Jim in the Great White North

I recently emailed three editors of large trucking publications here in Canada and asked them if they have ever considered running articles on why truck drivers cannot receive overtime until after 60 hours verus 44 hours for the regular workforce this is supported by law here in Canada,I'm unsure what it is in the US.I predict one of the three editors will choose to run an article on the subject,remember these are trucking publications and alot of their revenue is generated by major trucking companies,these major trucking companies would rather not see this issue in the media as it could force them to pay drivers what they actually should be paid.Second prediction the speed limiter bill in Ontario will stall at Queens Park,an election is looming on the horizon here in Ontario speed limiter bill will be pushed to the backburner and David Bradley and associates will be sad as they will lost their chance to screw drivers and owner operators once again.

We as a group have more power than we will ever realize,but we choose to stand individuality why is that?As a group we have the power to shut down the North American economy for you saying that would be impossible,well look at how the the NORTH AMERICAN ECONOMY works just in time delivery truck drivers deliver raw products,finished products and everything in between!At one time every city and town had a railroad line running into it but with cheaper truck transportation most of these rail lines have be ripped up,so consumers can no longer just go down to the local rail station and pick their goods up.Laws have been passed making it illegal for drivers to actively block highways or strike,but if we all simply booked holidays or phoned in sick for four consecutive days everything in North America would grind to a halt.The high and overpaid autoworkers would be sent home due to parts shortages,the general public would run to the grocery and gas stations in an effort to hoard food and f

A lot of the driver shortage is caused long hours and the small amount of wages drivers get in return for those hours!Take for example the general workforce is entitled to overtime after 44 hours a truck driver on the other hand isn't entitled to overtime till after 60 hours this is set by the federal and provincal government!Trucking companies years ago cried undue hardship if they had to pay overtime after 44 hours so the government made it a law.This is an outdated and antique law that should be changed.A lot of drivers have compared what they would make working other jobs with liberal overtime compared to trucking and have chosen to leave the field.Can you blame them?Another factor is the toll trucking can take on your personal life example get a ticket in a truck it will effect your personal automobile insurance!Some driving schools are now telling new drivers they can expect to make $20.00 to $30.00 dollars an hour imagine the shock when they sit down and figure out the hours

Here in Ontario they have passed a new law that clearly can affect the unaware.When travelling all highways and you encounter a stopped emergency vehicle on the side of the road if possible you must move over a lane if you can't move over you must reduce your speed till you are past the emergency vehicle.The first offence fine is around five hundred dollars any more violations and the fine increases dramatically.

I keep receiving bills from the 407 toll road in Toronto even though I live two hundred miles away and don't use their dam highway.I have phoned them and tried to explain that the bills are not mine,but ever couple of months a bill will arrive in the mail each bill is a different amount some under ten dollars others over a hundred dollars clearly different bills.Last year the Toronto Sun ran several articles about a more extreme case of harassment by the 407 and their bill collectors the individual in that case eventually committed suicide due to the pressure and harassment from the 407.It was later determined by the Sun that the bills were not even the deceased man's bills,but someone else with the same name!The 407 can even deny plate renewal for your licence plates,but one way to avoid this is apply for new plates they cannot cross reference with Ministry of Transport computers.We can all thank former premier THE --HONORABLE MIKE HARRIS for selling this asset that was