Ode to Bill and his love for diesels...

I guarantee both company drivers and OOs leased out to JB, Werner, and the like are running either legal or pretty close. The two log book characters need to be run off the roads. Canada did it and we can too, and the sooner the better. Hiring DOT people that aren't total idiots would be a start. Take-the-truck laws for repeat hard core violators along with a CDL revocation designed to make them get another job would help.

Everyone runs into an occasional over hours situation but willful hard core cheats should be put off the road. Anyone who doesn't agree is saying running over and killing grandma is OK, because that's what happens.

The Canadian drivers I talk to are all saying they hate competing with US drivers because the US drivers are getting away with waht they can't. All the trucks in Canada have a tachograph and enforcement is such they are all afraid to tamper with it, or are very convincing in acting that way at any rate.

None the less tamperproof GPS is possible and ought to be used to bust these guys. It can be stopped if you are willing to put people off the road, and that wouldn't ruin my lunch I guarantee you. Tamperproof GPS would also eliminate the need for manual logging-it would be a big convenience too- and freight rates would probably go up. Even if they don't, who wants their grandma run over by a pill popping Pete driver?

They pass a law, what are they going to do? Comply or quit. Sometimes you have to make people do stuff they don't want to. Don't you have any kids, to know that by now?

That's not where his head is stuck, Bill. ;^)

Earle

Addressing the issue that out on the open road, there really isn't anything unsafe about allowing the big rigs to cruise at traffic speed. I see them do it all the time, and safely in light traffic, for hundreds of miles at a stretch.

Around town, yes, slow them down. However, I honestly think truckers should be allowed at least a daily bag limit of 3 Bimmer owners who think the Ultimate Dickhead Machine repeals the laws of physics when the cut across five lanes to turn at the last second and slam on their brakes right in front of a semi.

Not that long ago, I used to drive an average of 500 miles or more per day on everything from big interstates to 2 lane highways to country farm to market roads. The number of times I saw the truck drivers do something stupid compared to the number of times I saw them darn near kill themselves avoiding some truly stupid motorist was highly impressive. Still today I make at least 3-4 trips of a couple thousand miles per year across the western states. Given a choice between driving in a bunch of trucks and driving near the typical minivan driver, I'll take the trucks every time. Give them space and courtesy an they really do tend not to run over you. Unlike the minivan driver who drives like just like a stray dog, coming up to sniff your rear end at least once every mile or two.