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| Perspectives on slavery (Photo credit: British Postal Museum & Archive) |
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| English: red american truck (Kenworth Truck Typ W 900, Bj. ca. 1985, 240 PS, 12800 ccm, 6 Zyl.) - West USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
I have written articles before about the practice of running ads for profitable leases in Commercial Articles.The ads tell with great flairs how much the lease drivers have made while leasing to this truck company.There is only about 15% that ever are supported to the leases end.These people are the token ad people.They find themselves being used as pawns to sucker others into the leases.They are making money because they are good money hooks for the future swindles.There are thousands of these lease "deals" each day.
The driver is run somethings with only $100 advances from the next week to live on and pay his bills at home.That driver is left to support his/her family with absolutely nothing to send home.The dispatchers tell him that if he/she just hangs in there that things will get better.The driver leasing the truck will Stay faithful that they will at least get a truck when it's finished.The company leasing that truck will bill the leaser for fuel,repairs,taxes,anything that would bring them (corporate)increased revenue from the lease.Double billing on fuel and repairs are not unheard of.The lease driver is left to go through reams of settlement paperwork that the corporate accountants can not (or will not) explain.
The dream of a personal ownership of a business,one that you love is a strong motivation to work.
This motivation is what leads to the slavery/indebted servant situation in the Commercial Trucking industry.It destroys marriages.It destroys lives that could be productive.It is onl;y one of the slavery scenario's of the 21rst century.I have the paperwork to prove that this scenario exists.
This practice of deceit by commercial leasing truck companies should be included into this law.There are thousands of former drivers such as myself that are caught up in a dream of self employment,Only to have it manipulated by self serving gangsters who are not monitored by the Justice department.The lobbyist for these companies prevented drivers from unionizing during the famous truckers strike many years ago.The then president said that all participants would be held for treason in time of war..Historical records will show you which party was in the White House...
The cargo hauled by lease drivers bring many thousands of dollars to that company.The lease driver normally has to cover business costs on credit or out of his own pocket.I have in the past been told to sell my house,mortgage what ever I had too.You owe us and we will collect "our Money".They usually start sending collection bills threatening to sue the driver after they terminate the lease for whatever can be placed on the Federal DAC record.This record is the place companies report why a driver was terminated.It is very convenient to say the now out of work,out of business and condemned former lease driver has broken any number of critical rules while driving the truck.
This record is taken for verbatim by all the other truck companies in the country.It becomes impossible to get a job unless you can get a local company to hire you.Your career is destroyed by
the power of a Corporate stooge that is making money off the working blood of people with ambition and dreams.That driver remains unemployed till he can write the DAC/Hire Right office.The record and handle all reports on the CDL driver record.They can extract all background reports pro or con.
It takes quite a long time to correct the cons that are simply spite or a hateful companies entry.
The Leasing commercial companies usually have separate branches that are listed as separate from the main corporate entity.Just in case they get sued or the authorities involve themselves.Servitude could be found as slavery in some places.
There is usually a written contract that serves to protect only the lease company an corporate portion the least.Contracts usually can't be seen until the day of signing.Insist on seeing it and many companies will note that future lease victim for failure.They could be trouble in the future.Anyone asking questions or bringing up business queons are regaded as problem children.
The reasons for this corporate attitude is really quite simple.Those lease drivers that are told they will run their own company will be run as if they are driving for the corporation that leases the trucks.If any loads are turned down by the driver then they are punished by letting them sit for days. Fuel costs $500.each day they are running.The Drivers only make about $1.00 a mile.You can only run(legally) about 600-700 miles per day.It sounds like a lot till you figure that after all the expenses dumped on you as that driver it only amounts to the same as a company driver would earn.That amount is roughly .$.34 per mile or (minus meals,laundry,scales cost/weigh it
the load to get it legal,roadtolls,etc).That driver earns
$60, a day.when the corporate goons make him/her sit as punishment.they earn nothing.The corporate
lease company still bills them for the expenses they never were provided the work to pay off those expenses.Many leases are for a year or two The swindle usually goefor half of that time.Blilling is
continual and placed on credit reports.further destroying any ablilty to borrow the pay off money.
I believe That Anti Racketeering Laws and the Anti Slavery Laws should be extended to include the commercial trucking companies.They have for to long been excused for their actions on this practice.
AS long as the corporate persons can recruit people under false pretense.I view this practice as being similar to the Georgia business that recruited Latino workers to work for great wages to work during harvest season.They arrived for work,worked hard all week and found the shacks that were provided,tools that they used and if they used the outhouses in the field or working in the hot Georgia sun were all charged to their "ACCTs."They were paid almost nothing by their employer/Slave owners.
They were told that next week it would be a positive income.Next week it was billed in the same manner or worse.The system is and has been the same for decades in the trucking industry.
I propose a solution to this gangster game.The lease driver must receive at least 50% of the trips pay before he leaves the shippers dock.This assures that driver of at least an even business break,financially.
A Federally appointed independent arbitrator with no connections to any lobbyists,or trucking companies.This Arbitrator would appoint agents to look into companies that have numerous complaints against them.They would have the power to correct DAC files and order disciplinary actions against Racketeering practices in the commercial trucking industries.
The Driver has his record examined by DOT,Border Patrol,Customs,DEA,the Justice Department, and numerous other Federal Agencies.There is no one that monitors the Business practices of gangster corporations leasing to people that just wt to maa living with their own business.
I hope that Slavery in the 21rst Century ends with our decade and this President.To those whom have been held in the Stagnant Status after or losing after signing a contract to have large business associates guiding you to business with a swindliing mind is illegal. It needs to be investigated and put to an end.
Families and the economy are suffering from this Practice.Prices of everything are reflected by the transportation industry.This effects everyone when drivers lose the abilities to run competitive honest business's.
Write to President Obama and request that The Commercial Transportation Industry,be included in the Anti Slavery Laws that are signed.It will end years of the gangsters Contractual Slavery to steal from the American Dream.
Thats all for now my friend,Ple keep fighting to see freedom for all people.It's the right thing to do.
RJP
