April 2 was no April fool when it came to pass that EOBR will now be required on all trucks who's company has a 10% or greater violation rate of HOS.  This is one time 10%, not the twice 10% as first spoke of by the FMCSA.  Compliance begins June 4 and in full force by 2012.  Adding insult to injury, even O/Os with their own authority leased to a company falling upon this non-compliance statue will be forced to install an EOBR. 

Drivers, O/O and trucking company owners; we must unite in a common effort to maintain workable conditions for the industry.  Safety has to be priority but who knows better what makes a safe driver than those of us in this industry.  The government only knows what it reads.  We must stand up for our rights.  We must unite for adequate HOS and enforcement not encroachment and infringements.   Rouge drivers need to be removed from our highways.  Education is needed.  Many violations are due to pure misinterpertation of the regulations due to their complexities.  While blantant violators brought the wrath of the government upon the industry, not carriers should burden the weight.

There are many good carriers, drivers and O/Os in our industry.  There are many new rules coming at us quickly.  One that springs to mind is the new sleep apnea testing.  This added to the blood pressure standards and other issues that arise from the required lifestyle of a driver, will place any experienced driver out of work.  Driver "life expectancy" behind the wheel will be reduced to under 10 years unless we do something NOW to curb these attacks from the government agencies.  Get involved now before it is too late.   Write your Congressman, join driver groups and take action to save your profession.  Our voices do count and we, as a group, can be heard.  Do not let the government push us all out until all that are left are yellow and orange trucks on the highway overseen by Big Brother.  Let us learn from what is happening in the car and bank industry.

Read more at: http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_Reports/2010/Apr/040210-FMCSA-targets.htm