What happened to truck driver protest?

[GreeCguy]

Does anyone know what happened to the truck driver protest in Washington DC? I've looked for any kind of news article and can find plenty leading up to the event but nothing on what actually happened.

Was it canceled or did it simply fade away?

 

[Silverado12]

In reality, as a former truck driver, I wouldn't want to hold up commuters on the beltway. It's not their (commuters) fault. The best way to get something done in the industry is a large scale unionization effort, but you can't tell some people that. They're afraid of getting fired or retaliated against, or have some odd dislike for unions for whatever reason. I tell them you gotta stand up for yourself at some point in time, so quit complainin', because the unions are the only way things will get better for truck drivers. There are laws that are different for trucking. You can actually be forced to work w/o pay in certain circumstances. No time and 1/2 for over 40 either. This would be illegal everywhere else in the workplace.

 

[jcwit]

I'm guessing the price of fuel to drive those big rigs had a major impact on the protest.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Its still going on... news isn't covering it. Same as the biker rally

 

[Pop_Rivit]

What little I've read it's like most of the truck driver "protests" of the past-pretty much a non-issue.

Every few years truckers stage some sort of a protest, and the only thing it's done is to point out how disorganized they've become. It usually fizzles into nothing, and I don't expect anything else from this protest.

 

[greenjp]

Nothing happened. A small number of trucks were present (in addition to the huge number already on the beltway at any given time) and there was no impact on the already lousy rush hour. No reporting because there was no story.

The whole thing was misguided from the beginning. Screwing up the commutes of regular people in Maryland and Virginia (most of whom don't even work for the Federal government) on account of the actions of Congress and the President (who were sent to DC by people in other parts of the country) makes no sense even as a political statement.

jeff

 

[BigCahuna]

Wasn't it supposed to be alot of slow moving , smelly trucks holding up traffic an slowing everyone's ride to work? How's that different from any other day?.,,

 

[nitehawk55]

Maybe they should have car pooled , you could get a lot of angry truck drivers in the back of a 53 foot trailer !

 

[JavierG]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Maybe they should have car pooled , you could get a lot of angry truck drivers in the back of a 53 foot trailer !

 

[VicVinegar]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Wasn't it supposed to be alot of slow moving , smelly trucks holding up traffic an slowing everyone's ride to work? How's that different from any other day?.,,


Right. The Beltway is usually slow enough without a a convoy of big rigs.

 

[zrxkawboy]

"We got a great big Convoy, rockin' through the night..."

 

[joaks]

What was the topic of the protest?

 

[fdcg27]

I think I'll go out and waste my own fuel just to ruin every else's morning commute.
I'm pretty sure that'll score me some political points as well as gain me the favor of everyone who's commute I've ruined.
Could it be that common sense prevailed?

 

[whip]

Originally Posted By: joaks
What was the topic of the protest?

It was a combination of high fuels cost(ironic since the government doesn't control that), the new hours of service regulations, and the shut down.

I heard about 100 trucks, and a few guys in pick ups protested. Nothing really note worthy thou.

 

[KB2008X]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Maybe they should have car pooled , you could get a lot of angry truck drivers in the back of a 53 foot trailer !


Hah !! That's quite a picture...a lot of angry truckers car pooling in a trailer ! lol

 

[Newreet]

Having the average speed drop from 9 MPH to 8 MPH on the DC area Beltway is hardly newsworthy. Both greenjp and VicVinegar are correct. The protesting truckers forgot that for several hours each weekday morning and for several hours each weekday afternoon the 60+ mile Beltway in Maryland and Virginia in most segments is always jammed bumper to bumper with vehicles traveling at a fraction of the posted speed limit - so the impact of the truckers was not really noticed.

 

[CurtisB]

My heart goes out to my fellow American truckers. I'm fortunate to live in a region where drivers, especially with experience, can make over $100,000 per year (Thank you oil industry). I'm non union and get paid hourly for any time I spend other than driving where I get paid per mile. During the week my arse belongs to my company, I live on the road and I would much rather be driving and making the most money I can, rather than sitting in a truck stop waiting for my "rest period" to be up. I don't believe the new H.O.S regulations have anything to do with safety, they are trying to increase the demand for drivers as a make work project. Just my two cents.

 

[morepwr]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
Maybe they should have car pooled , you could get a lot of angry truck drivers in the back of a 53 foot trailer !


In So. cal, thats called a border run.

 

[GreeCguy]

I just read an article that said the whole thing was a hoax - the fellow with the idea made a post that was "tongue in cheek" - seems at least a few took him seriously.

 

[antiqueshell]

Originally Posted By: GreeCguy
I just read an article that said the whole thing was a hoax - the fellow with the idea made a post that was "tongue in cheek" - seems at least a few took him seriously.



Not so. That was the psy op slant added to the literal black out of the event on the mass media. Quite simply the corporate borg and corrupt gov't did NOT want this event to get traction.