Biden certainly should be blamed for much of the current situation but just be careful of who back here. Trump may look like he's doing what is needed but only because it fits with his great replacement theory. Most in GOP are not interested in regulation on anything, especially federal which is exactly what is needed to control and eliminate these bad actor companies and the people that they employ.
So you're saying that Biden is to blame, but you hate Trump and the GOP so much that you're gonna throw shade on them, even though you admit it is Biden's fault. The wonders of TDS.
I don't hate Trump and the GOP, I'm saying they are corrupt MFers (more so than most Dems) who don't give s about you or anyone else. For them it's all about getting money, your money, our money and power at any cost and if you can't see that my friend you are just sailing down the River deNile.
It may have been helpful to include a note on the big shift in the 1980s when we stopped holding business accountable for who they hired.... It may have had something to do with business wanting to hire people with less power who would work for lower wages. Note: in the last 50 years, workers share of the economy has declined. Which explains why the average 30 year old is doing worse than his parents were doing at the age of 30. Which helps explain why most of the country is pissed off, even as Biden/Trump say, "economy is booming!"
As with so much else, the problem is enforcement. Those are good suggestions for laws and regulations but if officials are asleep at the switch or even deliberately sabotaging efforts, nothing is accomplished. As you suggest, RICO is a good idea but include local officials who are abetting the criminals. Targeting the individual drivers is necessary but is a game of whack a mole. Break the system.
Federal laws with impoundment and sale of trucks might work. Big fines on employers too. Beyond the danger there's also the basic thing of taking American jobs. Independent owner operators used to make decent money.
As with everything else related to illegal immigration and employment there are two competing interests, the income of American workers, and the income of business owners. A large company might well hire only legal American workers, but the labor pool they draw from is afloat with others driving wages down. All companies large and small make larger profits when illegal labor enters the market.
Given the three card Monte nature of shell companies in the trucking industry, DOT needs to be given powers over INDIVIDUAL trucking company owners/managers similar to TGAT of the SEC: individual licenses and ID numbers, insurance requirements tailored to their volume of business, and bans from the industry if serial violations are found. That way the company won’t matter.
Employers generally offer one of two (flimsy) justifications for using visa workers: "jobs Americans won't do" and "jobs for which there are no qualified Americans." Seems to me trucking does not fall into either of these categories. So, why are these illegal immigrants being allowed to get CDLs at all? Where is government? Or should we just accept that our government no longer works for the welfare of the citizens?
An absolute barn-burner, Gord. So informative, and damning, and indicative of the wider problem of ethnic cartels operating in the US, but run from countries with little tradition of deference to public authority (e.g. tax evasion is often widespread). Someone should write an equivalent expose on the tech industry and the cartels that run the H1B visa pipeline.
Apparently Gord didn't get the memo. MAGA cares not a whit about the rule of law, so why should it apply to truckers? What y'all tolerate in blatant crypto and other corruption from Don betrays you. It's so delicious to watch.
In a rational world, this week's financial disclosures from Don would be career ending. But hey, the subjects obediently fall in line as he pockets a few billion in loot from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, et al... All while he prosecutes MAGA's Middle East war, and his fellow plutocrats Witcoff and Jared "negotiate" with the same countries. It would be hysterical if it wasn't so serious.
So, people who don’t meet requirements should not be permitted to operate dangerous machines? A sound argument for restricting the ownership and use of guns from those who shouldn’t have them.
The article bemoans 30 fatalities involving trucks driven by illegals but this is a drop in the bucket compared to the 5340 people killed in accidents involving large trucks. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813791. If we really care about safety we need to crack down on American as well as foreign truckers.
Best way to reduce accidents with trucks is to reduce the number of trucks on the highways. Permanently repeal the Jones Act which artificially represses intra-coastal shipments by sea, even though the majority of Americans live near the coastline. 100s of trucks on Routes 5, 95, 10, 90 etc could be replaced by a single cargo ship with major savings in lives as well as in the cost we pay for products trucked across America. Of course, unlike the OP's suggestion, this reform would lower demand for American truckers and also for the small remaining number of Jones Act compliant cargo companies, so special interests keep it from happening.
Biden certainly should be blamed for much of the current situation but just be careful of who back here. Trump may look like he's doing what is needed but only because it fits with his great replacement theory. Most in GOP are not interested in regulation on anything, especially federal which is exactly what is needed to control and eliminate these bad actor companies and the people that they employ.
So you're saying that Biden is to blame, but you hate Trump and the GOP so much that you're gonna throw shade on them, even though you admit it is Biden's fault. The wonders of TDS.
I don't hate Trump and the GOP, I'm saying they are corrupt MFers (more so than most Dems) who don't give s about you or anyone else. For them it's all about getting money, your money, our money and power at any cost and if you can't see that my friend you are just sailing down the River deNile.
Wow! Just Wow! And you know this about Pr. Trump how?
IMO he is more concerned about the US and the general population than any other politician in Washington and most states and localities.
Shouldn't people who hire unqualified truckers who kill people be brought up on manslaughter charges?
I'd prefer first-degree murder, since these people are certainly knowingly hiring "truckers" who are a clear and present danger to American citizens.
Still, manslaughter should do something -- since these people don't care a whit for God, morality, or other people, perhaps the prison doors will.
Rather like the Democratic party, come to think of it.
It may have been helpful to include a note on the big shift in the 1980s when we stopped holding business accountable for who they hired.... It may have had something to do with business wanting to hire people with less power who would work for lower wages. Note: in the last 50 years, workers share of the economy has declined. Which explains why the average 30 year old is doing worse than his parents were doing at the age of 30. Which helps explain why most of the country is pissed off, even as Biden/Trump say, "economy is booming!"
I include some expansions on those points here
https://creedandculture.com/books/end-of-the-road-inside-the-war-on-truckers/
As with so much else, the problem is enforcement. Those are good suggestions for laws and regulations but if officials are asleep at the switch or even deliberately sabotaging efforts, nothing is accomplished. As you suggest, RICO is a good idea but include local officials who are abetting the criminals. Targeting the individual drivers is necessary but is a game of whack a mole. Break the system.
Federal laws with impoundment and sale of trucks might work. Big fines on employers too. Beyond the danger there's also the basic thing of taking American jobs. Independent owner operators used to make decent money.
As with everything else related to illegal immigration and employment there are two competing interests, the income of American workers, and the income of business owners. A large company might well hire only legal American workers, but the labor pool they draw from is afloat with others driving wages down. All companies large and small make larger profits when illegal labor enters the market.
So far, so good.
Like illegal immigration in general, it is a huge problem that will need persistent follow through.
Indeed! The cheap labor enjoyers are very powerful, and have both deep pockets and great political pull.
Sadly, it's almost every single American. Seems we all will drive 5 miles to save 2 cents on a gallon of gas and brag about it to our friends.
Bravo. Nice to hear from an industry expert who actually drives trucks and has an on-the-ground perspective.
Trucks need to be impounded and sold to pay fines and damages.
Given the three card Monte nature of shell companies in the trucking industry, DOT needs to be given powers over INDIVIDUAL trucking company owners/managers similar to TGAT of the SEC: individual licenses and ID numbers, insurance requirements tailored to their volume of business, and bans from the industry if serial violations are found. That way the company won’t matter.
Employers generally offer one of two (flimsy) justifications for using visa workers: "jobs Americans won't do" and "jobs for which there are no qualified Americans." Seems to me trucking does not fall into either of these categories. So, why are these illegal immigrants being allowed to get CDLs at all? Where is government? Or should we just accept that our government no longer works for the welfare of the citizens?
An absolute barn-burner, Gord. So informative, and damning, and indicative of the wider problem of ethnic cartels operating in the US, but run from countries with little tradition of deference to public authority (e.g. tax evasion is often widespread). Someone should write an equivalent expose on the tech industry and the cartels that run the H1B visa pipeline.
Apparently Gord didn't get the memo. MAGA cares not a whit about the rule of law, so why should it apply to truckers? What y'all tolerate in blatant crypto and other corruption from Don betrays you. It's so delicious to watch.
In a rational world, this week's financial disclosures from Don would be career ending. But hey, the subjects obediently fall in line as he pockets a few billion in loot from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, et al... All while he prosecutes MAGA's Middle East war, and his fellow plutocrats Witcoff and Jared "negotiate" with the same countries. It would be hysterical if it wasn't so serious.
When will y'all realize who the joke is on?
So, people who don’t meet requirements should not be permitted to operate dangerous machines? A sound argument for restricting the ownership and use of guns from those who shouldn’t have them.
The article bemoans 30 fatalities involving trucks driven by illegals but this is a drop in the bucket compared to the 5340 people killed in accidents involving large trucks. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813791. If we really care about safety we need to crack down on American as well as foreign truckers.
Best way to reduce accidents with trucks is to reduce the number of trucks on the highways. Permanently repeal the Jones Act which artificially represses intra-coastal shipments by sea, even though the majority of Americans live near the coastline. 100s of trucks on Routes 5, 95, 10, 90 etc could be replaced by a single cargo ship with major savings in lives as well as in the cost we pay for products trucked across America. Of course, unlike the OP's suggestion, this reform would lower demand for American truckers and also for the small remaining number of Jones Act compliant cargo companies, so special interests keep it from happening.
I’m all for moving more freight to rail and boat, and for sending all of the illegals, EAD card scammers, and various other imbeciles back home.
All of it, let’s go.
https://youtu.be/fBK5_LQuyVo?si=lkBbOY8N2vWOTBak
This was all foreseen in the TV movie Bluffing It, starring Dennis Weaver.