I'm no longer working for handouts

[Darnix]

I have had enough of the port and these companies who hire trucks to move containers. Is there anyway drivers can work together to bring up rates? Fuel is raising again,the ILA is about to strike and we are still stuck in a system that's geared to break the independent contractor. This is stupid people. They need us to pull these container boxes but at same time these trucking agents don't want to pay anything close to what it cost to run my truck. Thirty ,forty cents per mile above cost of fuel isn't making a living. Are there any constructive answers for this? The choice I see at present is quit this business. One person can't make a difference but many working together can. How do you get through to these guys? Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't see anything happening but more of the same BS. After six years of working in port trucking I now understand why so many have give up trying to accomplish anything. We work alongside longshoremen who have no truck investment but make five times what we do. As I said before,this way of doing business is stupid but it's our own fault. If drivers refused to pull these boxes for the rates they pay the money would increase. Finding a way to make that happen is what we should be working on. It won't work unless everyone sticks together so figure that out and we're halfway there. I can promise you this,I'm not sticking around to retire broke so hopefully soon something will break with our situation before I pack it in. RD

[flatline]

hey darnix i think days of that unity you speak of between truckers at the ports is past history. it's dog eat dog out here. that just makes it a shippers perfect dream. if the dockers union strikes it's possible a lot of these one foot in poverty truckers will be finished so that may make a difference in rates until they replace those who failed with a fresh supply of new dummies by selling them the other dummies trucks.

[two string]

most drivers hauling out of my port don't have any clue how much it cost to maintain a truck. until that day comes look for more of the same. the drivers i see need more then a cdl. i talked to a dummy the other day that cannot even change a fuel filter without taking the truck to a shop.

[madmax]

the boxes are slowing down at port so we will see the strong survive this. get ready for repoman paying a visit to many addresses. strike might make things better for a while when over.less trucks. more money.