Going through TN last week, I saw 5 semis pulled over getting citations. OOIDA reports on their website that “A study commissioned by an economist on ticketing practices offers further proof that truckers’ long-held theory that traffic ticket “quotas” are common practice. In fact, when economic conditions are bleak, it gets worse as cities and states look to compensate for their budget shortfalls.” Does OOIDA offer a solution or plan of attack to stop it? Of course not. And states like NC continue not to use PrePass bringing just about every truck into their antiquated and unsafe scales for the specific purpose of increased “revenue” collection through fining truckers for just about anything they can find.
Back to Seymour IN. All I need is for some idiot 4-wheeler to rear end me while my ass is out on the highway waiting for some Swift driver to be called into the scale hour because he doesn’t have his axles properly set. I move out and over, when it was clear and along with 25 other trucks pass the scale. And yes, up front there is a Swift truck just getting off the scale and pulling around to park. There is 1 person “managing” the scale. His gas-guzzling SUV is parked outside.
Again, where is the FMSCA on this? What about OOIDA? What about the ATA? What about the sheep trucking companies? I’ll tell you what drivers, “safety” is the new ball gag on the industry. All “they” can do is mumble when the government does anything in the name of “safety.” Even when it has nothing to do with it and it is purely revenue driven – better known as taxation without representation!
More information on the OOIDA interpretation of the “new study” follow this link”: http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2009/Jan09/010509/010909-02.htm
