He was also an Illinois State Legislator and a U.S. Senator. I would say he was qualified.
You say you are always amazed. I am too. I’m always amazed how people on the Right seem to forget that this country was run into the ground well before Obama took office. They seem to forget (selective memory) what awful shape we were in in January 2009.
You are certainly free to believe whatever you want and there are many who believe that the economy would have improved faster under a different President. But to say he ran it into the ground is just fantasy.
It’s like the delusional ad recently run by Mitt Romney in Michigan ths week actually blaming Obama for teh decline in the U.S. auto industry over the past three decades. Yes, he actually blamed Obama for it. Delusional.
I knew you’d be the very first to replay. Rattled your cage; didn’t I? Obama has spent more money in his first 3 1/2 years then Bush did in his first 4 years. I shutter at the thought of what might happen if by some awful change that he gets re-elected again. How high in the trillions do you think our debit might be then? And BTW OPOV BO was not a sentator for very long time either. We do not have “selective memory”, but we do remember and will remember in November.
February 15, 2012 at 5:34 pm
The Other Point of View says:
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Will you admit that the economy had been run into the ground before he took office?
February 16, 2012 at 1:48 pm
JL says:
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Well it hasn’t gotten any better in the past four years. We need someone in office that can run our country like a business and learn how to say no and to keep our nose out of other peoples business. We need to fix us first. Democrat or Republican…I don’t care…Just no more Puppets in office please. Well Maybe Oscar or Big Bird.
February 19, 2012 at 12:28 pm
SAR2012 says:
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He was? I’ve always labored under the impression a legislator’s job requires research and voting. Barry mouthed Alinsky and alleged he was present.
“But to say he ran it into the ground is just fantasy.” Fantasy? Really? The feckless fraud more than doubled the aggregate debt accumulated by the previous 43, all his betters. By any measure, outside of the one you use for your Kool-Aid, this delusional narcissist has left a path of failure and loss which dwarfs the sum total of damage wreaked by all the Asian tsunamis of recorded history.
By doing nothing at all, a concrete block would do a better job than this vile entitlement beneficiary.
My thoughts are that you are in complete denial of reality. The Great Recession and massive job loss in this country began two years before Obama took office. This country’s economy was in the toilet when he took office in January 2009.
I honestly don’t understand the Right’s “all-of-a-sudden” fixation on the deficit. They didn’t give a damn about it during the Reagan through Bush 2 years. We’ve had twenty-three straight montsh of private sector job growth. The stock market has more than doubled in the last three years. The deficit is one aspect of the economy and your myopic focus on it is more revealing about the fact that you can’t admit that (1) the economy ws in the tank when Obama took office and (2) has made great improvements since then.
Those are my thoughts.
February 16, 2012 at 11:07 am
Always Amazed says:
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“George W. Bush set the previous record of $3.4 trillion of deficits in EIGHT YEARS. President Obama is on track to add $5 trillion in deficits in just FOUR YEARS. This is part of the reason why our national debt is now a whopping $15 trillion.” emphasis added.
And you are entitled to your opinion.
As for job growth, I’d like to know just how many folks are out there who have stopped looking for a job since their unemployment as run out. I happen to know a few of them. They were unable to find jobs. However, they are lucky enough to have spouses to support them. Although it’s been rough, they are squeaking on by. I am not in denial. My eyes are wide open. Obama has made “some” improvements… I will agree with that. But he made a lot of promises that he never kept and I still believe that he did not have enough experience to be president. He was a smooth talker (and still is) and the media helped put him in office along with Acorn. He bashed Bush for increasing the debt ceiling, calling in “unconstitutional”. He said he would lower the deficit by 50%. All nice promises for painting a rosy picture.
February 15, 2012 at 1:29 pm
Darren says:
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Unforntunately, this is one industry that we can’t outsource to China, but at least we can try to put the trucking companies out of business.
Darren…WTF are you saying here? That every aspect of American business should be sent to China? I have a better idea. Why don’t I buy you a one way ticket to China and we can get rid of YOU?
My comment was meant for Darren and not you, TOPOV. If you’ve got his back, I take it that you have no problem with his comment? That doesn’t surprise me at all.
If your comment was meant for him and him alone, you should have sent him a private email. You post here, it’s for all to see. And no, I don’t support his comment, whether facetious or not.
February 15, 2012 at 2:03 pm
CT Agent says:
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Darren probably doesn’t even know what facetious means…stupid is as stupid does/posts…
Hey Vinnie Goomba–you should buy two–one way tickets to China…one for Darren and one for The Other Point of View..I doubt that either would be missed here.
February 15, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Darren says:
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I do know what sarcasm is. You apparently do not.
February 15, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Maryanne Knowles says:
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How are these “Obama’s Rules”? they have been discussed and debated for many years and several administrations…..
Oh, yeah, like after 82 hours in a week and only 30 min breaks every eight hours–these drivers aren’t tired. What are they nuts? Just because they sit on their duffs all day long everyday doesn’t mean it’s an easy job. I love taking a road trip as much as the next person but I’m tired after three-four hours espeically if I’m traveling alone. I make myself stop. I agree with Mr. President on this one. It’s long overdue. For those that are on the side of the trucking industry—next time a semi swerves in and out of lanes and in front of you with your childeren or grandchildren in the car—or when they turn over and cause a pile up or along back up of traffic—say thank you for working…golly it’s 2am in the morning but he’s not tired.
Perhaps the semi is swerving in and out of traffic to avoid idiots that are swerving their cars in and out of traffic? No…that NEVER happens! I would trust a tractor trailer driver after they’ve driven 8 hours straight long before I would trust a 4 wheeler driving after 8 hours straight. If you’re tired after driving just THREE hours, I suggest you have someone else do the driving…
I can honestly say I’ve never had any issues with truck drivers driving like maniacs because of other people on the road. They are often over worked, under paid, and too much pressure on deadlines. You completely missed the point.
I think all of you people are ignorant about the trucking industry. I am married to an over-the-road driver who has been doing this for over 25 years, and if you think they’re causing all of the accidents out there because they are tired, you are being very stereotypical. When these drivers are hauling full trailers, these vehicles scale out at 75,000 pounds. They don’t stop on a dime, as the old saying goes. So when you have “4-wheelers” weaving in and out to go around the tractor trailer who is driving the speed limit, they are the incompetent drivers wreaking havoc on the road. Next time, leave 5 minutes earlier, 4-wheeler! If Obama wants to do something to help out the tractor trailer driver, make him mandate an adequate number of rest areas for these big trucks to park in when they are on their break. I have to believe the ignorant people posting here have no idea how difficult it is to find a parking space for a 75 foot vehicle every day, and many states have minimal spaces to park. Remember this the next time you go to the store to buy toilet paper!!!
Their is plenty of blame to go around for both parties but the real shame here is government red tape/over oversight is the real culprit. Our companies are handcuffed to due business as business should be done. Don’t you know that’s why companies opt to leave the US. If you make doing business so darn hard here in the US via regulation, manipulation, taking over ownership of, intentionally destroying the great companies that employee people, THEY WILL LEAVE AND I FOR ONE DON’T BLAME THEM. The only ones that need more oversight in this country is our Government. There needs to be a shake down and serious job replacement/elimination strategy.
And I’ll say an AMEN to you as well! Too much government is destroying this country. The Fed’s like to push their agenda on the little guy all of the time because they themselves might get busted if the fingers are pointed at the lack of regulation on Wall Street or in the oil industry. The smaller the middle class gets, the more we’re becoming dependent on them. So sad…
This is a hot topic in my house. my husband is an over-the-road truck driver. Thee laws do not take into account traffic james, delays at the shipper, all of the small breaks taken while fueling and eating. All this law is doing is forcing drivers to hurry up and get all the miles in while they can in under 11 hours. If he gets help up during delivery, that cuts into his 11 hours- and during that time he might have been in the berth sleeping.
And go rail? Okay, tell me how we are going to get rails built through every town in America??
JL – do the rails run to your grocery store?? They don’t go to mine. I don’t believe they run to any of the gas stations or restaurants I go to either. I can just imagine what lettuce would look like in say Ohio after it had been in rail car on it’s way from CA for 3 weeks.
“The trucking industry group maintains that the new rules are based on faulty assumptions and research and that any benefits are outweighed by the extra costs they will incur.”
The article didn’t seem to explain what the faulty assumptions were or any alternate research nor how the conclusion is reached the benefits will be outweighted by the extra costs.
Am I missing something in the article? If so, please direct me. If no, can anyone present information supporting the quoted paragraph above?
I worked as an 48 state OTR driver for 4 years. I took a 1 year hiatus and am returning to trucking. I am not happy with this 30min. daily rule. Sure, I took 15mins. here and there to grab a bite and use the restroom, etc. I do agree with the 34 hour rule even though it’s going to cost me some cash. The issue they aren’t addressing is the lack of truck parking throughout the US. Sometimes, I’d be at a consignee with like 45mins. left on my 14hr clock and not a place to park my truck in sight. I can’t park on the side of the road because I’d get a ticket. Some customers won’t let you crash at their place. What’s a driver to do? Throw on top of that mandatory 30min rest breaks. How am I to be productive? Trucking companies will pass on the costs to customers. The customers will then pass on the cost to consumers. My answer to solve the problem is implement the 34hr rule and build more truck parking throughout the US in close proximity to distributors. Leave everything else alone.
You have all missed the point, if you really want to make truck driving safer, read on:
Driver logs are the most dangerous aspect to the trucking industry, forcing drivers to drive when they ARE tired! The logs force you to stop driving when you feel good? OR Force you to wait, to drive when you are feeling good. If you stop before your tired, you lie awake waiting to fall asleep, then 1/2 your break is over, you go to sleep and the alarm wakes you, and you drive tired, legal but tired. Last week I got tired, stopped the truck, slept for 4 hours, woke up felt great then drove to my destination, DOT reviewed my logs, and fined me for going over the 14 hour rule, because I took the time too sleep! Somebody tell me, “What sense does that make?”
BUT HERE IS THE REAL PROBLEM:
The DOT should follow the lead from the airlines, as we are now, if the DOT finds problems with your truck, the financial consequences can ruin companies, this does not promote safe trucks! Punishing companies and drivers is not the way. Can you imagine, you pull into a weigh station, and you ask for an inspection? They inspect your truck, no fines, no punishment, and you agree to make the repairs in an orderly time frame, immediately if necessary. The way it is now is backwards, wrong, and counter productive.
Air Traffic Controllers are doing the same as airlines, if you admit you made an error, or have a problem, the FAA does not punish the controller, or airlines punish a pilot, instead they work to correct the problem. We need drivers to feel they can come forward and ask for help, get a free inspection, without fear that they will be punished, put out of service, fined, possibly fired.
I was an Air Traffic Controller and the new program, where they don’t punish the controllers or pilots, has made the skies safer and it will make the roads safer too. IN OTHER WORDS THE GOVT (FAA) DID SOMETHING RIGHT AND IT WORKED!!!!
The DOT should be working with the truckers, not be the enemies of truckers, yelling at us, screaming at us, treating us like children! I know many truckers that go out of their way to avoid all known weigh stations! Why shouldn’t they? It’s too disastrous too run into the wrong DOT officer! My last weigh station visit shut me down for 24 hours, with over $2,400.00 in fines!
There was some good out of it, there were a few safety issues with my truck, and now there fixed. The repairs cost me $1,000.00 and the truck is working much better, but it would be better if I put the $2,400.00 into truck, not too the Govt!
I am a new driver and I did not realize I had the defective parts, there are many new drivers too, all of us afraid of the DOT! Now my cash supply is low, I may have to wait on maintenance issues, and I basically worked for free for the last month, earning almost no money after the above expenses. THIS IS JUST PLAIN WRONG!
To the DOT: Truckers want to drive safe trucks! Help us! Stop punishing us! You’ll see truckers wanting to get inspected when they think there is something wrong with their truck.
The Dot is very good at finding problems, let’s use this to everyone’s advantage.
Hilarious. Barry O has never had a real job that required a certain number of hours a week. And no, golf and vacations don’t count.
You get bonus points for ignorance.
Well, really, you lose points for that.
He was a community organizer and civil rights attorney, all while teaching law.
That’s a hellacious number of work hours a week.
Try thinking before you engage your typing fingers.
Yes, this may be true but it certainly didn’t qualify him to run this country. However, it did qualify him to run this country into the ground.
He was also an Illinois State Legislator and a U.S. Senator. I would say he was qualified.
You say you are always amazed. I am too. I’m always amazed how people on the Right seem to forget that this country was run into the ground well before Obama took office. They seem to forget (selective memory) what awful shape we were in in January 2009.
You are certainly free to believe whatever you want and there are many who believe that the economy would have improved faster under a different President. But to say he ran it into the ground is just fantasy.
It’s like the delusional ad recently run by Mitt Romney in Michigan ths week actually blaming Obama for teh decline in the U.S. auto industry over the past three decades. Yes, he actually blamed Obama for it. Delusional.
I knew you’d be the very first to replay. Rattled your cage; didn’t I? Obama has spent more money in his first 3 1/2 years then Bush did in his first 4 years. I shutter at the thought of what might happen if by some awful change that he gets re-elected again. How high in the trillions do you think our debit might be then? And BTW OPOV BO was not a sentator for very long time either. We do not have “selective memory”, but we do remember and will remember in November.
Will you admit that the economy had been run into the ground before he took office?
Well it hasn’t gotten any better in the past four years. We need someone in office that can run our country like a business and learn how to say no and to keep our nose out of other peoples business. We need to fix us first. Democrat or Republican…I don’t care…Just no more Puppets in office please. Well Maybe Oscar or Big Bird.
He was? I’ve always labored under the impression a legislator’s job requires research and voting. Barry mouthed Alinsky and alleged he was present.
“But to say he ran it into the ground is just fantasy.” Fantasy? Really? The feckless fraud more than doubled the aggregate debt accumulated by the previous 43, all his betters. By any measure, outside of the one you use for your Kool-Aid, this delusional narcissist has left a path of failure and loss which dwarfs the sum total of damage wreaked by all the Asian tsunamis of recorded history.
By doing nothing at all, a concrete block would do a better job than this vile entitlement beneficiary.
Nope, that’s not what I’m saying at all. Here is an ariticle I found on CNN – http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/15/where-is-the-u-s-headed-if-pres-obama-is-adding-an-estimated-5-trillion-to-the-national-debt-in-his-first-term/?hpt=hp_t1
Let me know your thoughts..
My thoughts are that you are in complete denial of reality. The Great Recession and massive job loss in this country began two years before Obama took office. This country’s economy was in the toilet when he took office in January 2009.
I honestly don’t understand the Right’s “all-of-a-sudden” fixation on the deficit. They didn’t give a damn about it during the Reagan through Bush 2 years. We’ve had twenty-three straight montsh of private sector job growth. The stock market has more than doubled in the last three years. The deficit is one aspect of the economy and your myopic focus on it is more revealing about the fact that you can’t admit that (1) the economy ws in the tank when Obama took office and (2) has made great improvements since then.
Those are my thoughts.
“George W. Bush set the previous record of $3.4 trillion of deficits in EIGHT YEARS. President Obama is on track to add $5 trillion in deficits in just FOUR YEARS. This is part of the reason why our national debt is now a whopping $15 trillion.” emphasis added.
And you are entitled to your opinion.
As for job growth, I’d like to know just how many folks are out there who have stopped looking for a job since their unemployment as run out. I happen to know a few of them. They were unable to find jobs. However, they are lucky enough to have spouses to support them. Although it’s been rough, they are squeaking on by. I am not in denial. My eyes are wide open. Obama has made “some” improvements… I will agree with that. But he made a lot of promises that he never kept and I still believe that he did not have enough experience to be president. He was a smooth talker (and still is) and the media helped put him in office along with Acorn. He bashed Bush for increasing the debt ceiling, calling in “unconstitutional”. He said he would lower the deficit by 50%. All nice promises for painting a rosy picture.
Unforntunately, this is one industry that we can’t outsource to China, but at least we can try to put the trucking companies out of business.
Darren…WTF are you saying here? That every aspect of American business should be sent to China? I have a better idea. Why don’t I buy you a one way ticket to China and we can get rid of YOU?
Lighten up Vinnie. I think Darren was being facetious.
My comment was meant for Darren and not you, TOPOV. If you’ve got his back, I take it that you have no problem with his comment? That doesn’t surprise me at all.
If your comment was meant for him and him alone, you should have sent him a private email. You post here, it’s for all to see. And no, I don’t support his comment, whether facetious or not.
Darren probably doesn’t even know what facetious means…stupid is as stupid does/posts…
Hey Vinnie Goomba–you should buy two–one way tickets to China…one for Darren and one for The Other Point of View..I doubt that either would be missed here.
I do know what sarcasm is. You apparently do not.
How are these “Obama’s Rules”? they have been discussed and debated for many years and several administrations…..
this is one of the few things Obama has done that I actually approve.
Oh, yeah, like after 82 hours in a week and only 30 min breaks every eight hours–these drivers aren’t tired. What are they nuts? Just because they sit on their duffs all day long everyday doesn’t mean it’s an easy job. I love taking a road trip as much as the next person but I’m tired after three-four hours espeically if I’m traveling alone. I make myself stop. I agree with Mr. President on this one. It’s long overdue. For those that are on the side of the trucking industry—next time a semi swerves in and out of lanes and in front of you with your childeren or grandchildren in the car—or when they turn over and cause a pile up or along back up of traffic—say thank you for working…golly it’s 2am in the morning but he’s not tired.
Perhaps the semi is swerving in and out of traffic to avoid idiots that are swerving their cars in and out of traffic? No…that NEVER happens! I would trust a tractor trailer driver after they’ve driven 8 hours straight long before I would trust a 4 wheeler driving after 8 hours straight. If you’re tired after driving just THREE hours, I suggest you have someone else do the driving…
I can honestly say I’ve never had any issues with truck drivers driving like maniacs because of other people on the road. They are often over worked, under paid, and too much pressure on deadlines. You completely missed the point.
I think all of you people are ignorant about the trucking industry. I am married to an over-the-road driver who has been doing this for over 25 years, and if you think they’re causing all of the accidents out there because they are tired, you are being very stereotypical. When these drivers are hauling full trailers, these vehicles scale out at 75,000 pounds. They don’t stop on a dime, as the old saying goes. So when you have “4-wheelers” weaving in and out to go around the tractor trailer who is driving the speed limit, they are the incompetent drivers wreaking havoc on the road. Next time, leave 5 minutes earlier, 4-wheeler! If Obama wants to do something to help out the tractor trailer driver, make him mandate an adequate number of rest areas for these big trucks to park in when they are on their break. I have to believe the ignorant people posting here have no idea how difficult it is to find a parking space for a 75 foot vehicle every day, and many states have minimal spaces to park. Remember this the next time you go to the store to buy toilet paper!!!
Amen! It Doesn’t Matter
Their is plenty of blame to go around for both parties but the real shame here is government red tape/over oversight is the real culprit. Our companies are handcuffed to due business as business should be done. Don’t you know that’s why companies opt to leave the US. If you make doing business so darn hard here in the US via regulation, manipulation, taking over ownership of, intentionally destroying the great companies that employee people, THEY WILL LEAVE AND I FOR ONE DON’T BLAME THEM. The only ones that need more oversight in this country is our Government. There needs to be a shake down and serious job replacement/elimination strategy.
And I’ll say an AMEN to you as well! Too much government is destroying this country. The Fed’s like to push their agenda on the little guy all of the time because they themselves might get busted if the fingers are pointed at the lack of regulation on Wall Street or in the oil industry. The smaller the middle class gets, the more we’re becoming dependent on them. So sad…
Here’s a solution–GO RAIL
This is a hot topic in my house. my husband is an over-the-road truck driver. Thee laws do not take into account traffic james, delays at the shipper, all of the small breaks taken while fueling and eating. All this law is doing is forcing drivers to hurry up and get all the miles in while they can in under 11 hours. If he gets help up during delivery, that cuts into his 11 hours- and during that time he might have been in the berth sleeping.
And go rail? Okay, tell me how we are going to get rails built through every town in America??
JL – do the rails run to your grocery store?? They don’t go to mine. I don’t believe they run to any of the gas stations or restaurants I go to either. I can just imagine what lettuce would look like in say Ohio after it had been in rail car on it’s way from CA for 3 weeks.
WE do need more rail related transportation, but this trucking deal is ridiculous. Just let them be.
One must wonder how much the rail industry lobbyists poured into the Zero’s pockets to push through this gift to their puppeteers?
“The trucking industry group maintains that the new rules are based on faulty assumptions and research and that any benefits are outweighed by the extra costs they will incur.”
The article didn’t seem to explain what the faulty assumptions were or any alternate research nor how the conclusion is reached the benefits will be outweighted by the extra costs.
Am I missing something in the article? If so, please direct me. If no, can anyone present information supporting the quoted paragraph above?
If only the independent drivers were unionized. Obama would be their champion with fewer hours of service, more pay…and, free dietary advice.
Can you say tyranny!
one day they will finally completely break the system lose alot of drivers and pay high dollar to keep the ones that remain in play
I worked as an 48 state OTR driver for 4 years. I took a 1 year hiatus and am returning to trucking. I am not happy with this 30min. daily rule. Sure, I took 15mins. here and there to grab a bite and use the restroom, etc. I do agree with the 34 hour rule even though it’s going to cost me some cash. The issue they aren’t addressing is the lack of truck parking throughout the US. Sometimes, I’d be at a consignee with like 45mins. left on my 14hr clock and not a place to park my truck in sight. I can’t park on the side of the road because I’d get a ticket. Some customers won’t let you crash at their place. What’s a driver to do? Throw on top of that mandatory 30min rest breaks. How am I to be productive? Trucking companies will pass on the costs to customers. The customers will then pass on the cost to consumers. My answer to solve the problem is implement the 34hr rule and build more truck parking throughout the US in close proximity to distributors. Leave everything else alone.
You have all missed the point, if you really want to make truck driving safer, read on:
Driver logs are the most dangerous aspect to the trucking industry, forcing drivers to drive when they ARE tired! The logs force you to stop driving when you feel good? OR Force you to wait, to drive when you are feeling good. If you stop before your tired, you lie awake waiting to fall asleep, then 1/2 your break is over, you go to sleep and the alarm wakes you, and you drive tired, legal but tired. Last week I got tired, stopped the truck, slept for 4 hours, woke up felt great then drove to my destination, DOT reviewed my logs, and fined me for going over the 14 hour rule, because I took the time too sleep! Somebody tell me, “What sense does that make?”
BUT HERE IS THE REAL PROBLEM:
The DOT should follow the lead from the airlines, as we are now, if the DOT finds problems with your truck, the financial consequences can ruin companies, this does not promote safe trucks! Punishing companies and drivers is not the way. Can you imagine, you pull into a weigh station, and you ask for an inspection? They inspect your truck, no fines, no punishment, and you agree to make the repairs in an orderly time frame, immediately if necessary. The way it is now is backwards, wrong, and counter productive.
Air Traffic Controllers are doing the same as airlines, if you admit you made an error, or have a problem, the FAA does not punish the controller, or airlines punish a pilot, instead they work to correct the problem. We need drivers to feel they can come forward and ask for help, get a free inspection, without fear that they will be punished, put out of service, fined, possibly fired.
I was an Air Traffic Controller and the new program, where they don’t punish the controllers or pilots, has made the skies safer and it will make the roads safer too. IN OTHER WORDS THE GOVT (FAA) DID SOMETHING RIGHT AND IT WORKED!!!!
The DOT should be working with the truckers, not be the enemies of truckers, yelling at us, screaming at us, treating us like children! I know many truckers that go out of their way to avoid all known weigh stations! Why shouldn’t they? It’s too disastrous too run into the wrong DOT officer! My last weigh station visit shut me down for 24 hours, with over $2,400.00 in fines!
There was some good out of it, there were a few safety issues with my truck, and now there fixed. The repairs cost me $1,000.00 and the truck is working much better, but it would be better if I put the $2,400.00 into truck, not too the Govt!
I am a new driver and I did not realize I had the defective parts, there are many new drivers too, all of us afraid of the DOT! Now my cash supply is low, I may have to wait on maintenance issues, and I basically worked for free for the last month, earning almost no money after the above expenses. THIS IS JUST PLAIN WRONG!
To the DOT: Truckers want to drive safe trucks! Help us! Stop punishing us! You’ll see truckers wanting to get inspected when they think there is something wrong with their truck.
The Dot is very good at finding problems, let’s use this to everyone’s advantage.
If you agree, please respond,
Rick
richardjurban@live.com