, the BLS anticipated that the increased demand for long-distance hauling would spur the addition of 35,200 jobs to this field from 2010-2020, which is an employment NEED increase of approximately 15%.Continuing Education Information
Diesel mechanics with two years of experience may opt to earn certification through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) to increase their marketability to prospective customers and employers. ASE offers many certification examinations, in addition to a master status certificate for those who have earned multiple certifications. After completing the fundamentals-level Diesel Engine Test, aspiring diesel mechanics may seek the Electronic Diesel Engine Diagnosis Specialist Certification, which proves their acumen in the evaluation and diagnosis of complex diesel engine malfunction. Lastly, some diesel mechanics may be required by their employers to acquire commercial driver's licenses.4) Baby boomers, as we know, are retiring and the 'old hands' are fading away fast. For every 10 we lose there may only be 2 to replace them.
Our industry is not the only one affected of course. Employers MUST step up their game plan or we will be facing a shortage of mechanics this world has never seen! Horse and buggie is romantic but I don't for one second believe anyone wants us dependent on that mode of transportation for moving people, food, goods, vehicles or medical supplies. This is a scary situation folks!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
What Do Trucking Industry Job Seekers Care About in a Job Ad?
When searching for a new employer via the Internet, newspaper and industry magazines, truck drivers want to know basically 4 things from job ads and whatever else
they 'might' read, a great number of them won't remember. Advertising positions should be as short and to the point as possible and cover the following:
1) Pay, Benefits
2) Hometime
3) Hiring lanes
4) Equipment
A company's reputation is set in stone by the chatter gossip they pick up on the CB & truck stops plus Internet social networks posted by other drivers. Most seasoned drivers don't believe the opinions or claims made by the companies. Newbies use to believe anything they were told by the schools and companies but that has been changing ever since the Internet has become people's main source of information. Blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, etc. rule the world now by those who post their experience & opinions about trucking companies (or any business), most of which, for trucking companies, is not always positive. Therefore if recruiters can 'show' confidence themselves in their company to the driver job seekers it creates a huge improvement for overall success as long as they are not told little white lies or are mis-led in any way.
In my almost 20 years experience dealing with drivers I've found that even if you are clear on information you are sharing as a recruiter on the phone or an in-person interview, you MUST email or snail mail that info or at least give them the address to a company web page with the same details you covered with them in your interview. Add believability to your vetting process and as a recruiter, you will double your hiring results. Retention will also increase IF everyone on staff exudes the same confidence and high integrity. This is true of any employer/employee relationship but seems to be lacking within the infrastructure of far too many trucking companies.
Drivers want to be respected more than just being viewed as a link in the corporate chain. They want the respect that makes them feel that their employer realizes that without them there would be no trucking industry, period. A company's advertising, recruiter staff, TM, safety manager, dispatcher (logistics mgr), even the automated voice instructions when they call into the main office number should be soaked with respect for what they do and who they are. It's vital to how your company is perceived and keeping drivers on your payroll for many years as a faithful, loyal professional truck driver is just as vital. Companies who practice this behaviour have the highest retention rates. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how much positive spin a company puts on their reputation and employee treatment as what your drivers perceive a company to be and shares that perception across the country in person and online.
1) Pay, Benefits
2) Hometime
3) Hiring lanes
4) Equipment
A company's reputation is set in stone by the chatter gossip they pick up on the CB & truck stops plus Internet social networks posted by other drivers. Most seasoned drivers don't believe the opinions or claims made by the companies. Newbies use to believe anything they were told by the schools and companies but that has been changing ever since the Internet has become people's main source of information. Blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, etc. rule the world now by those who post their experience & opinions about trucking companies (or any business), most of which, for trucking companies, is not always positive. Therefore if recruiters can 'show' confidence themselves in their company to the driver job seekers it creates a huge improvement for overall success as long as they are not told little white lies or are mis-led in any way.
In my almost 20 years experience dealing with drivers I've found that even if you are clear on information you are sharing as a recruiter on the phone or an in-person interview, you MUST email or snail mail that info or at least give them the address to a company web page with the same details you covered with them in your interview. Add believability to your vetting process and as a recruiter, you will double your hiring results. Retention will also increase IF everyone on staff exudes the same confidence and high integrity. This is true of any employer/employee relationship but seems to be lacking within the infrastructure of far too many trucking companies.
Drivers want to be respected more than just being viewed as a link in the corporate chain. They want the respect that makes them feel that their employer realizes that without them there would be no trucking industry, period. A company's advertising, recruiter staff, TM, safety manager, dispatcher (logistics mgr), even the automated voice instructions when they call into the main office number should be soaked with respect for what they do and who they are. It's vital to how your company is perceived and keeping drivers on your payroll for many years as a faithful, loyal professional truck driver is just as vital. Companies who practice this behaviour have the highest retention rates. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how much positive spin a company puts on their reputation and employee treatment as what your drivers perceive a company to be and shares that perception across the country in person and online.
Second Annual "Influential Woman in Trucking" Award
Joyce Brenny, Owner, Brenny Transportation, Inc. and
Brenny Specialized, Inc, Receives the Second Annual “Influential Woman in
Trucking” Award
KISSIMMEE, FL – Navistar,
Inc. and the Women
In Trucking Association (WIT) presented the second annual “Influential Woman
in Trucking” award to Joyce Brenny, Owner, Brenny
Transportation, Inc. and Brenny Specialized, Inc., at a ceremony March 6th,
during the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) annual
meeting.
The “2012 Influential Woman in Trucking” award seeks to
recognize a woman in the trucking industry who makes or influences key decisions
and who has demonstrated a record of responsibility and success in mentoring
other women. With more than 35 years of industry experience, from beginning as a
short-haul driver after high school, to starting and managing her own
100-employee company, Brenny has worked in nearly every area of the
business.
“We are proud to recognize the leadership of Joyce
Brenny and other influential women in our industry,” President of Navistar’s
Parts Group Phyllis Cochran said. “As we seek to bring more awareness to the
opportunities for women in trucking, Joyce is a great role
model.”
“We are thrilled to honor a woman who has been so
influential in the trucking industry,” said Ellen Voie, President of the Women
In Trucking Association. “Joyce is an inspiration as the Women In Trucking
Association furthers our mission to celebrate the success of women in what has
traditionally been a very male-dominated industry.”
Brenny founded Brenny Transportation, Inc. in 1996. The
company, based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, began with three employees and has since
grown to a more than $15 million company with three additional divisions:
Brenny Specialized Inc., Brenny Global and Brenny’s national agent
division.
Brenny has leveraged her position in the industry to
assist charities in her community, both through financial contributions and by
volunteering her and her staff’s time and talents to participate in coat and
food drives, as well as a “Trucks and Toys” for the ‘Toys for Tots” campaign.
She is the current chairwoman of the Minnesota Trucking Association and is the
first woman to hold this title. Brenny also serves on the Women In Trucking
Association Scholarship Foundation and has been an active member of the
organization.
“This year’s Influential Woman in Trucking judges
received more than 100 nominations, and Joyce was a unanimous choice for the top
honor,” Voie said. “The other two finalists are also exceptional role
models.”
Two runners-up for this year’s award were also
recognized at the TCA event: Sandra Ambrose-Clark, president, ESJ Carrier
Corporation, and Judy McReynolds, president and CEO, Arkansas Best
Corporation.
Ambrose-Clark is President of ESJ Enterprises in
Cincinnati, Ohio and is a founding member of the company. She has served on the
USA Regional Chamber’s small business advisory board, the Transportation
Intermediaries Association board and the Women’s Business Enterprise Council in
the Southeast.
As President/CEO of Arkansas Best Corporation (ABF
Freight System, Inc.), in Fort Smith, Arkansas, McReynolds is the first woman in
the company’s 89-year history to hold this position. McReynolds also serves on
the ATA board of directors and executive committee, as well as the American
Transportation Research Institute Board.
“As more women move into leadership positions within the
trucking industry, it will become even more difficult to narrow the list of
candidates in the future,” Voie added. “In my opinion, that’s a great obstacle
to overcome, for all of us.”
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Are There More Women Behind the Wheel Today?
by Marge Bailey - Owner/Founder - DriverFinder Network - LadyTruckDriverJobs.com
Today more and more women consider a truck driving job traveling across the country as a solo or with a co-driver. To my knowledge there are approx. 6% of the 3 million+ over the road drivers that are female currently in the US. Just like their truck driver male counterparts, some women behind the wheel make a career of truck driving. Did you know women truck drivers make the same money as men for the same work? That fact alone has become an attractive draw to truck driving for ladies of all ages and backgrounds. The transportation industry is 2nd only to communications in the largest, most needed services in today's world. In other words, trucking will never go out of business!
Companie today are serious about hiring more women to drive their trucks. Many of the companies are working hard to make safety for women in trucks a top priority. This affects all truck drivers, male and female, to be safer and feel safer while fueling, eating or sleeping at our nations' truck stops, delivering and picking up loads and while driving to and from their destinations. Also by becoming members of Women in Trucking Association and posting their job opportunities on sites like LadyTruckDriverJobs.com, the employers demonstrate they are concerned and willing to engage actively in efforts to improve every area possible for not only women, but all truckers. Learn More
Truck Driver Jobs include pulling dry van, flatbed, drop deck, moving van, bull wagon (livestock), frozen foods, vehicles, step deck, doubles, triples, etc.; there is a long list of trailers and variety of freight from which to choose. Most women choose dry van or refrigerated (refer) due to the fact that most dry van and refer companies offer no touch freight or 'lumpers' (load & unload hired laborers).
Not to infer that women can't handle loading and unloading, some can, but due to the requirement that drivers must be able to lift 50 to 100 lbs (it varies from carrier to carrier), many women lack that kind of physical strength. There could be a strength test everyone must pass to get hired by a majority of companies even if the company has 'no-touch' freight, so keep that in mind in making your decision. In fact that should be your first question in a job interview.
Considering Truck Driving as a Career?
If you are a woman (or man) & think that you'd like to give truck driving a chance, you will need CDL truck driving school first, then get hired by a trucking company for on the road training.
Once completed (driver training time varies by company or school) you will be handed the keys to your own rig and the great adventure begins!
If you'd like to know more about or to join WIT, join Women In Trucking Association. You'll find help and encouragement whether a newbie or experienced driver as a WIT member. Also check out a lady WIT member w/ 30 years under the wheel who has written several BOOKS of safety tips and sage advice.
Today more and more women consider a truck driving job traveling across the country as a solo or with a co-driver. To my knowledge there are approx. 6% of the 3 million+ over the road drivers that are female currently in the US. Just like their truck driver male counterparts, some women behind the wheel make a career of truck driving. Did you know women truck drivers make the same money as men for the same work? That fact alone has become an attractive draw to truck driving for ladies of all ages and backgrounds. The transportation industry is 2nd only to communications in the largest, most needed services in today's world. In other words, trucking will never go out of business!
Companie today are serious about hiring more women to drive their trucks. Many of the companies are working hard to make safety for women in trucks a top priority. This affects all truck drivers, male and female, to be safer and feel safer while fueling, eating or sleeping at our nations' truck stops, delivering and picking up loads and while driving to and from their destinations. Also by becoming members of Women in Trucking Association and posting their job opportunities on sites like LadyTruckDriverJobs.com, the employers demonstrate they are concerned and willing to engage actively in efforts to improve every area possible for not only women, but all truckers. Learn More
Truck Driver Jobs include pulling dry van, flatbed, drop deck, moving van, bull wagon (livestock), frozen foods, vehicles, step deck, doubles, triples, etc.; there is a long list of trailers and variety of freight from which to choose. Most women choose dry van or refrigerated (refer) due to the fact that most dry van and refer companies offer no touch freight or 'lumpers' (load & unload hired laborers).
Not to infer that women can't handle loading and unloading, some can, but due to the requirement that drivers must be able to lift 50 to 100 lbs (it varies from carrier to carrier), many women lack that kind of physical strength. There could be a strength test everyone must pass to get hired by a majority of companies even if the company has 'no-touch' freight, so keep that in mind in making your decision. In fact that should be your first question in a job interview.
Considering Truck Driving as a Career?
If you are a woman (or man) & think that you'd like to give truck driving a chance, you will need CDL truck driving school first, then get hired by a trucking company for on the road training.
Once completed (driver training time varies by company or school) you will be handed the keys to your own rig and the great adventure begins!
If you'd like to know more about or to join WIT, join Women In Trucking Association. You'll find help and encouragement whether a newbie or experienced driver as a WIT member. Also check out a lady WIT member w/ 30 years under the wheel who has written several BOOKS of safety tips and sage advice.
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