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Trucks target of discrimination
Big Sky Redneck
Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
Here is some more anti truck bullcrap. Truck taxes paid for most of the interstates, we have to keep record of each and everymile we drive in each state and we are taxed accordingly. We also pay high taxes at the pumps and each truck has to pay a highway use tax each year or the truck cannot be run on the public highway. Now VA is going to kick us off the raod we paid for, give it to the 4 wheelers and force us to drive on a toll road all the while we will probably not get tax breaks for the toll raods which means we are double taxed. This happens in a lot of states, pay the toll and still have to file the miles each quarter and pay up for it. Truckers get the attitude we own the road, in a sense we do. If it wasnt for trucks you would still be driving on 2 lane roads, we paid for those interstates and treated like a cancer for driving on them. Now VA wants us off of their precious I81 so the cars don't have to deal with us. This makes me wish more and more for an all out truck strike, we are tired of being taken for granted and when the grocery stores run empty maybe the public will wake up and do something about these stupid discriminating laws. We feed America but America don't want us on THEIR roads, in THEIR way, going to Disney Land is more important than a truck making a delivery.
Sorry about the rant, there are two things that absolutely burn me, anti 2nd Amendment and anti truck politicians. Here's the story;
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner signed legislation into law over the weekend that will enable state officials to reach full fist into the pockets of truckdrivers using Interstate 81 while letting other motorists pass by unscathed.
Warner signed HB1373 allowing tolls on trucks using I-81 to help pay for widening plans. The bill amends Virginia's Public-Private Transportation Act to permit tolls on trucks using the 325-mile stretch of road from Winchester to Bristol. Cars would travel the remaining toll-free lanes.
The provision is essential to a private consortium's plan to widen the state's portion of I-81 to eight lanes and reserve four lanes for commercial trucks. The consortium's financing plan relies heavily on tolls.
Truckdriver and OOIDA board member John Taylor of Cross Junction, VA, says "We need the additional lanes on I-81, as well as other highways, but it's certainly unfair to ask the trucks to pay for it all. It's benefitting the people in the automobiles as it is the trucker. We're not in a big profit margin business to start with. Many truckers and companies are going broke. It's not like we're making a tremendous amount of money. This obviously would be an extra burden on the industry.
"It's immaterial to the trucker how we pay for the roads as long as it's fair," says Taylor. "Are they going to relieve us from ton-mile or fuel taxes on that road? Are we going to be paying the same amount of taxes or more? That's the question I want answered."
Taylor says he also is concerned about the precedent decisions like this creates. "Private toll roads appear to be the route the nation is taking," he says. "States are looking to put future road building in the hands of private contractors and toll road systems. The trucking industry must gear itself to this."
The Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Federal Highway Administration must approve the widening plan and decide whether to impose tolls.
-- Keith Goble
Sorry about the rant, there are two things that absolutely burn me, anti 2nd Amendment and anti truck politicians. Here's the story;
Virginia Gov. Mark Warner signed legislation into law over the weekend that will enable state officials to reach full fist into the pockets of truckdrivers using Interstate 81 while letting other motorists pass by unscathed.
Warner signed HB1373 allowing tolls on trucks using I-81 to help pay for widening plans. The bill amends Virginia's Public-Private Transportation Act to permit tolls on trucks using the 325-mile stretch of road from Winchester to Bristol. Cars would travel the remaining toll-free lanes.
The provision is essential to a private consortium's plan to widen the state's portion of I-81 to eight lanes and reserve four lanes for commercial trucks. The consortium's financing plan relies heavily on tolls.
Truckdriver and OOIDA board member John Taylor of Cross Junction, VA, says "We need the additional lanes on I-81, as well as other highways, but it's certainly unfair to ask the trucks to pay for it all. It's benefitting the people in the automobiles as it is the trucker. We're not in a big profit margin business to start with. Many truckers and companies are going broke. It's not like we're making a tremendous amount of money. This obviously would be an extra burden on the industry.
"It's immaterial to the trucker how we pay for the roads as long as it's fair," says Taylor. "Are they going to relieve us from ton-mile or fuel taxes on that road? Are we going to be paying the same amount of taxes or more? That's the question I want answered."
Taylor says he also is concerned about the precedent decisions like this creates. "Private toll roads appear to be the route the nation is taking," he says. "States are looking to put future road building in the hands of private contractors and toll road systems. The trucking industry must gear itself to this."
The Commonwealth Transportation Board and the Federal Highway Administration must approve the widening plan and decide whether to impose tolls.
-- Keith Goble
Comments
Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.
It has become my purpose in life to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
The topic of the toll road plans are interesting. Several years ago KY built the Parkway system using the toll road concept. All roads would be built like interstate highways with limited accesibility and paid for using tolls. The bill authorizing the spending had a provision in it that said after enough tolls were collected to pay for the road, the toll would be removed. Sure enough, after about 15 years, the money was paid back and the govt. removed the toll booths. In this case, everyone paid the tolls, not just truckers, and the plan worked like a charm. KY got a few good roads out of the deal that otherwise would not have been built. And if you know anything about KY, you know they need all the good road they can get!
SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC
This is a very touchy subject for me, just as gun owners don't like bullcrap laws, we truckers HATE laws that restrict us from using the roads like everbody else. And for those of you that think a truck is unsafe at highway speeds, I trust a truck at 75 mph more than I do a car with some dingy woman putting on makeup and yakking on the phone.
I also had two uncles that made there liveings driveing trucks.
I myself drove trucks for several years. Both as an Owner Operator and a hired driver. I have drinen all 48 states parts of Canada and Mexico.
When My Grandfather and uncles drove truck drivers were respected. A truck would be the first vehicle to stop to help if you were broken down. To day people will rob, cheat and steal from truckers. It is not safe to drive trucks any more.
But not all of the people that are cheating and stealing frome the truckdrivers are the con artest and thugs that hang around truck stops and rest areas. Thay are siting in offices brokering loads or in conunty or state and even fedral goverment. Thinking of new ways to seperate truckers from there money.
I had always thought that this was suposed to be the UNITED States of America. But every time you cross a state line the laws change. Sometimes it is not as confusing to cross a border. It has gotten to the point that you just about have a law degree to drive a truck.
After seeing a driver hand cuffed to the grab rail on the side of his truck in a weigh station. One night in Feb in the rain. While his truck was torn apart and searched, because he would not give permission for the inspectors to enter his cab. I decided to go home and sell my two trucks.
I have been much happyier since. I used to enjoy driveing trucks. I did not enjoy the fear of being pulled over at a weigh station. Even though I ran legal. The fear of being robed while waiting to load or unload. Not being able to aford to feed and cloth my family after paying more in fuel tax than I could pay myself.
So 7mm nut I am with you on this. But if I can not get the respect that my Grandfather and Uncles would get I will have to stay home. At least I know the ruels here.
Best to you TOOLS
Have Gun, will travel
SUBMARINE SAILOR,TRUCK DRIVER,NE'ER DO WELL, INSTIGATOR,AND RUSTY WALLACE FAN
Why dont (and I have said this before) truckers boycott one city at a time. Just think if nothing was hauled in or out of a city for one week. Say Chicgo and if that dont get you what you want then boycott New York. And so on and so on. This way nobody has to park there truck and not be able to pay there bills. Although I am sure that some revanue would be lost. But nothing like no money comeing in at all.
But there we go again with the proublum of the United in United States of America. There is no United any more. And untill we can become united we are at the mercy of those we chose to folow.
TOOLS
SUBMARINE SAILOR,TRUCK DRIVER,NE'ER DO WELL, INSTIGATOR,AND RUSTY WALLACE FAN
Why don't you clue us in - how long have you been "out here" & how many companies have you pulled for?
Have Gun, will travel