Semi Trucks and Drug Trafficking

Drug dealers and smugglers use all forms of transportation in order go keep up with the supple and demand of this underground industry. Since semi trucks move all over the country, it is only practical to assume they are used for this purpose as well. Under the pretense of delivering actual goods, many trucks travel along the highways with drugs in the trailers. In these types of instances, the truck drivers are aware of what they are hauling. They often due it for the amount of money they can earn hauling it.

In other instances, the truck driver and the trucking company aren?t aware of the drugs on their vehicles. The drugs are placed behind the wheels of the vehicle or even in some of the merchandise in the trailer. The drug smuggling is a process that is done behind the scenes among individuals at various cargo pick up and delivery points.

The FDA is always on the look out for suspicious activities that take place with semi trucks. They pay close attention to the trucks that are coming in and out of docks. Suspicious activity that is reported is quickly investigated. They have the right to use drug dogs in order to check the inside of the cab if they suspect drugs are on board. They also have special gauges and tools they can use to check for drugs stored in gas tanks or under the vehicle.

Sometimes the drugs found in semi trucks are for personal use. That is quite dangerous when you consider the professional responsibilities that come with being a truck driver. To help alleviate such issues, most truck drivers have to belong to a drug pool. These are in place by the companies they drive for and owner operators can sign up to become part of one on their own. If the driver is randomly pulled for a drug test they will be contacted. They have a set period of time to comply with taking the test. If they drive over the road they will be given instructions on where they can go in the area to have the drug testing done.

While most truck drivers are hard working individuals who strive to make a living doing what they enjoy, others take the easy way and want to earn the money associated with drug trafficking. The risks are very high though and any truck driver caught with drugs in or on the vehicle can be charged with possession. It can be very difficult for a truck driver who is innocently the transport without knowing it to prove they are not part of the process.

Hours of Operation for Truck Drivers

There have been various changes to the laws pertaining to the hours of service for truck drivers over the years. The most recent changes took place in April of 2007, and they were met with a great deal of controversy. The idea behind these new hours of service is to ensure all truck drivers get enough sleep and to keep the roads safe.

Yet for many truck drivers, the hours of operation have left them with having to split up their sleep time in order to accommodate their load times. In their opinion, this leaves them feeling more tired then the way the old hours of operation were. In many instances the hours of operation laws require the driver to get sleep when they aren?t tired, but they are out of hours.

A truck driver can legally drive for a maximum of eleven hours during any fourteen hour period of time. Once that eleventh hour has been reached, the driver must rest for a minimum of ten hours. In addition there is a weekly clock that the driver has to abide by as well. No truck driver can legally drive more than sixty hours over a period of one full week.

Each driver has to keep a daily log book that shows their hours of operation, sleep time, off duty time, and vehicle inspection time. If a truck driver is pulled over by law enforcement or pulled into a port, the log book can be reviewed. If the driver is in violation of the hours of operation they won?t be able to move their truck until they have had adequate hours of rest. They can also receive a hefty fine in order to help reduce the number of driver?s with such violations.

Any time a semi truck is involved in an accident, the log book is checked over to make sure they are in compliance with the hours of operation. If they aren?t, the driver will likely get a citation regardless of who was at fault for the accident. These penalties have quickly taught truck drivers and trucking companies that breaking the hours of operation laws just isn?t worth it.

The issue of these hours of operation continues to cause problems for the entire trucking industry. Drivers claim they aren?t able to make enough money due to the hours and there is a high rate of turnover in the business now. Many business owners have to charge more for hauling freight due to the time it takes to get it moved now. These costs are passed on to the merchant and ultimately to the consumers.

In July of 2007 the issue what taken before the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court struck down the option to return to the previous hours of operation laws that were implemented in 2005. The ruling was made because the judges felt the new hours of operation offer more safety to truck drivers and the public in general.

This is a debate that continues to get more support for both sides as time goes on. Many of the various trucking companies, drivers, and trucking industry support organizations continue to build a case that the hours of operation are unconstitutional. They believe it is costing them money and having a negative impact on the overall economy.

Other organizations fight to keep the hours of service in place. They believe it protects truck drivers from unrealistic demands of employers who are more interested in making a profit than the health of their drivers or the safety of everyone on the roads.

You can expect to see this issue in the courts again and again as both sides of this battle attempt to push forward with their information to make a case for why the hours of operation should or shouldn?t be enforced. For the time being though truck drivers and trucking companies have no choice but to be in compliance with them.

PPPPP

Word Count 662

Women Truck Drivers

Most people associate the term truck driver with men, but more and more women are finding this is an enjoyable career choice for them. Some of them are team drivers with another woman or their spouse. Others enjoy being out on the open road with their pets or by themselves.

Due to the increase of women truck drivers, many truck stops have had to make changes to what they offer. They now have shower rooms equipped with items for women. They also offer many amenities that females will need while they stop at a truck stop including feminine products, perfume, hairspray, and other accessories.

You may find some people out there who ridicule women truck drivers as they think it is a joke. Yet most of these women are very competent behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler and they know all about how to keep their truck in good working condition. Some trucking companies are hesitant to hire women even though they can?t come right out and say this due to discrimination laws. They worry about the safety of the women while out there on the road. They also worry about harassment they may encounter by their male employees.

There is a non-profit organization known as Women in Trucking that works hard to advocate for women?s rights in this profession that is dominated by men. They work hard to acknowledge the accomplishments of women in the trucking industry and to help the overcome any barriers to employment. Over the last five years they have worked hard to help women find more jobs in the trucking industry and have been very successful.

Women in Trucking have also released a documentary on DVD called Alligator on the Zipper. This film documents true stories about seven female truck drivers and their experiences. It is believed offering such educational information will help women be more accepted in the field of truck driving.

Today there are almost 200,000 women truck drivers in the United States, so they make up approximately 5%PRCTG% of the total truck driver workforce. While many women still feel intimidated in this profession, they are finding hard work and dedication to safety and delivering loads on time is earning them respect of companies all over the Nation.

If you are a woman interested in driving a semi truck, take the time to find out what your options are. If you are a United States citizen, at least 21 years of age, and you have a good driving record then you may be eligible to obtain a CDL. You will need to find a quality truck driving training program so you can successfully pass the written and oral examinations.

There are plenty of excellent truck driving jobs out there, so you will need to look hard for them. You will also want to join support groups including Women in Trucking. They can help you with any questions or concerns you may have while entering the trucking industry. They can also assist you if you feel your civil rights have been violated due to the fact that you are a female pursuing a career in truck driving.

While it is harder for a woman truck driver to be accepted for many positions, don?t give up. There are some trucking companies such as Mary Kay Cosmetics that prefer women drivers. Think of the thrill of being the driving force behind a pink semi!

PPPPP

Word Count 571

Common Tax Deductions for Owner Operator Truck Drivers

Filing taxes is never a pleasant event for most people, but one that is necessary. Most owner operators have a variety of different expenses they incur during the course of their business that they can deduct. Taking the time to do so means they end up paying less income taxes.

You will be able to depreciate the value of your truck over the course of several years. The amount you can take depends on the purchase price of the equipment. If you sell a truck or trailer during the year you should know that you will have to count that is income because you have already taken some of the depreciation on the equipment. You will also be able to deduct the interest you pay on your truck payments and trailer payments. You aren?t allowed to deduct the actual payments though, only the interest portion.

There are often tolls and fees for scales that truck drivers have to pay along their routes. These fees can be deducted as well. Make sure you keep track of what you pay for showers, truck parts, maintenance, and repairs. All of these items are deductible. You don?t need to keep your receipts for meals because the government gives you a per diem rate that you can claim. You need to make sure you keep track of the number of days you are out over the road though so you can figure the deduction.

Clothing can?t be deducted unless it is specifically for work related services. For example you can claim a bright orange vest and a hard hat that are required to be in a construction zone you may be delivering materials for. However, you can?t claim your jeans, tennis shoes, and shirts because they aren?t considered to be a required uniform for work.

You also can?t claim any traffic tickets or attorney fees you have to pay in order to fight tickets. Many truck drivers have attempted to deduct these expenses on their tax return. The result is they end up getting a bill from the IRS telling them they owe more money. In some instances there are fees and penalties assessed as well.

Fuel is the most common expense that truck drivers incur. Make sure you keep a close eye on those receipts because each one will likely be worth %100 or more. Losing these different receipts can really add up during the course of a year, and that means you will have to pay more income tax.

The use of a cell phone and a laptop are often common items truck drivers use. However you can only claim half of the cost of them because the government has the opinion that both of them will be used for recreational use as well as for business. Any maps, notebooks, pens, log books, or other items you buy specifically to use in your truck are deductible.

You do have to be careful though as there is a line between what is necessary and what is a luxury. For example you can deduct the cost of a special seat for your truck that is ergonomically correct. You can also deduct the cost of a refrigerator for your truck. Yet you can?t deduct a new stereo system or the customized curtains you buy to decorate your cab with.

The various tax deductions for owner operator truck drivers need to be carefully looked at. If you have a tax preparer they can take care of it for you. Make sure you keep all of your receipts together. It is a good idea to have a large envelope for each month of the year. This way you only have to provide your tax preparer with the figures instead of with the actual receipts. Keep them in a safe location for at least three years in case you end up getting audited by the IRS.

PPPPP

Word Count 655

Semi Trucks and Terrorism

After the world was taken by surprised with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 significant changes were implemented in the United States in regard to semi trucks. There is a possibility that the use of large trucks could be used for terrorism and that is something that needs to be carefully guarded against.

The United States government closely guards against those with a CDL accessing hazardous materials. They require a background check with fingerprinting to be completed for anyone with a CDL that wants this type of endorsement. There are plenty of flammable and toxic materials hauled in semi trucks that need to be protected.

There is also the problem of terrorists taking semi trucks that have such products on them in route. They can kill the driver?s and take the trucks if they really want to access the various materials they are hauling. The potential scenarios that could result from such materials being used for terrorism are too many to mention. Yet it is likely that they could result in mass deaths and even contamination of the water and the air.

There have already been some semi trucks involved in various terrorist attacks. In 1993 they were used to engage in the attack on the World Trade Center. The fact that there are so many semi trucks out there hauling dangerous materials makes them a viable weapon for terrorism. The fact that placards have to be in place on semi trucks hauling these materials is supposed to be for safety but they also identify them as easy targets for terrorists.

One of the ideas the Department of Homeland Security has been considering is placing GPS on all trucks that haul hazardous materials. This way it would be very easy to identify those that are off course. It would also be possible to identify any semi trucks hauling hazardous materials into areas where they are not allowed.

In the event of a semi truck hauling dangerous materials, being involved in an accident, the GPS could result in clean up crews being sent to the scene immediately. All of the information relating to the types of materials being hauled would be available so crews would know how to proceed. Yet the cost of implementing such a program would be very expensive. There would also be ongoing costs for monitoring the activities of all these semi trucks.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has also come up with a device to prevent terrorists from using semi trucks. This device can be mounted in various areas of the truck. If it is believed the safety of the semi truck has been compromised the device can be instructed to come to a full stop by activating the air brakes. There is still more research that needs to be looked into for this type of concept to be realistically installed in all semi trucks.

We have all seen the effects that terrorist attacks can have on society. Protecting semi trucks from getting into the wrong hands is very important. Most truck drivers are trained in the possibility that their truck could be taken for such a purpose. Many trucking companies have procedures in place for the driver to follow if such an event occurs. Many of the reports of suspicious activities relating to semi trucks are reported by truck drivers themselves as they are the eyes and ears of the open road.

PPPPP

Word Count 571