Huge California Truck Driver License Frauds Threaten Lives

[Molly4US]

http://www.gopusa.com/california-dmv-workers-issued-hundreds-of-bogus-truck-driving-licenses-for-bribes-feds-say/

This article of October 24, 2017, tells of 602 fraudulent California Truck Driving Licenses that were issued to people who did not pass written and drive tests. These frauds were found in during a 6 year inquiry/investigation. There are a lot of truck-driving schools around. Cost of driving school was not the issue as Obama even had a special subsidy to send unemployed people to truck-driving school here in California around 2013.

Not only do truck-driving students learn about driving semis, but other rules such as how to put in job complaints or strikes. This month of October, 2017 there were truckers who staged a traffic slowdown and blockage. They are protesting the use of an electronic hour-counter. Blocking traffic during a protest is always illegal, especially a HWY or bridge.https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sacramento+november+2017+demonstrations&qpvt=sacramento+november+2017+demonstrations&view=detail&mid=D50FEDB4D60076BEA5FAD50FEDB4D60076BEA5FA&&FORM=VDRVRVhttps://www.bing.com/videos/search?

I am not sure exactly what the electronic hour-counter does, but there are a lot of protesting truck drivers at the capital of California this October, 2017.https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=sacramento+november+2017+demonstrations&qpvt=sacramento+november+2017+demonstrations&view=detail&mid=3C8047FFE158B53F3E8A3C8047FFE158B53F3E8A&&FORM=VDRVRV

http://operationblackandblue.weebly.com/
A trucker strike being named Operation Black and Blue is very bizzare to me and then I found the following site which sounds more like a threat that, so much so that I am still shaking. Something is definitely wrong.



Here is another article (plus other links) of 100's of fraudulent truck-driving licenses happening in the states of Illinois and New York in May of 2000, for $150-$450:
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/license-scam-killer-big-rigs-drivers-bogus-illinois-permits-causing-havoc-new-york-roads-article-1.872132

[dynamo]

...I am not sure exactly what the electronic hour-counter does..
I'm guessing the counter monitors how long a truck driver has been operating the vehicle during a 24 hour period to ensure they are not driving more than 8 hours at a time, or something like that.
This would ensure they are not popping amphetamines and driving straight through from New York City to Los Angeles, for example (extreme example, of course).

[Foxie Loxie]

Having known a few truckers, I can tell you that they have figured out a way of "fudging" their Log Books. It is just like any other segment of society; some abide by the rules, & some don't!

[Satori]

...I am not sure exactly what the electronic hour-counter does..
I'm guessing the counter monitors how long a truck driver has been operating the vehicle during a 24 hour period to ensure they are not driving more than 8 hours at a time, or something like that.
This would ensure they are not popping amphetamines and driving straight through from New York City to Los Angeles, for example (extreme example, of course).

It's been a few years since I looked at the federal laws and regulations regarding how many hours a truck driver can drive in a 24-hour period, but as I recall they can drive up to 16 hours, provided that there has been 8 hours of rest in that 24-hour period. I don't recall if the rest period must be continuous.

[Hym]

There will be more accidents when the regulations requiring timing calculators go into effect. The drivers who earn by the mile will be rushing to get deliveries in within the time limit allowed. They will also pressure the swampers, those who load and unload the trucks, to move quicker. Expect more injuries there. This is a prime example of lawmakers and regulators not communicating with the industries they govern. When the rubber hits the road it is the worker and the consumer who suffer. How long will it take for employers to raise the wages of the drivers to make up for the money miles lost?

The drivers will suffer from lowered wages and the public will suffer through more accidents. This is globalization and the poor history of union corruption at work. (I can speak from experience here having been in two unions and being raised as the son of a union truck driver). More workers are hired as non union, without the checks and balances that, on the whole provide for a safer driver, because many businesses cannot afford a union labor cost, a cost only increased by the kick-backs that are often the case that inflate the price businesses have to pay. That is just one reason why there is so much fraud in the business. Reduce the middlemen in all transactions, without centralizing control, and diligently watch those who represent the workers, for they are not the salt, they are the sticky lick, of the earth.

You mention truckers blocking highways and bridges, as well as drugs. I was 7 when I stayed overnight at my first strike and it took place by blocking a bridge. I remember working as a youngster at a truck stop and seeing bottles of white pills, amphetamines, on the dash of some trucks I serviced. Not an easy life for the truckers. Not a safe place for all of us.

[Ernie Nemeth]

Buying licenses is standard for many in the trades in Canada as well. For $600 one can buy an electrician's 'master' license - a new designation implemented ten years ago, one that demoted all electricians in Ontario. I was approached. I refused and to this day I remain in my demoted status. I should have spent the money.

The same for auto insurance. If you have a bad record there is a group that can be approached and again for $600 they will get you reasonable rates. I did this as a last resort to try and get insurance. It worked for two months, then they caught me and that was the end of my insurance coverage and my driving.

Considering that a truck driver barely makes enough to survive, being paid a poor man's wage, it is amazing to me how they dare impose any restrictions at all. But that is the way of it these days. No money and a massive list of requirements.

[Molly4US]

The huge concern remains. There will always be certain things on a job which a person or group of persons wish to address as unfair etc, but there are certain job positions where you just don't protest while on the job: Doctors, nurses, and truckers.... because that endangers lives, by way of shortage of doctors and nurses caring for patients, and by way of goods/food distribution flow being halted, respectively. Certain ways of striking are a No, No. Crooked Truck-driving schools, and bribable DMV employees altering computer records don't care who they are allowing out on our roadways, who are carrying our important inter-state, and intra-state food supply. People who can't pass the truck-driving tests certainly wouldn't know or understand the importance of safe striking habits. Plus, a truck driver who has a fraudulent truck-driver license and any additions, is COMPROMISED.

[Hazelfern]

With much respect, I honestly believe truckers are the least of my worries. I do understand your concern, I think anyway. Could be I do not get your total worry. I am an adult driver, a pretty good one and trucker signals have helped me on my journeys across country.

[Bruno]

Not sure if this should be a separate thread but I wanted to mention some strange trucking news in southern Ontario this past month.

In our province our largest and most used highways are the 400 series. Although accidents are likely as prevalent on the 400 series as any other major North American highway system, in the past two weeks we have had four major accidents that actually closed the highways in both directions, something that is not at all common, closing six or more lanes of highway for a full day in each case! After the fourth such event, which happened just North of Toronto I started wondering what the hell is going on? All four of these major accidents have been blamed on transport trucks, although in the case of the most recent accident it was hard to even determine who was at fault as tankers were involved and the explosive fire left little evidence of the vehicles involved little lone the people inside the vehicles.

Perhaps these four accidents are nothing more than coincidence, but it is rare these highways are closed in both directions and even when they are it is usually for short amounts of time. The trucking industry seems to be under attack in the msm. Not sure what the end game is...


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/highway-400-crash-distracted-driving-1.4382473

[TigaHawk]

Having known a few truckers, I can tell you that they have figured out a way of "fudging" their Log Books. It is just like any other segment of society; some abide by the rules, & some don't!

Truck drivers were paid 100,000 back in the day.

Now their wage is about 40,000. They're expected to do longer hours. Get places quicker. Their jobs are hell dealing with normal commuters that have on care or consideration for them on the roads at all.

This is what happens when you severely underpay people that do a very important job. Without trucks the country would shut down as nothing would get moved. people would go hungry, there would be no petrol for people to use as it's not getting moved to the servos. You name it.

But hey, let's just continue to drop their pay so we can have more money in our shareholders pockets and treat them like **** because there are so many people desperate for work we can replace anyone who complains.

The danger is being caused by the working conditions these companies make for people that are just trying their best to make a living. Why play by the systems rules and write the books correctly when they do everything to **** you over at any opportunity they get. I'd fudge the books every damn time.

[Molly4US]

Not sure if this should be a separate thread but I wanted to mention some strange trucking news in southern Ontario this past month.

Perhaps these four accidents are nothing more than coincidence, but it is rare these highways are closed in both directions and even when they are it is usually for short amounts of time. The trucking industry seems to be under attack in the msm. Not sure what the end game is...

This news is definitely the nature of this thread and I am glad you shared it.


There were reasons that I made the thread: My own experience at a job where fraudulent licenses were being issued to people who had not passed tests, and who did not have identification documents. (I received DEW harassment at this employment daily, and face to face death threat etc). Then I read the fraudulent truck-driving license news article that came out which started me researching to find the unsafe strike-habits being employed in California. All of that can lead to any sort of problem, God forbid deliberately.

Also, the day after I posted the thread, I was on the HWY and saw, for the first time in my life, a sight which looked like a possible big-rig sabotage. The entire big-rig container was buckled in the middle so that the middle was on the HWY asphalt. It made my stomach turn, as it was so timely to the news articles, and strike. I had my camera with me and everything, but felt so spooked because I had never seen such a thing, that I didn't even take a picture.

Can improper loading cause that? Was it sabotage, or due to loaders who were not trained properly? Was a microwave laser used to heat the underneath steel support structure? I don't know.

I can't find a image on the internet of any sort of big-rig truck container buckling in the middle of the load. So it can't be normal.