Aren’t you tired of dying dummies? It’s enough!

The title may be shocking but it’s a free translation of an inscription on the walls of the “Grand Théatre de Québec” in Quebec City, at the time it was unveiled, many had protested against the phrase of Claude Péloquin a writer from Quebec. The sculptor Jordi Bonnet had put it in his work to symbolise the idea to stop the imperialism and support the independence of the province. This is as close to politics I will get.

In a way, this phrase is still true today and can be applied in the trucking industry. I may start a scandal myself, but I am more then kicked off with what is going on in the transportation industry and that some big players want us all to do in a not so far future. If the carriers have their associations to speak for them and when we look at the US DOT numbers, they is only 13% of all registered companies with the agency that own more then 6 trucks.

You will think that I take my numbers in the USA. I will tell you that any carrier that needs to roll in Uncle Sam’s country, need to be registered with the US DOT, either there is one truck or 12,984 like Schneider National. Look on the side of your cab! It’s there! US DOT and seven digits that replaced the old ICC numbers.

Now there is many type of fleets. Private ones like Coca-Cola, Pepsi-cola, Wal-Mart, Budweiser, you get the picture. And there is “For Hire” fleets like JB Hunt, Schneider, SGT2000, Challenger Motor Freight, you get the difference!

Even with their size, they only represent a small part of all companies in the trucking industry across North America, doing interstate movements or international movements.

Accordingly to the numbers that are on “SAFESTAT” for carrier’s safety records, all DOT registered companies make up 703,823. Take 87% of them, which equals to 612,326 that have 6 or less trucks, across North America that do roll in the USA. If we put an average of 2 trucks per company, we have over 1.2 million trucks that are small fleet or single truck owner operators. If we do nothing about it, 9 companies that total 40,447 trucks will tell everyone what to do on the roads.

These nine companies have signed with “Road Safe America” to enforce mandatory speed limiters on all truck at no more then 68mph or 109Km/h. They are also supported by the ATA in a petition filed in with the US administration.

This brings to me a question. If we are over 1.2 millions trucks on the road owned by small fleets and single truck o/o’s, why is it that the two associations representing our interests only count barely 150.000 members?

In these estimates, I don’t count the leased owner operator like myself. I run on the carrier’s permits and DOT numbers. This only puts the 1.2 million trucks number even higher.

That’s why the title:" Aren’t you tired of dying dummies? It’s enough!”

Enough of the whining and doing nothing about it, staying on the side lines and watching the parade go by…

Heck! Wake up before it’s too late and that the CTA, and the ATA of this world tell us what to do and how to do it!

Enough of wanting to level the playing field and pushing around the small ones in a free enterprise market. If they can’t stand the heat, they can stay out of the kitchen!

In order to represent us the small business truckers, both North American associations do need our support, our solidarity, our membership and our strength. At time, our independence is good but for us to work the way we want is even better. We need to ban together so we can make a strong and serious counter-weigh to the big boys that want everything their way.

The power is in the numbers, join anyone of the associations or even better join both if you travel across the borders. Have someone who takes you interests.

Jean Catudal

Souces
safer.fmcsa.dot.gov
obac.ca
ooida.com