WWTF is going on with Truck Drivers

[roadman65]

I noticed that another overhead sign bridge down again.  The cause? You guessed it. A truck driver was driving a truck and just happened to strike it.


This is getting old.  If its not an overhead assembly its an overpass.  How can you not drive a vehicle that's larger than the norm and not know  that you can't drive it im some places.

It's not a matter of stupidity as much of lack of common sense, plus not focusing in general.  It seems people have short attention spans these days.  Such attention issues would make tge average person miss out in life over thirty years ago.  When I was younger and I lost attention, I was quickly made aware that my situation was dangerous and needed attention.  Now what I was told to correct then is the norm by most people now.

[Bobby5280]

My theory: truck driving jobs have grown so bad that various trucking companies have run-off all their better qualified drivers. They have been employing illegal migrants as drivers. With the crackdown on immigration the trucking companies are having to hire whatever suckers they can manage to get behind the wheel.

The only good arrangement with truck driving is to be an owner-operator. But even that situation is really difficult (especially lately with the soaring prices of diesel fuel).

[Max Rockatansky]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

[formulanone]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

World Wide Transportation Forum

[Big John]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

What Would Truckers Fuck?

[Max Rockatansky]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

What Would Truckers Fuck?

I was going to go with World Wide Trucker Federation.  But hey, if big rigs over the road is some sort of weird kink who I am to judge?

[CoreySamson]

My theory: truck driving jobs have grown so bad that various trucking companies have run-off all their better qualified drivers. They have been employing illegal migrants as drivers. With the crackdown on immigration the trucking companies are having to hire whatever suckers they can manage to get behind the wheel.

Undoubtedly this is at least a factor. With all the high-profile accidents involving migrant truckers who are not aware of the laws of the road in the USA, I would expect that a lot of these sign strikes are as a result of either their bad driving or unqualified bad replacements for those migrant drivers.

[kphoger]

My theory: truck driving jobs have grown so bad that various trucking companies have run-off all their better qualified drivers. They have been employing illegal migrants as drivers. With the crackdown on immigration the trucking companies are having to hire whatever suckers they can manage to get behind the wheel.

Undoubtedly this is at least a factor. With all the high-profile accidents involving migrant truckers who are not aware of the laws of the road in the USA, I would expect that a lot of these sign strikes are as a result of either their bad driving or unqualified bad replacements for those migrant drivers.

I read it differently.  Immigrants driving trucks is nothing new.  That's been a thing for decades.  But most of those immigrant truckers were good drivers.  If they're being run off the job, then the positions are being filled by non-immigrant but less-qualified drivers, and accidents are to be expected.

[Scott5114]

I think it's nothing more complex than you get what you pay for, and truckers are paid approximately nothing.

[kphoger]

I think it's nothing more complex than you get what you pay for, and truckers are paid approximately nothing.

They make more than I do, and I've never run into a bridge.

[kphoger]

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

What Would Trevor Find is going on with Truck Drivers

[kalvado]

My theory: truck driving jobs have grown so bad that various trucking companies have run-off all their better qualified drivers. They have been employing illegal migrants as drivers. With the crackdown on immigration the trucking companies are having to hire whatever suckers they can manage to get behind the wheel.

Undoubtedly this is at least a factor. With all the high-profile accidents involving migrant truckers who are not aware of the laws of the road in the USA, I would expect that a lot of these sign strikes are as a result of either their bad driving or unqualified bad replacements for those migrant drivers.

I read it differently.  Immigrants driving trucks is nothing new.  That's been a thing for decades.  But most of those immigrant truckers were good drivers.  If they're being run off the job, then the positions are being filled by non-immigrant but less-qualified drivers, and accidents are to be expected.

I wonder how long would it take for someone driving around the country to pick up at least some basic English and non-metric units?
Because, you know, English proficiency is one of sour points about foreign drivers.
Bridge hits due to (obviously) general purpose GPS vs truck specific ones are an easy one. But inability to interpret 10'6" is another interesting point. I didn't believe in idea when that was originally brought up, but thinking about it...

[Scott5114]

I think it's nothing more complex than you get what you pay for, and truckers are paid approximately nothing.

They make more than I do, and I've never run into a bridge.

Are you sure? They might make more in total, but if you divide it out to an hourly rate...

[NE2]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

What Would Truckers Fuck?

A giant anthropomorphic beaver mascot.

[CoreySamson]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

What Would Truckers Fuck?

A giant anthropomorphic beaver mascot.

So that's why Buc-ee's doesn't allow trucks.

[kphoger]

They make more than I do, and I've never run into a bridge.

Are you sure? They might make more in total, but if you divide it out to an hourly rate...

Most still do, yes.  The industry I work in is underpaid, especially if you aren't management.

[ElishaGOtis]

They make more than I do, and I've never run into a bridge.

Are you sure? They might make more in total, but if you divide it out to an hourly rate...

Most still do, yes.  The industry I work in is underpaid, especially if you aren't management.

Tbh that's why I think this is happening more... many trucking companies only pay by delivery (sometimes by the mile) and not by the hour, thus incentivizing the absolute fastest delivery possible. If that means cutting corners then so be it.

I highly doubt this has to do with immigration. Signs regarding u-turns and height are relatively the same across most countries, and anyone could pull a stupid move and blatantly disregard them. Just ask any college student     

[CoreySamson]

They make more than I do, and I've never run into a bridge.

Are you sure? They might make more in total, but if you divide it out to an hourly rate...

Most still do, yes.  The industry I work in is underpaid, especially if you aren't management.

Tbh that's why I think this is happening more... many trucking companies only pay by delivery (sometimes by the mile) and not by the hour, thus incentivizing the absolute fastest delivery possible. If that means cutting corners then so be it.

I highly doubt this has to do with immigration. Signs regarding u-turns and height are relatively the same across most countries, and anyone could pull a stupid move and blatantly disregard them. Just ask any college student     

What are your thoughts about this case from Florida last year where a trucker turned from the right lane across the left lane trying to make a U-turn?

https://www.reddit.com/r/lastimages/comments/1mrjgoe/last_image_before_all_3_occupants_of_this_car_got/

I don't think this sign could be any clearer about being "for official use only"...
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TyBTGji5WmMVdY5Z6

Would the driver knowing English (or not, perhaps) have changed his actions? I'm not sure, but it begs the question as to how lax our DL requirements are, especially for immigrants...

[jakeroot]

Lack of access to Buc-ee's wears on a person. 

Also, what does the second "W" in "WWTF" mean?

[Rothman]

ESL drivers have been a big factor in the bridge hits in my neck of the woods...but so have EPL idiot drivers that have no business driving box trucks, let alone semis.

[Scott5114]

They make more than I do, and I've never run into a bridge.

Are you sure? They might make more in total, but if you divide it out to an hourly rate...

Most still do, yes.  The industry I work in is underpaid, especially if you aren't management.

Tbh that's why I think this is happening more... many trucking companies only pay by delivery (sometimes by the mile) and not by the hour, thus incentivizing the absolute fastest delivery possible. If that means cutting corners then so be it.

I highly doubt this has to do with immigration. Signs regarding u-turns and height are relatively the same across most countries, and anyone could pull a stupid move and blatantly disregard them. Just ask any college student     

What are your thoughts about this case from Florida last year where a trucker turned from the right lane across the left lane trying to make a U-turn?

https://www.reddit.com/r/lastimages/comments/1mrjgoe/last_image_before_all_3_occupants_of_this_car_got/

I don't think this sign could be any clearer about being "for official use only"...
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TyBTGji5WmMVdY5Z6

Would the driver knowing English (or not, perhaps) have changed his actions? I'm not sure, but it begs the question as to how lax our DL requirements are, especially for immigrants...

Anyone who would think U-turning a semi-truck across the fast lane and the median of an Interstate is a good idea is an unmitigated moron in any language.

[NE2]

Good thing the Turnpike isn't an Interstate then. 

[kphoger]

Anyone who would think U-turning a semi-truck across the fast lane and the median of an Interstate is a good idea is an unmitigated moron in any language.

This.

In my experience, driving in other countries is more of a challenge than here, not less.  This means that, if someone can successfully drive a truck in another country, then, when they immigrate here to the USA, then he should have an easier time navigating our highways, not a harder time—notwithstanding the language barrier.

It's why I was frustrated when the Teamsters kept fighting against the cross-border trucking pilot program, which allowed cross-border long-haul trucking operations between the USA and Mexico, due to supposed safety concerns.  If you've ever seen what truck drivers have to deal with in Mexico, then driving in the USA should be a piece of cake for them, whether they're good at reading English or not.

[Bobby5280]

My earlier comment about trucking companies hiring illegal migrant workers wasn't meant to deride migrants. The point is the trucking companies want to pay drivers as little as possible and treat them like shit. Only so many American-born workers are willing to put up with that, so the trucking companies wind up with a shortage of drivers. They fill the gap with whoever they can hire.

The trucking companies play all sorts of games with how they pay drivers. They also play games with the rules on how many hours a trucker can be behind the wheel. If a driver is stuck in Long Beach for hours on end before he can pick up a load the company will use that down time as a way to balance out making the trucker drive a marathon stretch. The trucker will be tired to the point of falling asleep behind the wheel. Yet he'll have some douchebag asshole at the home office prodding him to just drink more coffee and stay on the road. That's also how you get truckers running into highway signs.

[kphoger]

My earlier comment about trucking companies hiring illegal migrant workers wasn't meant to deride migrants. The point is the trucking companies want to pay drivers as little as possible and treat them like shit. Only so many American-born workers are willing to put up with that, so the trucking companies wind up with a shortage of drivers. They fill the gap with whoever they can hire.

The trucking companies play all sorts of games with how they pay drivers. They also play games with the rules on how many hours a trucker can be behind the wheel. If a driver is stuck in Long Beach for hours on end before he can pick up a load the company will use that down time as a way to balance out making the trucker drive a marathon stretch. The trucker will be tired to the point of falling asleep behind the wheel. Yet he'll have some douchebag asshole at the home office prodding him to just drink more coffee and stay on the road. That's also how you get truckers running into highway signs.

So... nothing much has changed, then?