Dear Editor,

I come from a trucking family and I am married to a trucker. I enjoy reading your paper, but as I sat at home with a cup of coffee and the August issue of Truck News, I became upset with what I read about the issues raised regarding hours of service plans, the driver shortage, fuel prices, etc.

Not once did many of the quoted “officials” mention the fact that pay, dispatch and four-wheelers have more to do with these problems than drivers.

Owners of large trucking companies don’t care about the drivers or what it takes – just move the stuff and make the company money. Refuse a load due to no hours and look out, dispatch gets nasty. In other words, look for empty miles, low-paying loads, you name it. Dispatch behavior encourages drivers to play Log Doctor.

Are companies willing to raise their rates in order to make it worthwhile for the drivers? Or is this once again something truckers and their families will have to deal with? The price of fuel alone makes it impossible to refuse loads, tired or not.

I’m tired of hearing it’s always the driver’s fault. Let’s look to the source of driver’s fatigue and why truckers drive so many hours. How about pointing the finger at the four-wheelers and consumers who want what is on our truckers’ trailers but don’t want to respect the truckers?

It is time the public is made aware of what really goes on in the trucking industry. Take a few of these motormouths on the road for awhile and let’s see what they have to say.

Why is it the government is willing to listen to the “little-wheelers”? It’s time to stand behind our unsung heroes. Let’s give them a break, some respect and treat them like the kings and queens that they are.

Sylvie Wynn

Smiths Falls, Ont.