Internet sites, CB radio traffic and truck stop talk is awash with discussions supporting a truck shutdown on April 1. Previously it had been suggested that May 1 was an appropriate date, but many small companies and independent owner-operators are hurting now and another month will only exacerbate an already intolerable situation where high fuel costs and industry associated issues are squeezing the truckers out of business or forcing them to work for "fast food wages" that will not support their families. What was only gab a week ago about the possibility of a truck shutdown seems to be growing legs and several companies are vowing that a truck shutdown will occur very soon.
The blogs and entries on sites like
http://www.truckertotrucker.com/,
http://www.uscattlehaulers.com/, and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association blog at
http://landlinemedia.blogspot.com/2008/03/why-doesnt-ooida-call-for-strike.html point to the strong possibility of a truck shutdown.
The primary issue is the high cost of fuel. The claim is that while the additional cost of fuel is added to charges in large companies and passed on throughout the transportation chain and retail markets, it does not reach the independent drivers and small trucking firms that make up the majority who move goods throughout our nation.
It is obvious that thousands of drivers are concerned and are ready to do something. Whether it will be a large scale coordinated truck shutdown or simply a few voices that go largely unheard remains to be seen.