This Post Appears in the June 2013 edition of Truck News
It's become
increasingly difficult over the past decade for drivers to maintain a
positive outlook day in and day out as they go about their daily
business. I think the greatest challenge that drivers face in this
industry is to not subscribe to a victim mentality. But unfortunately
I think that a great majority of drivers do just that. Many drivers
appear to believe that decision making is becoming increasingly out
of their control, whether it is decisions made at the company policy
level or decisions made at the legislative / compliance level. In an
industry that markets commercial driving as a career providing a
high level of freedom and independence to the individual that's a big
problem don't you think?
I'm into my fifteenth
year now as a long haul driver and I've met some of the most creative
problem solvers in the guise of other drivers over the course of that
time. But these days it seems the outlet that trucking has provided
for that creativity and independent thinking is drying up. I think in
large part that is due to how the trucking industry is adopting all
the technological changes. I believe the driver has a lot bigger part
to play in how technology is adopted and deployed than what we
currently do. Whether we are talking about engine emissions,
telematics, or EOBR's, the operations, safety, and compliance side of
trucking see technological advances in these areas as positive
whereas drivers see these as the opposite.
Okay, I'm painting
both sides with a very broad brush here so cut me a little slack. Let
me see if I can use my own experience to make a few points.
Let's start with
emissions systems. First off let me say that I believe the intent
behind the adoption of this technology is sound and I'm all for
leaving a better world behind for my grandchildren or at least a
world that offers them the same opportunities I've had. But
eliminating pollution of any type is ongoing and repairing damage
already done through past activity is a long term endeavor that all
of us will have to pay for. The free ride on the fossil fuel train is
over. But that doesn't mean all the hardship should fall on the
shoulders of one group, such as owner operators. Freight rates have
to increase to cover added costs. Fragile economy or not, consumers
need to bear the true cost of getting products to market. Period.
This technology comes with a price tag for the positive changes we
all benefit from in the long run. We're all consumers, we should all
pay. If you disagree with me on this point that's fine. Let's move on
to how I think this effects a drivers freedom and independence.
It was not many years
ago that the engine in your truck was free from any form of
electronic gadgets. No electronic control modules and no sensors.
Like any mechanical device they were not too difficult to understand.
Mechanical controls can be seen and fairly easily understood. The
relationship between working parts is fairly obvious. For a driver,
especially a driver that owns their own truck, maintaining that piece
of equipment was simply part of the driving job. It was a part of the
job that many of us took pride and pleasure in. The ability to
service and maintain your own equipment added to the freedom &
independence you would experience on the road. A driver would not
find themselves sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow
because the engine had shut itself down.
This past winter I've
experienced down time as a result of DEF pump failure, DEF dosing
valve failure, and cracked DEF hoses. In each instance the only
indication I have of a problem is a check engine light and a
malfunction indicator lamp lighting up on my dash accompanied by a
loss of power of at least 25%. I have no idea how long I can drive
before the engine derates even further. I have lost all independent
control over my equipment with no means to correct it myself. Only
other drivers can relate to the immense sense of frustration and
stress this brings on.
Drivers are also
experiencing this sense of 'loss of control' in other areas. The
introduction of Electronic on Board Recorders and the ensuing
expansion of telematics within the industry is leaving drivers with
the feeling that big brother is watching every move and decision
making is increasingly being removed from the confines of the cab to
the home office. This translates to a loss of independent control the
driver experiences and hence the loss of the sense of freedom that is
a integral part of attracting professionals into this field.
I'll come back to this
topic next month and dig a little deeper into that victim mentality
we seem to have fallen into.
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