National trucker strike on April 1 2008 (not an April Fool's joke)

Alan in El Campo, Texas said: Actually, I've been hearing that some truckers are thinking about doing that exact thing...

Lining up side-by-side on Freeways in major cities across America, shutting the trucks off, parking them on the Freeway... and walking away.

Essentially, causing gridlock and shutting down roadways across the country. Yikes!

It really needs to be for 4 to 5 days to get everybodys attention. Park them on the interstate or whereever they are sitting or at when they decide to shutdown. At the end of the 5th day there shoud be plenty of recognition of what is going on and fuel prices should drop.

Autumn in Charlotte, North Carolina said: Whatever it takes to get prices at the pump...I'm for it.

This is the oil companies not the government they say it is supply and demand if there is no demand then the price should come down. If no trucks are running then no diesel fuel being used and none being bought. Should send a message to the oil companies that we are tired of the price gouging and their control over the trucks. Diesel fuel should be less than 1.00 dollar a gallon. It is the first thing that comes off crude to process for gas. Hope everybody reads this and finds out about the shutdown to lower the price of fuel. SHUT-ER-DOWN

My truck is shut down for the week. I know I can't afford it but something has to be done. Fuel rises much more and I will be broke anyways. Come on everyone.... LET'S STICK TOGETHER !!!!

That would be so cool to see trucks (literally thousands of them) parked on the interstates. That would bring attention to the problem. For how long, I don't know. A guy wrote previously that alot of the high gas prices has to do with Wall Street Oil Speculators. He's actually right on this. Supply and Demand does have some impact but a big chunk of it has to do with these Wall Street Fund Managers Speculating on the price of oil, it's something these Wall Street guys don't want you to know about.

larry king in Albany, Georgia said: Everybody call your local T.V. stations and news papers to get the word out!Let the media help the fight.

I have and they never do anything about it. Someone must be telling the TV to keep it down. All you hear about is the
gas prices (over $3.00 wow) they don't have to pay over $4.00
and take a bigger cut out of the gross. I guess that the trucks should just shut down and/or slow down on the highways that will get their attention.

phil in Atlanta, Georgia said: so why do you do it??? QUit

They do it cause they can't afford to get out!!! The prices of used trucks have dropped, nobody wants to buy a used truck with fuel prices this high and we have everything we own tied up in this business!!!!

My dad and most of my family have been in the trucking industry for as long as i can remember (30yrs! My dad told me about a strike in the 70's where if a truck was on the road other truckers thru rocks. I hope it doesnt come to that but something has to be done. Im tired of hearing my dad talk about going out of business when this is all he knows. Who is going to hire a 50-60yr old man with no other background. Those who talk about cheap loads how can you do it? Taking cheap loads that take days on end you cant cover the overhead on the truck much less maintence. STRICE-STRIKE-STRIKE FOR MY DAD AND ALL OTHER TRUCKERS OUT THERE BARELY MAKING IT!!!!!!

I know i am keeping my husband home that day. because if it come down to cement block going though truck windows i want him safe at home. We went out of business in 2001 it was getting bad then. We at that time had 5 trucks. I have als stocked up on groeries just incase they get smart an really do it I can't see any other way for them. They will starve to death this way. I pray they do andgood luck to them. I have also contacted KFOR TV here in oklahoma, City

i like Alan in texas he hAS it wright lining up on freeways an shutting the trucks off!!!! and before the cops come move on. but that would not get us any were. gust turn them off!! they are robbing us with out a gun!! please turn them off april 1 2008!!

i contacted the news media here in fargo, nd. and they said they will run stories on shutdown and send info to AP.

I dispatch o/o at my company. I have begged customers to raise rates for my guys because of the fuel. With no result of course. Therefore I also have contacted my local tv station, they wanted to know when & where a "gathering" would be? (LOL) My response to them - "where do you see the trucks!"
THE HIGHWAYS!! SHUT EM DOWN GUYS!!! Sad to say this is what it is gonna take for yall to survive! I pray for each & everyone of you.

I recommend a strike of refusing any loads paying less than 2 per mile.
2 per mile on the east coast or they can sit on their goods. Base rate, 2 bucks
Everybody hold to it. Everybody hold to it. 2 bucks or forget it Jack.
Don't even call me. Not paying 2 bucks, hang up.

Course, the big outfits probably will not participate. Schnieder etc, unless we contact them and put pressure on them. But even without them, the independents will make the difference.
So, if you are out there, no more loads less than 2 bucks. Nice round figure, and we can pay our bills for a while.
Some of us are such slaves to the bank we have to work for nothing just to pay the money changer. Slaves normally get fed, and have a roof over thier head. And low stress. The banks have the best slaves there ever was, by making us think we ain't slaves.
Sombody wants to break us down to low class, so we fit with the poor mexicans etc.
Ain't you all starting to get pissed off enough to pay attention and get with it? I am.

What really pisses me off is there is more oil in Alaska than in the middle east. It can be pumped for 3 bucks a barrel.
Yet, for control reasons, none of it is being pumped up.
We gotta quit watching baseball and look spend some energy at some other things, like declare our independence.
Tomas Jefferson said it is our duty to have a revolution when needed!!!!!!

phil in Atlanta, Georgia said: the only way to do this is to shut them down for a week the first time, and two weeks the next, And shoot scabbers. Been thrun this a hundred times. You can do it but it will take sacrifice. I remember when they use to give deisel out to put on dirt roads to keep the dust down, wow, why pay for it now, because the goverement gets revenue off the tax, and the state, then the middle man, the trucker gets it up the kazoo. QUit being stupid. I seen it commin, sold all mine in 95. Good luck guys. Phil

Phil, You're way over the top. There's a lot of guys out there who have families to feed who literally can't shut it down and have anything on the table for the kids. Some will haul though their hearts say no. The food shelves are empty in a lot of this country already. I don't think the kids ought to lose thier Dad because we're already so friggin far behind we won't eat right until the garden grows in this summer. The shutdown shoulde've come long before but complacency has made it a desperation move rather than a show of unity.
-Flaxxie

Jason in Suitland, Maryland said: If this is a one day strike is won't do squat!

You all need to do like the French truckers do. They park their rigs in the middle of the road. They take the tickets and the jail time when they refuse to move their rigs. They snarl traffic for days and when the shelves empty out at the market they get what they want.

If you can't walk the walk then don't talk the talk.

Jason

This is true,Thats what they need to do.Go to Washinton D.C And shut them down.Show them we mean it.Tonia

Alan in El Campo, Texas said: Actually, I've been hearing that some truckers are thinking about doing that exact thing...

Lining up side-by-side on Freeways in major cities across America, shutting the trucks off, parking them on the Freeway... and walking away.

Essentially, causing gridlock and shutting down roadways across the country. Yikes!

Go for it.That would wake them up.Tonia

Well folks I have said since 2000 we needed to make a move towards shutting down. I hauled gasoline at the time and my idea was to simply block the gates to the refineries as well as the "loading racks" where the tankers load, just an idea at the time but really seems like a good idea now. Drivers shut down and even the general public can show support for their part by using their cars to block the flow of fuel. My opinion of the shutdown is that it needs to be done. It should start on April 1st. There should be no violence such as rocks through windshields, shooting tires or radiators, etc. until the 3rd of April. Let the folks under a load dispatched prior to the strike deliver. The fact of the matter is that this possible violence will happen because of some hotheads, but remember most of us have wives and/or kids to come home to. Those drivers with loads seeing the ones in truckstops or on the side of the road will deliver their load and then join the rest of us, not all will but most will it's just human nature. It is time that we stand up for ourselves folks. Take a stand and hopefully make a difference. And remember it costs just as much to operate your truck in one direction as the other, time to do away with backhaul rates. Just my opinion.

I am an owner operator and something diffently needs to be done. But everyone needs to stick together and SHUT DOWN!! I was an owner operator in the early 70's and we tried it then too, but nothing was done to help!! Why was that? Because while some of us were shut down, others were still rolling trying to "steal the frieght" from companies and owner/operators. It just won't work unless BIG COMPANIES strike too. They say there is a trucker shortage, so if the trucks would shut down it should get someones attention. If something doesn't get done real soon, we will all be BROKE. Just heard today that TMC out of DesMoines is getting out of business. There will be a lot more to follow!! Aren't you all tired of working for NOTHING!! I have figured it down to the last penny and we are literally working out here for NOTHING!! Then think of all the DOWN TIME sitting and waiting for loads or waiting to unload. Hourly wise we aren't making minimum wage. Rates are what they were in the 70's! Rates are federally set. And back haul, who ever named a load a "back haul"! A load of frieght is a load of frieght! Brokers think because you need a load to get you back to your original point, they call it a "back haul" and that gives them the right to ROB YOU!! I was told the other day that a load paid $3,000 and I was paid $1,000. The broker took $2,000!! What is the matter with us. We diffently need to strike. I'm shutting down the WHOLE week of April. How can I afford to do this? How can I NOT AFFORD to shut down!!

randy in Iowa in New York, New York said: I am an owner operator and something diffently needs to be done. But everyone needs to stick together and SHUT DOWN!! I was an owner operator in the early 70's and we tried it then too, but nothing was done to help!! Why was that? Because while some of us were shut down, others were still rolling trying to "steal the frieght" from companies and owner/operators. It just won't work unless BIG COMPANIES strike too. They say there is a trucker shortage, so if the trucks would shut down it should get someones attention. If something doesn't get done real soon, we will all be BROKE. Just heard today that TMC out of DesMoines is getting out of business. There will be a lot more to follow!! Aren't you all tired of working for NOTHING!! I have figured it down to the last penny and we are literally working out here for NOTHING!! Then think of all the DOWN TIME sitting and waiting for loads or waiting to unload. Hourly wise we aren't making minimum wage. Rates are what they were in the 70's! Rates are federally set. And back haul, who ever named a load a "back haul"! A load of frieght is a load of frieght! Brokers think because you need a load to get you back to your original point, they call it a "back haul" and that gives them the right to ROB YOU!! I was told the other day that a load paid $3,000 and I was paid $1,000. The broker took $2,000!! What is the matter with us. We diffently need to strike. I'm shutting down the WHOLE week of April. How can I afford to do this? How can I NOT AFFORD to shut down!!

Exactly Randy how can we afford not to? And I agree there is no such thing as a backhaul. Expense is expense.

phil in Atlanta, Georgia said: the only way to do this is to shut them down for a week the first time, and two weeks the next, And shoot scabbers. Been thrun this a hundred times. You can do it but it will take sacrifice. I remember when they use to give deisel out to put on dirt roads to keep the dust down, wow, why pay for it now, because the goverement gets revenue off the tax, and the state, then the middle man, the trucker gets it up the kazoo. QUit being stupid. I seen it commin, sold all mine in 95. Good luck guys. Phil

Dude you are soooo right I can tell your old skool a brick through the windshild will my that delivery just a lil late

Doyle in Tampa, Florida said: Dude you are soooo right I can tell your old skool a brick through the windshild will my that delivery just a lil late

How ignorant are you??? That can kill. Shoot the radiator if you feel like violence is the answer. Damn 22 shells are very cheap and will easily penetrate a radiator, why take a chance on killing someone and possibly orphan a child. Don't be ignorant. Jerry Springer has a show for that.

We need to admit that the fuel will continue to rise, that is the price we pay for living. everything is going up. The strike for one day is going to give the drivers a day off and make some shippers mad. The trucks need to be shut down for a week but the problem is most drivers cannot afford to loose a week of pay. Shell oil said there quarterly profit was down at 23 billion. This tells me that everybody includeing the shippers are makeing money. We need to have a rate strike instead of fuel strike. I have been in trucking for 35 years and all I see around me, a truck brought it to me. While we are striking, we need to address dot issues that hurts us also, but thats another whole issue. My truck will be parked for that whole week because I am lucky enough to afford it.

Joe in Tempe, Arizona said: Read more about it here
www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message526056/pg1

And please spread the word so that truckers can start getting paid fairly and supporting their families again!

I am with you all 100% but this has to happen nation wide and at least 3 days... Do you all know that this economy will shut down with you all. You bring in the gas, and desiel? This is a no brainer you all bring in the food, clothes, everything... I trust that you all will pull together and help this economy. The only people making money now is the Oil Men and you know who that is we have one running our country. The war is a front so the oil prices would go up. And he used his stradegy and it worked. So do the Damn Thing we Love yall and support you 100% and when we get a new president he or she will have to straighten out Bushes mess...

This goes out to all truckers
shut em down and make this country realize what is at stake

SHUT THE RIGS DOWN!!!!

As a company driver I do not fork the bucks out of my pocket at the fuel pumps for fuel! I do it every time I purchase a product, service, utility or look at the levies on the ballot wanting more taxes to pay for school bus fuel, police fuel, utility company fuel and the list goes on, WE ALL DO!
You might not see it yourself as well as through the eyes of your wife or son or daughter trying to make ends meet. I suggest you ask them what they have put back upon the shelf at the grocery store as being to high priced.
It does not matter if we can pass on to the consumer the cost of fuel. The bottom line is in today's economy we are at a point where if consumers can not buy a product we will have nothing to haul.
Ladies and gentlemen there can be a voluntary shut down on your part in order to try and get congress to come to reality. Face it when those in power being driven in limos pay $4,500 for a hour with a woman do you really think they care about a senior citizen trying to live on $15,000 a year?
A Michigan Congressman Dingy wants to impose a 50 cent tax per gallon on gasoline! Tell that to those commuting 100 miles a day because of the lack of jobs within their locality! What products will they cease to buy that we haul?
I will not get into our shipping delays, lack of parking, DOT waking us up and all the other hassles we face.
Bottom line if consumers can not buy products we haul we all are screwed!
Lastly slow down? Yes slow down from 65 mph to 55 mph you will get better fuel mileage! Let's see here 10 mile per hour is $4.00 a hour lost in wages if your getting .40 a mile, a ten hour driving period try $16.00 a day times say 5 days a week that's $80 a week times 50 weeks in a year $4000 a year in lost wages, I wonder if anyone thought about that?
If you don't have the guts to shut down at least respect those that do have the guts to shut down. How? Try running at night only to further the visual impact of the lack of trucks.

Hey Starhauler Not everyone can slow down. Have you ever hauled livestock? I doubt it. Since I can tell by what you say that you are a freight hauler maybe you would change your tune about slowing down if you ever had to pay for a 900 lb. steer at 1.20 a lb. And those in the limos obviously have no problem spending $80,000 on hookers. Think about it. You seem to be the kind who supports the states that have split speed limits also. You should engage your brain before you do your mouth or fingers in this case. My suggestion is to just keep drawing a check from your company since you obviously do not know a thing aside from drive your company owned truck and let your dispatcher tell you what to do. trucking sure has changed since deregulation made it so easy for folks with good credit and ambition to start a company and grow it by cutting rates to the point that they make a penny a mile for what the truck runs but thats ok b/c they have 15000 trucks on the road in a given day. Maybe i took your comments wrong? I don't think so so just keep drawing your check. Us folks with our own ambitions need to make more than a penny a mile clear.

I contacted the Associated Press and Reuters and told them the Truckers were shutting down on April l, 2008. They just sent me emails back and told me they would get the word out.

query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04E7D7143CF933A05752C1A960958260

Google trucker strikes. In the past 10 years Italian truckers and French truckers went on strike bringing their governments to their knees! Learn from them!

Jason

Doug in Lancaster, Kentucky said: How ignorant are you??? That can kill. Shoot the radiator if you feel like violence is the answer. Damn 22 shells are very cheap and will easily penetrate a radiator, why take a chance on killing someone and possibly orphan a child. Don't be ignorant. Jerry Springer has a show for that.

I dont think shooting the radiator is a good idea.If any thing when you see those big Trucking companies pull in the truck stop,the best way to hurt them is by slashing there tires.Now you cost them time,and money.But any way Im shutting down for the whole week in I say LETS DO THE DAMN THING STRIKE!STRIKE!STRIKE!

poor o/o in Lillington, North Carolina said: for starters, American oil companies have jacked the prices, not the Arabs. A truck strike will not work, didn't in the 70's, won't now
If you want more money, STOP TAKING CHEAP FREIGHT!! When a company has to choose between paying one dollar to five, they will pay one. If we UNITE to say NO to take cheap freight, the rates will increase. If we are going to unite, how about lets unite to make money, not to piss it away.

you are wrong. a strike will work,but it will take more than a few. it has to be all or no one.

The trucking issue goes way beyond just the price of fuel.
This industry employs the sweatshop labor that enables our economy. It's intriguing to see after the many years I have dedicated to the correction of this industry, it's the *price of fuel* that ultimately determines a potential strike by drivers; not the draconian working conditions, the epidemic lack of safety compliance by the vast majority of motor carriers and the trucker's exemption to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Most truckers don't even realize that the primary cause of them being economically disenfranchised is due to Congress passing the exemption to the FLSA in response to the great depression of 1929. It was the American Trucking Association and the US Government that lobbied Congress and gained the trucker's exemption to the FLSA - creating the working conditions we see present in the trucking industry today. The ATA and associated state trucking associations are huge contributors to the republican party and were the third highest contributor to the Bush campaign. ($300,000,000) Anyone who voted for Bush (twice) is now seeing the consequences of their actions. Republican Presidential Nominee Senator McCain is a huge friend of the trucking industry too. McCain is a ranking member of the Senate Commitee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. John McCain and Representative Tom Petri over at the House Committee On Pipelines and Transportation are **ATA boys** who have received millions from republican trucking magnets like Duane Acklie (Crete Carrier Corporation).

ATA, MFCA, TLCA, OOIDA, the Teamsters and the safety groups like PATT and CRASH and the Truck Safety Coalition (Joan Claybrook and Jackie Gillian and the USDOT-FMCSA feed off of this industry's lack of unity. Truckers (both independent and company drivers) have allowed themselves to become sweatshop labor at the hands of evil entities such as James Whit Whittinghill and David Addington (Vice President Dick Cheney's lawyer

i owned a very prominent construction company in central new york, and decided to start my own transport company, i sold the construction company, and have gone to having to explain to my wife why we are making 1/3 of what we did 5 years ago, i am currently parked and all are trucks will be parked for the full 3 days, my wife understands thats 3 days with no money coming in, but there parked, fuel here is $4.29 today, my kenworths average 5 miles a gallon, my guys make.45 a mile over 100 miles, or 15$ hr local, i make less than 40 cents a mile for owning these trucks after every thing is paid for. THIS IS KILLING ME, lets stick together,

Trucker's Wife in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania said: I have and they never do anything about it. Someone must be telling the TV to keep it down. All you hear about is the
gas prices (over $3.00 wow) they don't have to pay over $4.00
and take a bigger cut out of the gross. I guess that the trucks should just shut down and/or slow down on the highways that will get their attention.

Our government doesn't want everybody to slow down and use less fuel due to they will be getting less fuel taxes

I have been teling my wife for the last 2 years that the only way they are going to get the prices down is by the truckers shutting down the country. I am not a trucker but I support what you all are doing. Hopefully, someone could put the bug in the ears of UPS and Federal Express. UPS does more than plenty of shipping and to have them impact this shutdown will defenitly put the word out.

Way to go truckers keep up the good work
I am 100% behind you on the strike.
God bless and my prayers are with you

They had a news story about the truckers shutdown last night on the news here in Fargo, nd. They ran the story right after I called them. The news is getting out. I'm not a trucker, but support you guys 100 percent.

Doug in Lancaster, Kentucky said: Hey Starhauler Not everyone can slow down. Have you ever hauled livestock? I doubt it. Since I can tell by what you say that you are a freight hauler maybe you would change your tune about slowing down if you ever had to pay for a 900 lb. steer at 1.20 a lb. And those in the limos obviously have no problem spending $80,000 on hookers. Think about it. You seem to be the kind who supports the states that have split speed limits also. You should engage your brain before you do your mouth or fingers in this case. My suggestion is to just keep drawing a check from your company since you obviously do not know a thing aside from drive your company owned truck and let your dispatcher tell you what to do. trucking sure has changed since deregulation made it so easy for folks with good credit and ambition to start a company and grow it by cutting rates to the point that they make a penny a mile for what the truck runs but thats ok b/c they have 15000 trucks on the road in a given day. Maybe i took your comments wrong? I don't think so so just keep drawing your check. Us folks with our own ambitions need to make more than a penny a mile clear.

Fellow driver you did take my comments wrong. SLOW DOWN? Yea right with distribution centers playing games I don't know how that could be done. My point was that you hear SLOW DOWN save on fuel is hurting drivers by reducing their pay checks, simple math. You do not drive the miles in driving hour limits you do not make as much! On dispatchers well being a company driver doesn't mean we kiss their bottom sides! I stayed on with Roehl a big 5 weeks! I did it right I gave them their two weeks notice. Gave them back the keys, I didn't make them hunt for their truck. A word of advice, now is not the time for division among us, solidarity and friendship is.

phil in Atlanta, Georgia said: so why do you do it??? QUit

I have heard some stupid answers but your's takes the cake. Think about it, How can a person quit if it is his only way to survive? Maybe he can't get another job since there isn't any available these days.
I am a retired driver, but I will be right there if they do strike. I agree with most people something has to be done NOW.

count me in i lost my job from a compant that coulnd pay for fuel

Everbody needs to place signs in their windows for the next 3 days about a shut down,ALL VEHICLES GAS AND DIESEL!!!!!wish we had time to some bumper stickers made up!!!

YOU ALL KNOW HOW HARD THIS IS GOING TO BE TO GET EVERYBODY TO STRIKE!EVERBODY WANTS SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT AND NOBODY DOES NOTHING!!!!!!!!TALK ABOUT,TALK ABOUT

If you want to shut your truck down fine well and good, but leave the ones who want to keep truckin alone. My huband is a driver. Do you people realize that if you shut down it is not going to do anything but make other things more expensive like food, clothes, etc... but do yall really care i guess not. If you would stop driving your personal vehicles it would have more of an impact because every family has some type of vehilce. So quit complaining about stuff that you cant cange. Get over it or get another job.

I have heard of several companies that are running but are not hauling any grocery or Wally World loads for a week. This is something for you non strikers to consider. With everyone taking a rest there should be plenty of non grocery loads available. Let some lumpers worry about their next meal.

Key up those mikes and pass the message on.

Dottie in Charleston, West Virginia said: It really needs to be for 4 to 5 days to get everybodys attention. Park them on the interstate or whereever they are sitting or at when they decide to shutdown. At the end of the 5th day there shoud be plenty of recognition of what is going on and fuel prices should drop.

I think it's a great idea but it needs to be everyone not just the truckers. AMERICA needs to take a stand!!! Talking about it isn't going to get it done.Take ACTION!! I'll be there to help take a stand.Bush would have to do something. His transportatiion takes fuel as well..I'm not counting my chikens though before they hatch.I'm only one person and like many are going to say the samething but do nothing.I,we need to stand together as one!!!!! Help make a DIFFERENCE!!!!!

jackie in Pelham, Georgia said: If you want to shut your truck down fine well and good, but leave the ones who want to keep truckin alone. My huband is a driver. Do you people realize that if you shut down it is not going to do anything but make other things more expensive like food, clothes, etc... but do yall really care i guess not. If you would stop driving your personal vehicles it would have more of an impact because every family has some type of vehilce. So quit complaining about stuff that you cant cange. Get over it or get another job.

If the fuel prices keep going up,then the price of everything you buy will be so high food,clothes and everything.HOPE YOU CAN AFFORD IT!I hadn't heard of minimum wage going up or a cost of living increase therefor working people will have less money in there pocket.this already showing up in credit card debt due to people can't afford living expenses.I agree with you about the stop going so much,nobody conserves!I run trucks and farm,my operating cost has doubled,therefor food prices will double due to fuel prices.all of your grocery items have doubled?right? milk $4 gal use to be 2.You think about everything u buy,what has the price done?

The sooner the United States is not depending on foreign oil THE BETTER WE WILL ALL BE!They want oil at 120.00 a barrel,gas will be 4.00 a gal. and fuel will be 5.00 a gal.They know we got to have and therefore we will pay the higher prices for fue,gas and oil!

I HAVE BEEN IN TRUCKING FOR 31 YEARS AND THE PAST 11 AS AN O/O NEVER BEFORE HAVE I NOT PAID MY BILLS AND FED MY FAMILY UNTIL NOW !! I AM SHUTTING DOWN APRIL 1st TIME TO STICK TOGETHER MY BRETHREN THE TIME IS NOW

starhauler in Newark, Ohio said: As a company driver I do not fork the bucks out of my pocket at the fuel pumps for fuel! I do it every time I purchase a product, service, utility or look at the levies on the ballot wanting more taxes to pay for school bus fuel, police fuel, utility company fuel and the list goes on, WE ALL DO!
You might not see it yourself as well as through the eyes of your wife or son or daughter trying to make ends meet. I suggest you ask them what they have put back upon the shelf at the grocery store as being to high priced.
It does not matter if we can pass on to the consumer the cost of fuel. The bottom line is in today's economy we are at a point where if consumers can not buy a product we will have nothing to haul.
Ladies and gentlemen there can be a voluntary shut down on your part in order to try and get congress to come to reality. Face it when those in power being driven in limos pay $4,500 for a hour with a woman do you really think they care about a senior citizen trying to live on $15,000 a year?
A Michigan Congressman Dingy wants to impose a 50 cent tax per gallon on gasoline! Tell that to those commuting 100 miles a day because of the lack of jobs within their locality! What products will they cease to buy that we haul?
I will not get into our shipping delays, lack of parking, DOT waking us up and all the other hassles we face.
Bottom line if consumers can not buy products we haul we all are screwed!
Lastly slow down? Yes slow down from 65 mph to 55 mph you will get better fuel mileage! Let's see here 10 mile per hour is $4.00 a hour lost in wages if your getting .40 a mile, a ten hour driving period try $16.00 a day times say 5 days a week that's $80 a week times 50 weeks in a year $4000 a year in lost wages, I wonder if anyone thought about that?
If you don't have the guts to shut down at least respect those that do have the guts to shut down. How? Try running at night only to further the visual impact of

I myself am not a trucker but my family & friends either are or at one time was a truck driver.My fiance is a truck driver and Ivé been out on the road with him for 3 months at a time.It's not as easy as people think.Most people who don't think about the crap you face or put up with as a trucker because they have never driven an 18 wheeler! If it wasn't for truckers men wouldn't be going to nascar,women wouldn't be shopping at the mall and kids wouldn't be getting there hot lunches at school.Not to mention our roads wouldn't be as safe to drive on.Almost everyone has gone through a construction site and how do ya think they get the equipment & dirt to the site.Then there is the logging ..Again you wouldn't have a house to live in. That wood had to come from the forest & if they didn't log the forest you wouldn't have firewood homes,stores,toiletpaper,books,the list goe's on... So before you get an attitude!!! I would rethink if I were you!!!!!!!! Your job depends on it too!

Rod in Canton, Ohio said: I HAVE BEEN IN TRUCKING FOR 31 YEARS AND THE PAST 11 AS AN O/O NEVER BEFORE HAVE I NOT PAID MY BILLS AND FED MY FAMILY UNTIL NOW !! I AM SHUTTING DOWN APRIL 1st TIME TO STICK TOGETHER MY BRETHREN THE TIME IS NOW

You are not the only one out there like that!Look at the national foreclosure rate,record high due to americans just don't have enough money out of there check to pay the payment and buy food to put on the table,IT'S SAD

I agree we need to find ways to bring down the price's of fuel its getting horrible!! My truck holds 240 gallons and I spend over 900 bucks on 1 fill up alone! BUT! NOT all of us can afford to simply shut down and stay shut down. I personally have a family to support and bills to pay. With shutting down I can't pay those bills. All of the reports I am getting about this strike all say different things 1 says it will start April 1 another says April 3 and another says April 1 to 3 then again another says April 1 until.... I can afford a fews days to shut down but no more than that.... Sad thing is YES we'll get people's attentions by shutting down BUT we'll also raise the prices everywhere else food markets will go up ect ect ect and some folks just cant afford to buy groceries now as it is. OK so if we have a strike we screw up EVERYTHING! I say we all drive our happy little ass's to DC UNANNOUNCED and park on the steps of the capitol builing hell for that matter every state has some kind of congress building!! GO THERE PARK ON THE STEPS!!! MAKE THEM LOWER TAXES ON THE FUEL!!! Shutting down not only hurts our economy but it hurt the "little man" too. Please think about what your asking everyone to do and the consiquences of it!!

IF I'VE SAID IT BEFORE I'LL SAY IT AGAIN PARK YOUR HAPPY ASS RIGHT ON THE STEPS OF WHICH EVER CONGRESS BUILDING IN YOUR HOME STATE FORCE THEM TO LOWER TAXES ON THE FUEL THIS WOULD ALSO HELP....

AND PHILL JACKASS SOME OF US CAN'T AFFORD TO SHUT DOWN FOR THAT LONG SO SHOOT THEM FOR DOING THEIR JOB???? IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO DERSERVE TO BE IN JAIL FOR THE THOUGHT OF THINKING SOMEONE'S LIFE MEANS SO LITTLE AND YOU COULD BE SO CARELESS WITH SOMETHING AS PRECIOUS AS LIFE!