Anyone know about the truckers strike?

**della92** · 04-01-2008, 01:15 PM

I had heard that the independent truckers were suppose to strike today. Anyone have any other info? I tried a yahoo search, but only came up with the articles written late last week. My friend is shutting down his trucks today but he didn't know if it would help since the strike doesn't include the large corporations.

**Holly** · 04-01-2008, 01:26 PM

Yes, knew it was coming but one day will not work.
They need to shut down for at least 3 days to get attention.
This will not have an impact
My nephew's trucks are not rolling today.

**della92** · 04-01-2008, 01:32 PM

I am a bit annoyed and confused, there does not seem to be alot of media involvment, which would really help their cause from the beginning. I guess there has to be alot of truckers striking before the media gets frenzied yet if Brittany Spears goes to the hospital the world knows about it within 15 minutes. Why?

**Lady_V** · 04-01-2008, 01:34 PM

I heard something, but it's not being called a strike, just a 'shut-down' in protest of the $4.00/gallon gas price....

Not sure April Fools Day is the best day to try to plan a serious display of protest though...

**Holly** · 04-01-2008, 01:36 PM

They have been talking on the internet ( no I don't have a link)
for a couple weeks now.
They had it on our local news about 4 nights ago, but they were planning longer than 1 day in that interview.

**PAVallygrl** · 04-01-2008, 01:50 PM

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Despite a threatened strike by some independent truck drivers, many trucks were still on the road Tuesday. But for how much longer?

Several industry experts predict problems ahead finding drivers because of higher fuel costs.

Some independent truck drivers, known as owner-operators since they own their trucks, had talked about not working Tuesday to protest the rise in diesel prices.

And there were reports Tuesday of truckers on the New Jersey Turnpike snarling traffic by driving at only 20 miles per hour as a way to protest high gas prices.

But officials with the Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association, which has about 160,000 members nationwide, as well as the Interstate Truckload Carriers Conference, which represents trucking companies that use owner-operators, both said they had reports of only sporadic shutdowns by drivers.

"We've heard from a lot of members who have no intention of participating," said Norita Taylor, spokeswoman for the OOIDA. "What's more important is what happens tomorrow and the next day and next week if diesel prices don't go down. More and more truckers will be faced with decision about what to do, whether or not to stay in the business."

Gary Salisbury, the chief operating officer of Fikes Truck Line in Hope, Ark., which has about 500 owner-operators driving flatbed trucks, said he's seeing more and more of his owner operators quitting the business because they can't afford to keep running. Many have been forced to try to find a job as a company driver so they don't have to worry about paying for fuel and repair costs.

"I don't have any of my drivers who are striking, but we lost 12 trucks yesterday," said Salisbury. "Guys who have a mechanical problem, if they go down, they don't have the cash reserves to fix it and keep rolling."

However, Matt Turner, an Akron trucker who operates a Web site calling for a shutdown, http://www.unitedcdl.org/, said he believes there are thousands of owner-operators who are participating in the shutdown.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/01/news...ion=2008040113

**Holly** · 04-01-2008, 01:58 PM

We did see most of the truckers today (that were on the road , which seemed to be a bout 1/4 of the usual going only 40 to 50 miles and hour)
They are going to go out of business one way or the other because they can't afford to fill them at over $500.00 a fill up .

**della92** · 04-01-2008, 02:05 PM

I finally found an updated news article. It is on the Yahoo US News website. I can't yet post links!

**C@rol** · 04-01-2008, 02:11 PM

I heard it mentioned on CBS news this morning.
A small mention.

**mikandmari** · 04-01-2008, 03:00 PM

Della, I think this is the article you found:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080401/truckers_protest.html

I need to head up the NJ Turnpike later this week. I hope I don't encounter any "convoys"!! :surprise: