Perspective

It is an unfortunate reality that truck drivers tend to be among the more unhealthy folks in today’s workforce. Most of this stems from the physical and mental demands associated with the hazardous mix of climbing and straining, sedentary driving and a heavy reliance on fast food and truck-stop snacks.

In preparation for an acquisition or divestiture, carriers must be conscious of the challenges associated with these transactions. Too often, owners and management come to the deal table wishing they had been better prepared.

The lead story of this publication’s June 18 issue discussed the growing problem of driver turnover and how even small truckload fleets, known for their ability to control turnover by maintaining close driver relationships, are now in need of creative retention solutions as their turnover rate has soared to 71%.

The proposed increase in surety requirements would eliminate at least 75% of the transportation broker industry.

In the end, your trucking operation’s success will be predicated, not on what analysts say, pro or con, or what Wall Street does tomorrow or next week but on your own strategies for controlling variable costs, executing the plan and staying firmly on course.

Those in our industry can make whatever excuses they want for not using EOBRs. The bottom line is they haven’t wrapped their minds around how to make money legally. I mean, they might as well be bootlegging whiskey. It’s the same damn thing.

We often see mission statements referring to “corporate culture.” The question I always have to ask myself is, “What do they mean by that?”

We live in an age of electronic information. Computers, the Internet, iPhones, iPads, GPS . . . all these technological wonders work to make our lives easier, reduce paperwork and give us all more time to do other things.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration continues to be dead set on forcing every commercial vehicle in the United States to carry an electronic onboard recorder — better known as an EOBR — despite the device’s hefty price tag and general uselessness as a safety tool.

Mandated by the legislation called SAFETEA-LU and signed by President George W. Bush in 2005, the final rule for the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners — to be known henceforth simply as the “National Registry” — was finally released to the public April 18 and goes into effect May 21.