Truckers Strike

[D Chapman]

Will it do any good?

I think not.

I think the participation would need to be a lot more broad and over a much longer period. These "truckers" cannot sit idle for too long or that's money out of their pockets. It's probably hurting the Owner/Operator more than the company driver, but if I were a company owner I would be pissed if my drivers were just sitting.

But, I think some truckers are taking part in this, at least in my area. Just down the road from my work, we have a Coors bottling company, Merck drug company, and a place that manufactures Reynolds aluminum foil and plastic wrap. The truck traffic this morning is defiantly reduced, but a few are still rolling.

I don't think we've seen the worst of it yet.

When will people wake up?

 

[jhmover]

I doubt much will happen, they've talked about this on and off for years, never seems to actually happen, plus you're talking independents, I doubt you'll see any of the large companies like JB Hunt parking equipment.

 

[noee]

I don't see it doing much good. There's really nothing that can be done about fuel prices and their insurance costs are what they are, the big self-insured obviously having an advantage there.

IMO, this is all part of the plan to expand on the cheap Mexican truck drivers that are now in the US. Trucking companies are looking for ways to reduce costs, especially when faced with a serious economic downturn. Look for a reset, then these new, lower cost drivers will come into the market and provide the same service for less.

People will never wake up. Well, at least, not until they change their diets from the mind-altering poison that they are eating today.

 

[MUSKYMAN]

truckers are fighting a tough battle these days.

the rail guys are jumping up and down loving the fact that truckers are striking as they are trying to get back into the real transport market.

 

[p m]

Unfortunately, the truckers are going to lose that battle.
Fuel prices are not going down by much, and rail is a better alternative (slower, but more fuel-efficient).

 

[Bannon88]

Merck has far bigger problems going on than the trucker's strike.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080401/ap_on_bi_ge/vytorin_study_fallout

After Vioxx, Merck could be in real trouble, and Schering-Plough may just tank over this.

 

[Joey]

Trucker strike will be a waste of time... the last truckers strike in the mid 70's didn't do them any good, other than making less money...

early 70's = $1.00 per mile to the trunk
Currently = $.90 per mile to the trunk

Hmmmm wonder if the strike helped.

 

[cptyarderho]

They were blathering on about this all the way back from Roanoke this weekend:banghead:

 

[jhmover]

Well I saw plenty of trucks on the way into the office, so much for that.

 

[road1will]

Jimmy Hoffa would be proud.

 

[JSQ]

Whether or not the strike will yield any results is doubtful but I expect it to enjoy decent participation.

Many of these smaller operators are acutally losing money doing runs so they might as well sit in a bar. They aren't making any money either way.

 

[I HATE PONIES]

Jimmy Hoffa would be proud.

These guys are independants. That is the number one reason that their "strike" will fail. They have no leadership or organization to speak of. The also do not have any financial support to "strike" long enough to make an impact.

I like the idea of it but not the execution.

 

[Ol'Drippy]

I like the idea of more rail and less trucks on the road. I know I'd be happier

 

[road1will]

These guys are independants. That is the number one reason that their "strike" will fail. They have no leadership or organization to speak of. The also do not have any financial support to "strike" long enough to make an impact.

I like the idea of it but not the execution.

True, Good point.

 

[SGaynor]

They are protesting the fact that the fed gov't charges something like $0.30/gal in taxes on $4/gal diesel. Really, this is going to change the fact that their shipping costs aren't going up fast enough?

No, the problem is that their revenues aren't increasing fast enought with their costs (diesel) and there is not much they can do about it.

Besides, bitching about the fed gov't controlling the cost of gas/diesel is just stupid. We live in a free market society, not the Soviet Union...

 

[Blue]

you want your biggest bang for the buck on decreasing the cost of fuel?

reduce, suspend, or abolish the taxes on fuel

the oil companies make a handfull of pennies on a gallon of fuel and they actually find, extract, pipeline, refine, pipeline again, blend, truck, package, and sell the fuel.

the government makes what.....about 5 times what the oil companies do....and they do NOTHING for it, except impose the tax

and the government won't let oil companies capitalize on vast domestic reserves

if you want to find the root of the problem, look no further than the largess of your own bureaucratic nightmare government

P.S. this big trucker strike won't mean shit in the big picture

 

[NHESS81]

I thought trucks drove themselves and the operators are just there to make sure nothing breaks, you know, like airliners these days. lol

 

[SCSL]

Listening to the politicians blast the oil companies record profits and 'tax breaks'

Can someone help me understand how taxing oil companies more is going to make the cost of fuel go down??? Why not just tax consumers directly & cut out the middle-man?

 

[Nomar]

Listening to the politicians blast the oil companies record profits and 'tax breaks'

Can someone help me understand how taxing oil companies more is going to make the cost of fuel go down??? Why not just tax consumers directly & cut out the middle-man?

Because it will make people think they're sticking it to Big Oil!

The US already utilizes a *minimum* wage, perhaps a *maximum* wage cap needs to be established....

 

[ShortBus]

I just caught clips of the hearing yesterday but the guy from exon-mobil said their US tax bill exceeded their US earnings by $18B. It still sounds pretty rediculous to subsidize an industry pulling $180B a year. Stripping the tax subsidies or raising tariffs will probably just end up raising the price at the pump. They need to make the subsidies dependant on domestic investment and alternative fuel technology so we can get something out of them at least. Otherwise, buy some XOM stock, clinch your butt cheeks, and thank god you don't have to fill your rover in the UK.