Should The Government Regulate Freight Rates?

[Mike]

Ok thanks, I will give you a break for a while, then bring back another round of question's later.

Keep them coming, LOL.

I know the OOIDA isn't perfect, but as it stands, we don't have anything better. I would love for another organization to rise up and give them some competition. All it would do is help our industry.

[I Don't Think So]

well the way i see it and i have driven truck for 8 years previous to becoming a truck detailer is that the government controlling all the freight rates is the entire reason some independent owner - operators go under the price of fuel is goin up and the freight rates remain the same how is anyone supposed to make any money to support their families make their truck payments and all their bills if they can' afford the fuel because the government has to think they are the ones who have the rights to control your business, i have said this before i will say it now it's unconstitutional.....

sign the petition at http://idontthinkso.us goto the fuel petition link on the left thank you!!

[pro1driver]

i voted a resounding NO..........

by having government controls as to rates, you monopolize the system of competition of companies. if everyone where to charge the same rates as per govermnet control the bigger companies will have a huge advantage, and here's why.....they have MORE trucks and drivers available at any given time....

so, "joe blow o/o" needs freight, he can't "bid" since there are pricing controls.. thusly, he loses out. don't forget too, that companies can have teams (yes, so can an o/o), but then too, companies can relay freight faster, then return to the starting point for more loads.....

its like the phone company "Bell" for instance.....it was the ONLY phone company in america, thereby monopolizing the rates, and when the rates went up EVERYBODY had to pay.....when the government forced the phone company to "break up", this made for more phone companies to come into the game and offer better service at a lower rate..........

i'll go on to say, seriously, if an o/o can not charge an appropriate amount for his services, then he is NO businessman whatsoever..........


if anything at all, maybe what we need is a "set minimum" that the shippers MUST PAY, then bid "UP" from there.........or, at least, since the "set minimum" is in place, NO ONE can "BID LOWER" than that.......then, the highest bidder MUST do the job, or lose any monies he is owed....BUT that might push drivers to break the laws too.............

take for instance milk..........that's right......milk.....

did you know some store owners were charged, yes charged, by either the state or federal government for selling milk BELOW the price the store bought it for.....?? that's right.........it had/has to do with "price protection and business failure laws"................

so, why can't we have a "minimum pricing protection" for the trucking industry, without full government regualtion........???

as it stands now, the future for the o/o is bleak, there aren't anywhere's as many o/o's today as there was 10, 20, or even 30 years ago.......... many large trucking companies now have drop yards, dedicated accounts, leased drivers, you name it, they got it.......this puts the o/o's of today at a huge disadvantage...............

[Mike]

There is already government controlling things, by them giving money to the major carriers for running students through CDL mills, and calling it training.

I am all for government staying out, but only if you can get them completely out of the picture.

And by getting them out of the picture, you have to stop the favoritism that the ATA gives toward these big carriers.

[pro1driver]

There is already government controlling things, by them giving money to the major carriers for running students through CDL mills, and calling it training.

I am all for government staying out, but only if you can get them completely out of the picture.

And by getting them out of the picture, you have to stop the favoritism that the ATA gives toward these big carriers.

its the ATA that's pushing more entry level requirements of newbies, and they want the guberment to do this.......so unless the ATA is abolished, the guberment will be involved...........

[RobW]

I can't say I fully agree with regulation, but I see a major problem as things are today. The trucking industry at large is regulated all over the place. The only thing I think isn't regulated now is the frieght rate itself. We're forced to drive in specific manners, and to some degree, at certain times. We're forced to stop driving after 11(which I think is generally good) and take a break even if we don't sleep. We're forced to keep equipment and logs in correct condition as well. While that's a good thing, it costs money. The only thing we can't seem to do is charge enough to make a good living, and that's because of deregulation. No, not entirely, but it's a big player in our game.

I like the idea of a set minimum more than overall rate regulation. I'd even like to see limits on how much the larger companies can use new drivers... At least while they're being subsidized by our government(at the expense of all of us). Surely it isn't fair for a company to hire on newbies while the rest of us pay for those drivers to learn how to drive, etc., all the while making more money due to the ability to deliver more frieght because of those drivers. They're literally being paid twice. Kinda like tolling the roads, except this case allows the company to profit more rather than the government. Neither is remotely fair.

[freedomroad]

yeah,let's get obama in the freight business i'm sure that will help. how about stop hauling produce out of california for one day. how about the word [BACKHAUL] IT'S A LOAD.north, south,east,or west it cost the same to move it. the window is open,and it's time to make some noise,IT'S TIME!

[freedomroad]

martin luther king went to jail for what he belived in! if i wanted to make this long i can name many more. no change will come inside the box! i am an ooida member, but they better start building some heat or membership & money will drop.the information they print is like reading the magizine from A.A.R.P.

[gearjammer]

I see you took my advice and are checking out the older threads,trust me it makes for some interesting reading!!

[RickG]

Hey, if the government did regulate it....

Would there still need to be a organization such as OOIDA?

There really isn't a need for OOIDA now .