Perspective

With unemployment a lingering national problem, it’s not surprising that “wrongful termination” lawsuits have become something of a cottage industry.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance, that country’s national trucking group, along with the provincial trucking associations, celebrated Canada’s National Trucking Week this year on Sept. 2-8. The weeklong observance honored the 400,000 Canadian men and women who keep the country’s freight moving.

Transportation companies with independent contractor relationships should brace themselves for potential misclassification challenges from multiple fronts. Given the budget crises facing many states and the federal government, the interests of legislators, government agencies and unions have aligned, resulting in a coordinated effort to discourage the use of independent contractors — or to reclassify them as employees.

Many carriers, beset by both the weak economy and pricing competition from brokers and third-party logistics providers, are seeking new ways to win, keep and better serve customers. Business lines such as home delivery, warehousing and alternative mail are adding to — or replacing — revenues cut by the economy and the competition.

If some enterprising psychologist hasn’t done so already, an intriguing study could be conducted on why so many otherwise intelligent people have never managed to read all of a warranty, a homeowner’s insurance policy or even the instruction manual that came with the latest piece of pricey electronic equipment.

This weekend, hundreds of competitors rose from relative obscurity to grab a share of glory in front of enthusiastic, if at times partisan, fans.

The recent $21 million jury verdict against a leading beverage manufacturer whose employee struck a woman pedestrian while driving a company vehicle sent shock waves through the trucking and fleet industries regarding the potential financial consequences of distracted driving.

In 2007, I read a survey revealing that 10% of truck drivers on the nation’s highways admitted to being drug users. As bad as that news was, I realized that, like the old rule of thumb holding that one bug on the kitchen floor means hundreds more are lurking behind the scenes, the full picture was probably far worse.

When I hear the current challenger for the presidency of the United States talk about job creation, I think back to one night in November 2005 when I was on the road and listening to a nationally broadcast radio talk show.

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.