Mexican Trucks and Drivers, The Doors of Canada Are Wide Open!

Ever since NAFTA has been signed, our American neighbours have tried to stall the outpour of Mexican domiciled trucks out of the buffer zone of 20 miles. The ones of us that do go in that zone have seen the type of trucks the Mexican carriers are using. Anything that American carriers can’t sell on the American or Canadian markets is shipped there. If you want to see old orange C.O.E’s that were on the Schneider fleet, just drive to Laredo or Brownsville. I can tell you that the Green Bay carrier has stopped buying those over eight years ago. I was driving there at the time.

Mexican carriers must meet all safety and compliance rules, just like we do us Canadians, to gain access out of the buffer zone. Currently for us, that zone is 2500Km away from our border and accordingly to my sources, nothing is there to stop them to get on our roads once they gain access to the USA.

The pilot project of USDOT and FMCSA includes 100 Mexican based carriers but, no limits on the number of units of each fleet should start in less then 60 days. Many opposing groups such as Teamsters, OOIDA and the Public Citizen Group have joined forces. At Transport Canada, I was told that if these carriers meet the standards they will be allowed here.

These standards are the same for us and include, drug testing, valid insurance tags, trucks that are compliant with all laws and regulations from the CVSA point. This is not what Jim Hoffa International President of Teamsters declared in a Congressional Hearing.

“There will be no meeting of those requirements,” he said. “I am convinced that neither the U.S. nor the Mexican governments have the resources to carry out an aggressive oversight and enforcement program.”

Just a few American carriers did ask for a permit to run south of the border. I don’t want to speculate but, we know a few names. Some other points are tickling our US neighbours. It is a one way pilot program and no American based carrier can let their truck in Mexico before at least 6 months, and all Mexicans can be allowed in after the program.

What we, as Canadians, have to worry about more, I think, is all the economics of that opening. The large manufacturers that are already exporting to Mexico, to save on production costs, won’t be shy to hire a Mexican carrier that will have a lower cost by paying less their drivers. All that really matter for them is to show the stockholders a profit. Why do you think so many have already moved to Monterrey?

I was reading a few months ago in a trade publication that soon Canadian trucks are going to be made in Mexico. Navistar is looking at the idea and Freightliner as announced the opening of a new assembly plant there at the cost of $300M to assemble the Sterling Trucks there. If I remember well, they had also announced 800 job cuts at the St-Thomas Ontario plant last December. When will that plant close for good?

I ask the CEO’s of the large Canadian carriers and their associations to join in with the small business truckers associations to lobby the governments to stop that insanity. Putting new rules and regulations is not the way to level the paying field for us.

Jean Catudal

World's Largest Truck Convoy for Special Olympics Quebec

Being involved in the first leg of the convoy in Quebec as a spokeperson, I am proud to announce that the 20 first truckers to enroll for the convoy before March 31st, will receive a pass to enter Expocam 2007


We will be pleased to see you there from April 12th to 14th at Place Bonaventure. Easy to get them, just drop us an email and we will return the entry forms to you promptly.

convoi.qc.os@sympatico.ca

Be on the lookout for our trailer on the roads of Quebec and North America!

Hoping to see you there!

Jean Catudal Spokeperson and all the Team of the Convoy!

Sharing my views on driver pay and leases to O/O’s

If private Bill 115 in Ontario passes the third reading and the proposed rule making of the FMCSA on EOBR’s takes place in the next two years, it’s all of the pay system that will need a serious look over and to be updated with these new realities. I always thought that for a same load, to a same place from a same shipper, an equal pay should be handed out. When a company I worked for changed from hub miles to practical computer miles, I was on the band wagon because, if two drivers taking different routes, the one that took the best way should not get a smaller pay then the one that did a detour for personal reasons. Now with all the demands of the large carriers associations, I changed my views. My life and work experience also have motivated my change of thoughts.

If I can quote CTA’s president Mr Claude Robert in his acceptance speech:” It’s time the industry takes seriously the hours of service rules” and he followed in the same speech saying that paper logs are out of control and a joke. I agree that EOBR’s are one good way for carriers to charge the waiting time to the shippers and receivers that will hold equipment to their docks for too long.

You all know the old comment we make that we are the only workers that can get a fine for working overtime. My thinking, well my new thinking doesn’t stop there now with the steps forward on the issues of EOBR’s and speed limiters.

I don’t claim to know the truth but, I will share my thoughts and my views with you, by using a logical approach to the problem.

Which part of our work is the easiest?

On a nice sunny day, cruising down a nice four lane highway, within the speed limits, this is when we rake in the most income. If you run 65mph, multiply that by your mile rate, and you will have your hourly pay.

Which is the hardest part of our work?

In a heavily congested urban area, like Toronto or Chicago, when to travel a distance of 65 miles, you can take two and a half hour at an average of 26mph. In this case you will earn less then half of your income with twice the stress and aggravation.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in for unions either. I’m a free thinking person that enjoys his freedom of choice in a work field I love. More and more demands and rules in our industry are pushing me in these thoughts I’m sharing with you here.

And then, all the directors of human resources are still wandering why there is such a high turnover in our industry. I will repeat that I don’t know all the truth but when a person comes to our industry from a recycling or a career change, and that person always had an hourly pay, working conditions in agreement with the labour boards or a unionized field, that person quickly jumps to the conclusion that we are highly exploited.

I have learned a long time ago that for the work I do as a Professional Driver, I can not look at the fruit of my labour that way. I have to look at it as a whole, adding all income and extras, then I consider myself to make a more then average pay. If I add up all the advantages that comes with it, seeing a lot of the country, not having a boss looking over my shoulder or making sure I am productive. We are paid by the distance we go or by contract. The main goal is that we get the loads where they need to be in time and safely.

OOIDA accuses feds of pandering to big business by toying with speed limiter idea

This is a copy of a press release I just got and I wanted to share

For Immediate Release

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO E-mail:ooida@ooida.com Web site: www.ooida.com

Phone: (816) 229-5791 Fax: (816) 427-4468

OOIDA accuses feds of pandering to big business by toying with speed limiter idea

January 29, 2007, GRAIN VALLEY, MO – The mere fact that two federal agencies are even considering petitions requesting mandatory speed limiters on trucks is a clear indication that federal agencies are all too willing to appease big business. That is the view expressed by the country’s largest organization representing small-business truckers.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) says the announcement on Jan. 26 that the Department of Transportation will consider requiring speed limiters on large trucks is “just one more example of how big business controls the national agenda to the detriment of many.”

Petitions requesting the government to require speed limiters be set at 68 mph and not tampered with are being considered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

NHTSA and FMCSA are requesting comments on petitions for rulemaking from the American Trucking Association (ATA) and Road Safe America and a group of nine motor carriers. The petitions request devices that would limit the speed of certain trucks and prohibit owners and operators from adjusting the speed limiting devices as a safety measure.

“Since very few highway accidents involving trucks take place at speeds greater than 68 mph, you don’t have to be a highway safety expert to conclude a singular focus on truck speed could hardly produce a safety breakthrough,” said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. “But, that’s not how it works in Washington, DC, where

perception is spun to be reality.”

OOIDA points out that support for speed limiters by a handful of large trucking companies and their association under the guise of safety is nothing more than a public relations smoke screen.

“The big companies want government approval to run longer and heavier trucks all over the country. The speed limiter proposal is like putting lipstick on that idea,” Spencer said.

OOIDA points to the fact that nothing stops any of these trucking companies from setting speed limiters on their trucks at any speed they choose. “In fact,” Spencer points out, “many large companies already speed limit their trucks but they don't 'crow' about their safety records because they're nothing to brag about."

“They want a government mandate to do it, however, because they know their drivers, whom they pay only for miles driven, would move to another company with a less restrictive speed policy,” Spencer said. “And they want to deny shippers the option of choosing trucking companies that place a higher priority on on-time service.”

The consideration is even more misguided and outrageous when you really examine the safety data, OOIDA contends.

“There is nothing desirable about turning trucks into rolling roadblocks and obstacles for other drivers,” Spencer said. “Slower isn’t safer. Every year, NHTSA accident data shows that cars are far more likely to run into the backs of trucks than the other way around. Real highway safety experts have always known that highways are safest when all vehicles travel at the same speed.”

Contact: Mike Schermoly (816) 229-5791

Founded in 1973, OOIDA is now comprised of more than 150,000 owner-operators, drivers and small business truckers from all 50 states and Canada. With its national headquarters located just east of Kansas City in Grain Valley, MO. OOIDA represents the interests of the nation's trucking professionals in the legislative and regulatory processes at both federal and state levels.

The roads of North America are up for grabs to the highest bidder

Since June, the Indiana Toll Road is a great topic of discussion. Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed a 75 year lease for a lump sum of $3.85 Billions in USD, paid ahead with Cintra, of Madrid and Macquarie Bank of Sydney Australia.

These two companies are also the operators of 3 other toll roads in the Unites States and one in Canada the 407ETR. They also have plans for the New Jersey Turnpike, the Delaware Turnpike, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a truck toll road along I-81 in Virginia and the Trans-Texas Corridor. We are lucky in a way that the Parti Quebecois had hiked up the rates on the province’s autoroutes in the early 80’s. I think they would have made a long term lease on them too.

The thing that tickles our southern neighbours, these roads have been paid by their taxes and the tolls are mostly for maintenance and a disguised tax. In the Highway Funding Bill of last year, the US government has planned to lead the way to toll roads for any future expansion of the Interstate System. SAFETY-LU has provisions for some pilot projects to setup tolls on some existing highways.

Back to the consortium, they are also on board for two other projects here in Canada in the province of Quebec. The Bridge on A-25, and the west extension of A-30.

I am not against Private Public Partnerships if they are well structure and do help for the economic development of the area. The only shadow I see is that some of the demands from the leases are going a little bit too far.

Looking back on the lease of the Indiana Toll Road, in the contract there is some conditions that limit the weighs and measures on the neighbouring roads, non-competition clauses so most of the commercial traffic must use the toll road. Macquarie has done it in Sydney for a tunnel in the city.

The increases of the tolls are also in the lease. Three ways are set to do so and it is the highest percentage that is considered. An increased in the cost of living, a fixed minimum percentage or if the economic indicators are on the rise, regardless of any average salary increases for the population.

Like in Ontario, will the use be limited to the users of transponders? Macquarie Cintra Group is specialist in electronic tolling to maximise the profits with a minimum of expenses. A sure thing, the main goal of a company is to do a profit but, when these profits are going out of the country, we have our word on it.

Some questions are to be answered.
Who will pay for the lands?
Who will pay for the construction?
Who will pay for the start-up cost?
Will we the truckers and the carriers have to support a double tax? I see a double tax combination of the toll and the IFTA rate for the distance we travel.

Look what happened in Ontario on the 407ETR. SNC-Lavallin is one of the operators of the lease with Macquarie Cintra. A large 17% of it.

I am asking the following to our governments. If the option of going in a PPP for any new infrastructures in Quebec, is it possible that a Quebec group of investors or a Canadian group would be preferred to a foreign investor?

Another point to bring up. When I look at the four companies that have been kept for the next step of qualifying in the project for A-30, three of them are already partners in the operations of the 407ETR and the other one is another Spanish lead group.

What are the odds that the race to bid will be honest?

Some of our elected will have to answer these questions. I don’t count on the main stream medias to do so. It looks like the opposition parties are just waiting do make some voting gains of the back of the one that will sign this deal.

If only all of the taxes we pay with the licence plates, the drivers permit, and the fuels would go to road works and projects, we would no longer be the champions of pot-hole slalom.

My last request to you is to write to your elected members. They really need to be recalled that they have been voted in by us to serve us and to protect the collective interests. Will we need another Jean Lesage who will say “Maitre chez nous!”(Masters on our land). When I roll down the highway dedicated to him and I see the way it’s maintained, the poor man must be rolling in his grave…

Jean Catudal

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

EOBR's, They are coming!

The FMCSA announced January 11th the proposed rules making for the EOBR's in trucks and buses. The press conference was the first step on the way to mandate to the worst offenders the use of these devices. Other insentives will be announced for those with good compliance records to adopt this technology and improve their ratings.

This comes after many years of research, talks and surveys in the trucking industry but not the drivers. Forced to admit, the FMCSA did consider the safety of the use and considered the cost/benefit of mandating to all carriers in the USA.

How will this effect the Canadian based companies?

The CTA and the OTA are looking to push Transport Canada in the same direction, another way to level the playing field, but with the hours of service rules that are similar but yet so different, how will these systems ajust. Will it be only another reason for the inspectors at the scales to keep their pads full and their pens handy? Only time will tell.

More comments are to be aired in french on Radio Truck Stop Quebec in the coming weeks and here shortly after air time.

Jean Catudal