What the freak is going on here? No truckers? No TRUCKS!

As most of you know, I have kept my finger on the pulse of trucking since leaving the industry. I left for the same reason so many others left: the pay was not enough to justify the sacrifice.

Of course, I never drove as an Owner-Operator. I never saw the advantage in it. Sure, the money is a lot better, but the operating costs skyrocket as well. A person driving as an Owner-Op has repair costs which are literally astronomical, maintenance costs, and registration/insurance costs that a company driver doesn't have. Many Owner Ops I talked to were on the verge of hanging it up just over the rising costs. So I never bothered even trying to buy my own truck.

One exception: after Hurricane Katrina, I actually had serious thoughts about buying a dump and spending some time helping out in New Orleans. But then I heard about some of the conditions they were having to work in there, so I decided it wasn't worth it.

I do have a tenant (he doesn't pay rent, but he helps out around the place when he's in) who is an Owner Op. His Peterbilt is paid for and leased on to a pretty decent company. He's pulling in some good cash driving, and they have him on a semi-dedicated route to boot. But then something happened that made me sit up and take notice.

All trucks are required to have a DOT inspection every year, performed by a certified mechanic. In addition, most companies require DOT inspections as well, sometimes more often, to ensure their leased-on trucks are not going to get a ticket if stopped. Recent changes in DOT regulations make equipment violations not just a black mark against the driver/owner, but against the company they drive for. Too many violations and the DOT comes down hard on the company... and remember, the DOT can shut a trucking company's doors with the stroke of a pen. So companies are scurrying to ensure that none of their trucks have any equipment violations.

Also, the term "equipment violation" does not mean what most think it means. The average truck has thousands of feet of pneumatic line running through it... the air runs the brakes, the air bags, and the suspension. One leak in those thousands of feet of pneumatic line is a major equipment violation. If one light is burned out or missing, even if that light was not required in the first place, that is an equipment violation. Any engine alert is an equipment violation, even if it has nothing to do with the operation of the truck. In short, every truck on the road has to be in 100% perfect operating condition at all times, regardless of how old it is. Even tire tread has specific regulations.

So that has already made it hard on Owner Ops. Some spend quite a bit of time sitting making nothing while they pay mechanics high prices to correct minor issues. That was always considered just part of the job... yeah, at any time, one might find themselves out of work for a few days while some shop repairs their truck. Welcome to trucking!

Well, my friend had an air leak a while back. Not a big one but any air leak is a problem. So he started trying to find a shop to have it fixed. That's a couple of hours work, usually in and out in the same day. Might make one load a little late, but not enough to be a problem. The problem was that he couldn't find a shop to fix it! All the way along his route, right up the center of the USA, major roads, and not one truck stop was able to get to it for a minimum of two weeks!

That's two weeks in a motel, paying for it, not working, receivers demanding the load on the truck, and the semi-regular loads going to someone else, and then having to pay for the repairs. Now who can afford that? So he brings the truck home... being local to here, surely he can find someone to fix a simple air leak, right?

Wrong.

We tried everyone within a 50-mile radius. There are more truck shops now than there were when I was driving, but for some strange reason every one of them is backed up for at least two weeks. Finally we found one... one... who said they would at least look at the truck and see if they could work it in, just past that 50-mile radius. So he took the truck there and when they checked it, the air leak was gone! We have no idea why, and we are both concerned that it will simply come back, but it can't be fixed until it does.

OK, so he can now get his DOT inspection. He drives by a truck stop and there's a bushing in the steering that is worn out beyond specs. Not a big job either... but their shop can't get him in for two weeks. The place he just left says they will have to order the part and that alone could take a week. No other shops can fix his truck in a reasonable length of time, so he can't drive!

We finally found a shop close that had someone cancel and said they could let him have that slot. He's dropping the truck off today. They will have to see if they have the part, order it from Peterbilt if not (which can take anywhere from 2 days to a week), and then take whatever time it takes to actually do the repair. What choice does he have? He can't drive without a current DOT inspection, and that one minor thing means he can't pass a DOT inspection.

I should also mention that this particular shop does not have a glowing reputation... which is likely why they were able to see him.

I keep hearing we have a driver shortage, but what I am seeing is that poorer quality on new trucks, more complex systems on new trucks to satisfy the "green" people, and a serious lack of available shops is the real shortage.

Now, consider this: larger companies do not have this problem. Most of them have their own diesel shops in house to make repairs. However, it is hard (bordering on impossible) to get approval to use a company shop unless one is either driving a company truck or still under lease to buy the truck (which means it still belongs to the company). Owner-Ops are being left out in the cold here, forced out of business at the same time that we are told there is this driver shortage. And I see no reasonable explanation... we do not have a sudden shortage of shops that closed up.

So what's going on?

I don't have all the information yet on why this is happening, but I will... and if anyone else has any insights I definitely want to hear them. It looks to me like someone is trying to drive the independent driver out of business so the companies will have an oligarchy on the industry. And it's quite likely that this ties in with the regular shortages we see, because everything comes to your neighborhood on a truck. Is all this, the shortages, the faltering economy, all because someone behind the scenes is trying to gain an individual advantage for themselves at the cost of everyone else?

Something's just not smelling right...

TheRedneck

Parts supply was devastated after CV19 took it's toll on shipping.

China supplies the majority of parts to the US/EU and they shut down for 1.5 years. This, coupled with the fact that suppliers ran out of stock months ago, is not the only major upset we all face. This is all a huge setback. Catastrophic in a sense. I know a few suppliers that used up their 2019-2020 stock and couldn't refill any for 2021-2022.

Gasoline is dropping, but diesel hasn't budged.
Why?

There is more than something fishy here.
It reeks of conspiracy.

So what's going on?

You and I both know (and many others around the world) what's going on.
They have told us for years what is going to happen.
People just refuse to believe it, even when the ones doing it tell you what they are doing.

"Build Back Better"- a Globalist wet dream, where America and other western countries are brought down to the level of third world standards. Then when we are all on a "level playing field", our elite masters(/sarc) can build back better.
A world in their image.

It's gonna get a lot worse and people will refuse to see it till it's too late.

a reply to: TheRedneck

I dont have an answer but as is my MO, i have vague platitudes with a conspiracy bend!

For the past 30-40 years we have seen a movement of centralization of our economy. Pick your sector and field. Homes, vehicles, education, food, energy etc etc.

This particular issue speaks firstly to education. Being a mechanic is a trade. Working man PHDs arent profitable to anyone who would fund that education save the employer and thats only if they can keep them onboard for a given time. Thus, its not promoted, marketed or glorified.

Secondly, you have the trucks themselves. Planned obsolesence, decreasing quality and proprietary components and systems (I assume) that are meant to be worked on by specialty diesel mechanics. Making it that much more difficult to offer the services needed at scale.

Third is the supply chain. I cant speak on specifics but now more than ever we have products moving across the nation at record speed putting even more pressure on the above topics. It simply cant be sustainable.

In short, we are on a path that makes few very wealthy and as usual, its not the ones providing the actual goods and services.

a reply to: havok

Diesel is $5.77 in Illinois. That's down, if you can believe it.

gasprices.aaa.com...

I'm amazed at how full of trucks the local highways still are. The drivers don't look happy at the truck stops though. They used to eat and chat at Flying-J and Pilot stations. That's not happening now.

It's becoming dicey out there. Not just for people but parts and services. Not only is there a shortage of good people there is a shortage of parts. MY daughter's catalytic converter was stolen, what a nightmare just getting parts let alone getting into service. God forbid you need to rent a car.

My dad had an interesting story about a friend that helps him farm in the Midwest. This guy used to be a long haul trucker and has been driving truck for nearly 30 years. He had just got done dropping a load of grain off and was heading home. Now this is in the middle of nowhere Midwest, the largest town he was closest to was maybe 1600 people.

He just turned onto a gravel road heading home and was pulled over by the DOT doing checks but this time he had an IRS agent with him checking to see if he was using the correct diesel. By him not using dyed fuel he could have been charged with some form of tax evasion from what he gathered from his conversation. In all his years driving and all the stops and checks he had done he had never seen an IRS agent with the DOT. Very strange times we are living in. Just wondering with your experience if you had seen an IRS agent with the DOT before?

originally posted by: JinMI
Third is the supply chain. I cant speak on specifics but now more than ever we have products moving across the nation at record speed putting even more pressure on the above topics. It simply cant be sustainable.

The only place in the supply chain where more costs can be trimmed is labor. The conglomerates will first squeeze out owner operators and eventually their in house drivers. SAE4 automated vehicles are already on the road with SAE5 coming. Once these arrive you can have fleets of automated trucks making scheduled stops only for cargo and fuel. No food stops. No mandated time stops. No nothing. Then you'll have your goods delivered with maximized profits and absolute just-in-time shipping.

a reply to: Charliebrowndog

From the IRS web site.

IR-2021-108, May 13, 2021

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service, in response to disruptions of the fuel supply chain, will not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on the highway in the states of Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

This relief is retroactive to May 7, 2021, and will remain in effect through May 21, 2021.

This penalty relief is available to any person that sells or uses dyed diesel fuel for highway use. In the case of the operator of the vehicle in which the dyed diesel fuel is used, the relief is available only if the operator or the person selling such fuel pays the tax of 24.4 cents per gallon that is normally applied to diesel fuel for highway use.

The IRS will not impose penalties for failure to make semimonthly deposits of this tax. IRS Publication 510, Excise Taxes, has information on the proper method for reporting and paying the tax.

Ordinarily, dyed diesel fuel is not taxed, because it is sold for uses exempt from excise tax, such as to farmers for farming purposes, for home heating use, and to local governments.

The IRS is closely monitoring the situation and will provide additional relief as needed.


When I worked my cousins farm in Illinois in the late sixties, he had dyed fuel.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Even that has a floor.

Lets say the owner/operator is wiped out. How cheap will drivers work for? Im guessing we will find out.

For the rest of the class, what unintended consequences would that create?

originally posted by: JinMI
Lets say the owner/operator is wiped out. How cheap will drivers work for? Im guessing we will find out.

There's about 130% per year turnover in the trucking industry, they are constantly duping people into pissing away their personal finances for this. Until that dries up and the self-driving trucks arrive I guess we'll find out how low people will go.

Workplace fleet recently needed some vehicles DOT inspected. For those not in the loop this is required annually per state and Federal regs.

We went in circles with local shops for a month to get it done. One truck-trailer place flat out couldn’t do it (and that’s part of their business!). Did get the inspections done just in time, otherwise would have needed to park the vehicles.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: JinMI
Third is the supply chain. I cant speak on specifics but now more than ever we have products moving across the nation at record speed putting even more pressure on the above topics. It simply cant be sustainable.

The only place in the supply chain where more costs can be trimmed is drivers. The conglomerates first will squeeze out owner operators and eventually their in house drivers. SAE4 automated vehicles are already on the road with SAE5 coming. Once these arrive you can have fleets of automated trucks making scheduled stops only for cargo and fuel. No food stops. No mandated time stops. No nothing. Then you'll have your goods delivered with maximized profits and absolute just-in-time shipping.

I agree that is where we are headed but the time frame? I can't see that being implemented any time soon unless they are sitting on tech we don't know about 5-7 years and that's pushing it.

As well as I can't see totally autonomous trucks initially. It would be prudent to have a passenger for maintenance in route if nothing else.

a reply to: putnam6

I'd say by the end of the decade you'll have SAE5 vehicles in fairly broad proliferation. It won't be limited to roads either, you'll have them in warehouse applications as well so self driving trucks will be loaded by self driving lifts.

a reply to: TheRedneck

Parts are non-existent. One of our yard trucks has a headlight problem, where we had to install a light bar for the headlights. They've been looking for months and can't find simple headlights. They've been looking for a door latching mechanism for several weeks and can't find one. We can't even get a mechanic out to our site for weeks, because we're an hour out of where they normally work. One of our trucks had a starter problem, and sat next to a door for two weeks with the cab tilted waiting for the mechanic. Then when he did fix it, it started happening again. Trucks that were taken out on flatbed to have work done in a shop came back after several weeks, and the problems they had "fixed" started up again almost right away.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It's not only trucks. I've been waiting over three weeks for a replacement front axel for my car. Supposed to be in Friday. Car won't pass inspection without it, so I can't drive it.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: putnam6

I'd say by the end of the decade you'll have SAE5 vehicles in fairly broad proliferation. It won't be limited to roads either, you'll have them in warehouse applications as well so self driving trucks will be loaded by self driving lifts.

So basically that is where we are heading and all we have to do is survive the transition. This is a transition on even a larger scale of going from horse and buggy to cars, there are gonna be road blocks and hazards along the way. But thankfully we have competent leadership to help see us through.

Hell, I want high-speed bullet trains as they have in Turkey and Japan, if we are talking efficiency, it would be optimal with less individual traffic on the road with the autonomous trucks. Because one crash involving a school bus full of kids and an autonomous truck, even if it wasn't the fault of the truck could slow implementation

originally posted by: putnam6
But thankfully we have competent leadership to help see us through.

I don't see the government doing anything but putting up roadblocks based on lobbying efforts to retain jobs, sort of like with what happened with railroads and featherbedding.

a reply to: JinMI

Education: I still see just as many ads out there for CDL training. When I got mine, it was free, via student loan that my first employer paid back. I think it still works the same way. Plus, many of the larger companies do their own driver training in house now. Some states have loosened the laws on CDL training to allow that.

It's not like the "working man's PhD" of olden times. Anyone who can pass the physical and put up with the BS can become a driver. The problem with that is that few can pass the physical, put up with the BS, and actually do a decent job driving.

Planned obsolescence and increasing complexity are certainly an issue. That Pete has an ECM like other vehicles, and a recent sensor malfunction shut it down in mid-trip! Even worse, replacing the sensor didn't fix that... the ECM had to be updated to recognize the sensor was working again. That takes expensive equipment!

It's starting to feel like the truck is programmed to have monthly breakdowns. I know that many companies are trying to make as much service and as many parts 'dealer only" as possible... John Deere is leading the front on that (which is why, if I upgrade my tractor, it will be a Kubota this time). GM is deeply involved in that push as well, along with several other auto manufacturers. I would be surprised of some of the truck manufacturers weren't promoting the issue as well.

The supply chain might be the driving force du jour, however. If a truck is torn apart waiting for a part, it's not easy to reassemble it, pull it outside, and then when the part comes in disassemble it again to repair it. That would be a good way to tie up repair shops. Of course, this ties in with the dealer item issue I mentioned above... one can no longer just order a generic part... now it must the the exact part, often from a single supplier (the dealer) and if the dealer has supply chain issues... oopsy!

TheRedneck

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: putnam6
But thankfully we have competent leadership to help see us through.

I don't see the government doing anything but putting up roadblocks based on lobbying efforts to retain jobs, sort of like with what happened with railroads and featherbedding.

That is where it will get political with one party Democrats pro and the Republicans will be con. Wouldn't be the first time one administration implemented something and another came in and rescinded the program. Even if it is bipartisan the jobs lost would be huge, almost as if there would need to be some support mechanism in the interim.

All off this is fine for the big companies and their drivers, its these independents I think about

originally posted by: putnam6
Even if it is bipartisan the jobs lost would be huge, almost as if there would need to be some support mechanism in the interim.

Like learning how to code? As this progresses the jobs won't be sustainable economically for the job holder. If you read The Secret Life of Groceries, which is three years old already, you'll see the collusiory behavior of the major trucking firms, Big-Agra, insurance companies and online shippers. They know where they can squeeze more profits out from and it's all focused on the people moving the goods.

All off this is fine for the big companies and their drivers, its these independents I think about

They're an endangered species and a limited amount of practical time left. I can't see how they can freelance for any of the bigger companies as they will move quicker to automation, I think they'll have to move to some sort of specialized transport but even that will get squeezed eventually.