Knights of the Road

The archaic phrase, "gird up your loins" always preceeded action. It means to "tighten with a belt". When men of old intended to run, they would pull their tunics (robes) between their legs and tuck them into their belts, so the robes wouldn't trip them or otherwise slow them down. They called this action, girding their loins.

Modern day versions of girding our loins are:

Get ready to roll
Get rid of anything that may impede your progress
Don't let anything slow you down
Run like the wind
Move from a position of Strength

Well, fellow knights, it's time to gird our loins and take a stand.

If you are not familiar with the NAFTA SuperCorridors and the North American Union, Please, please, I beg you, take the time to learn about them and tell it to everyone you meet. I have provided information on my website; www.knighttimeinternational.com

We have a very small window of opportunity to stop it. Our Texas brothers & sisters have been carrying on the fight by themselves, even though it affects all of us. Canadians are now becoming aware and getting involved to stop it. We, Americans must get our heads out of the sand and take a stand. It will be the end of our middle class and the American dream. And I don't even want to think about the effect on American truck drivers.

So, truckers, let's gird up our loins and roll.

Category: General

For 2 years, I've been asking for an explanation for the FMCSA's lack of enforcement of the English language requirement. No one I asked knew the answer. But I kept searching, and at last, I found the answer:

A rule from the 1930s made employers responsible for evaluating a driver's proficiency in English.

In 1997, the Federal Highway Administration proposed regulations that required that commercial vehicle drivers in interstate commerce be able to "read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, understand highway traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records." But it made no provisions for enforcement, and CDL rules let states administer driving tests in foreign languages.

In 2003, the The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) held a public debate to consider a proposal that would have standardized the English fluency requirements for truck drivers.

Central to the debate were the issues surrounding
1)more definitive standards and stringent rules
2)violation of federal discrimination laws if there were standards and rules

FMCSA concluded that "The rule as written gives carriers the flexibility to individually determine if a driver has the communication skills necessary to operate safely,"

It also said that there was no inconsistency in letting states offer CDL tests in foreign languages and letting carriers be responsible for determining the appropriate "undefined level of proficiency in English."(If this seems chaotic to you, that is because it is)

Here is the quote from the FMCSA:
"The tests, training, and study manuals associated with obtaining a CDL are complex. Therefore, the administration of the CDL test in languages other than English is justified. However, in actual operation on the highway, the CDL driver must be able, based on the needs of the carrier's operation, to have a sufficient command of English to ensure that safety is not compromised."

(Note: If the training manuals and testing are complex, why is truck driving classified as unskilled?"

Category: General

On May 26th, the Senate passed its Comprehensive Immigration Bill that includes a guest worker program that is above and beyond normal immigration flow and amnesty.

This program is basically an open-door policy to let companies bring in foreign workers. Many Carriers are planning to use this guest worker program to hire truck drivers. And truck drivers, as well as most American workers, can watch their wages erode even faster than they have been.

The Bill has now gone to the House for ratification. It's not likely that the Representatives will accept the Bill as it is. However, over the next few weeks, there will be much haggling and arm twisting behind the scenes. We ALL need to let our representative know where we stand on this guest worker program. It's as easy as logging onto www.house.gov, finding your representative and telling him or her that a vote for a guest worker program is a vote against the American worker and you.

Visit my website www.truckerdoc.com for all the details of what this program means to America.

Category: General

Everyone is Cordially Invited to Attend the Truckers' Charity Ball, to be held on Saturday, February 18th, 2006, beginning at 6:00 pm at the Antique Automobile Museum in Hershey, PA, I-81, Exit 77, Rt 39 East. (4.5 miles from the interstate. Truck parking is available at the Museum.

Indulge in the tantalizing foods by What If..Hershey as you stroll through the museum marveling at the timeless beauty of classics. Food stations and bars will be throughout this large museum. Skuba Entertainment will play your favorite music. And great items have been donated for a silent auction. Proceeds go toward the Teddy Bear Education and Emergency Assistance fund for truckdrivers.

Information about the fund, lodging, dress attire and payment can be found at www.truckersball.org. Tickets are $50.00 and can be purchased online by credit card or paypal or by check or money order through mail.

For many reasons, this is a very significant event for the trucking industry. And it is the first, formal, industry-wide event. Many truck drivers have told me that it is long overdue. I hope to see you there.

Category: General

Yesterday was a happy day. Lenutt and his wife came through Scranton and stopped and visited with me for awhile. We had a grand ole time talking and laughing. They are some of the lovliest people I've ever met, and they have so many great experiences to share. I felt like we have known each other forever.

Category: General

Ken said he is in Georgia Paradise right now. Yeah, right. Although Savannah is a neat little city, and everyone should visit it at least once.

Week before last I made a trip to my Paradise because I needed to rest my weary mind and body. I was born and raised on the beach of southeast Florida, and to restore and recharge, I need to see the ocean. Even if it's only for a day and half like this trip.

A couple of years after moving to Northeast PA, I discoverd Ocean Grove, NJ. If you want to party, don't go there. If you want to be restored and creative, go there. All the land in Ocean Grove is owned by the Methodist Church. People can own their houses but not the land. It is the site of one of the church's summer campgrounds. People go there every summer and pitch their tents around the open-air chapel. But it's not tent pitching like we normally think about it-its phenomenol. The same families have been going every summer for so many years that they have built structures to which to attach the tents. And they hang lots of beautiful flowers from the tents.

OG also has a beautiful auditorium that hosts all kinds of summer concerts and entertainers. It is about a square mile or a little larger in size. It has lots of victorian homes, and all hotels are bed and breakfastes. OG is a national historic site. It is very tranquil and has a wonderful soothing spirit. The beaches are clean, and radios are not allowed on the beach. People are friendly and caring. It's like a step back to a kinder and gentler time. If the ocean water was as warm as southeast Florida's, I would probably never leave.

Category: General

The Highway Interdependence Day Celebration is only 13 days away. If you are traveling through the Scranton area on September 10th, between 10 am and 3 pm, please stop by the Lackawanna County Stadium and Celebrate with us. It's EXIT 182 off I 81. We will have truck parking. The stadium is the 2nd Exit North of the Petro.

This is a day when truckdrivers throw a party for the public. It's also a day when cream-of-the-crop trucks drivers get to meet each other. We have a lot of demonstrations planned, a People's Choice Truck Competition, Driver's Obstacle Course, New Trucks, Antique Trucks, Show Trucks, Games, truck rides for the public, music by Sunny Aaron, and tons of other stuff - AND IT'S FREE.

Visit the website:www.highwayinterdependenceday.com to see a schedule of events.
Trust me: It's an awesome day. And please, pass the word.

Category: General

I'm very happy to know that Warren and Lenutt finally got home. Following their trials and tribulations of getting home has been like a watching a soap opera. It shouldn't be this hard to get home. Especially in this time of strong freight and low supply of drivers. Companies need to be taking care of their drivers to keep them.

This week I spent the day with a carrier that is changing most of its operations to get drivers home several times a week. In fact, this company has been undertaking several initiatives for the drivers and is planning many more good things.

I see a strong wind blowing in this industry that is bringing many changes. Companies that adapt to meet the needs of drivers will survive. Those that persist in the archaic mindset that truck drivers are not worthy of consideration will fall by the wayside.

And drivers, you can speed this process along by letting your companies know what you will and will not tolerate. You're the Soul of America and deserve respect. You have earned it.

I have a bone to pick with the ATA's marketing slogan: "Good stuff, Trucks bring it". Sorry, but there can be a 1,000 shiny, new trucks to haul stuff, but if there aren't drivers to drive those trucks, stuff doesn't get hauled.

The slogan should be: "Like your good stuff? Truckers bring it"

Category: General

I need your input on the type of food stations that we should have at the Truckers' Ball that will be held at the Antique Car Museum in Hershey, PA on February 18th, 2006.

Several food stations will be set up around the museum where we can graze all night.

The caterer has thrown out several ideas. We can use some of them or none of them. We can come up with our own ideas. Here are some of the caterers suggestions:

Meat station (different types)
Cheesesteaks
mash potato bar (all kinds of toppings)
Pizza bar
Asian food
Mexican
Greek
Pasta Station (all kinds of pasta)
German

Do any of these suggestions interest you?
What would you like to have?

Category: General

I just wanted to let everyone know that Lenutt was on KnightTime Radio today, and he was simply marvelous. We had a great time with him.

Please take the time to listen to the show. It's fast, it's fun.
www.truckerdoc.com - go to the listen to the radio show page.

Category: General