Ever since ELD logs was enforced on the trucking industry it has caused many issues for us drivers. Especially safety issues as number one. Number two it has caused a massive situation with parking (which I have another petition for stop the fines for truckers because it's not a truckers fault there isn't enough parking nationwide and many places have city ordinances against parking on ramps, or outside rest areas and truck stops that are already full but what else are you supposed to do?) 

I haven't been in this industry long, since August 2021. It didn't take long to realize what the FMCSA, DOT and the government have all done has been nothing but a giant mess and safety issue. I am finding the 14 hour rule puts drivers rushing to get to their shippers and receivers and truck stops. Rushing all the time isn't safe. I also know that if I am stuck at a shipper or receiver for hours and hours and I'm sleeping I should get a full clock back Especially if I have been there for 2 or more hours because I have had plenty of sleep at this point. The 14 hour rule doesn't account for overpopulated cities of traffic slowing our day down drastically, weather, construction, accident wait times, fueling taking forever with so many taking their breaks at the pumps because of parking or if you have a break down. Lets also address the time it takes to go find a trailer washout and once you find one you have a massive long wait that could be another couple hours easily. Blue beacon could expand drastically nationwide.

I'm finding that I am being told to stop driving when I am still wide awake and wired to knock out more time and then being told to go to sleep when I'm still very much awake. Then when it's time to start driving again because it took me so long to get sleepy I'm now driving while tired. The government can't control when we get sleepy and when we're awake and alert. We need to be able to manage that because every person sleep patterns are different and some can drive 3 hrs and need a small nap and others can drive 8 hrs take their 30 min break and drive another 8 to 10 hrs before needing a 8 to 10 hr break. Frankly everyday I could easily drive 11 hrs and with all the slow downs with todays society this needs to be put into place. With the FMCSA now wanting to govern all trucks it also will slow down us getting food and supplies to the public in a decent time. SO many states have reduced speeds for truckers now that also puts a factor into getting enough miles to get paid and get loads in a timely manner. Having trucks be govern will only cause more accidents not less. 

Most of us get paid by the mile or the load. All these restrictions are making it harder to make money. I am over the road driver which means I give up having a normal life with children, a spouse, seeing friends and family regularly to be out here hauling for America. The money has to make sense to give all that up. If you keep making it to where we can't get as many loads done per mile we get paid or loads per week then you will continue to lose skilled drivers because we won't make enough money to do this kind of life anymore. 

Parking is a disaster that FMCSA, DOT, Government made a promise to solve parking issues back when Jason Rivenburg was killed March 6th 2009 being forced to park in a abandoned lot because the receiver, Food Lion wouldn't allow him to arrive early. Things haven't changed only gotten worse since ELD logs because now everyone is forced to look for parking all at the same time and many RV campers and non semi are parking where semi spaces were already limited. Shippers and recievers are not helping the situation by not allowing overnight parking when we have this forced 10 hr shut down rule. Nationwide rest areas and pull off dirt lots were promised to be built are being shut down left and right and you will find trucks parked outside of them for miles depending on the state. The east coast is absolutely a nightmare and you have people like the mayor of New York towing and fining truckers when it's not even our fault!! Georgia, Virginia, California, Arkansas, Tennessee are just some of many others that will fine us truckers for parking outside a FULL truck stop OR FULL Rest area. DOT made a promise to always let truckers park at the weight stations yet many truckers have reported to me they have been told to move and leave. Truck stops are now taking advantage and having some places be fully reserved paid parking only especially places like new jersey etc. A trucker should never ever have to pay to park when their job is to drive food and supplies across the country for the people. Many times I paid ahead online just to arrive and be told sorry we overbooked and we don't have a reserved spot for you. 

Let me remind you of what this bill was supposed to do and where all of us truckers are wondering where the 100 million dollars went because rest areas being closed instead we need MORE. Again even a pull off dirt lot off the side of the highway is better than nothing. Major safety concerns nationwide with trailers being stolen and hijacked and trucks broken into and robbed let alone the violent attacks on us women drivers. You made these promises to us in honor of Jason Rivenburg here is a reminder what that bill was supposed to do:

Projects eligible to be funded with highway safety funds include:

· Constructing safety rest areas that include parking for commercial motor vehicles.

· Constructing commercial motor vehicle parking facilities adjacent to commercial truck stops and travel plazas.

· Opening existing facilities to commercial motor vehicle parking, including inspection and weigh stations and park-and-ride facilities.

· Promoting the availability of publicly or privately provided commercial motor vehicle parking on the National Highway System using intelligent transportation systems and other means.

· Constructing turnouts along the National Highway System for commercial motor vehicles.

· Making capital improvements to public commercial motor vehicle parking facilities currently closed on a seasonal basis to allow the facilities to remain open year-round.

· Improving the geometric design of interchanges on the National Highway System to improve access to commercial motor vehicle parking facilities.

No more people on visas allowed to drive SEMI trucks. USA citizens only. Must be able to read, speak and write English. 

www.change.org/BanForeignSemiDrivers 

My other petition about parking is at:

www.change.org/StopTheFinesForTruckers 

Abolish the FMCSA 

www.change.org/StopTheFMCSA 

As well as national carry right:

www.change.org/NationalCarryForTruckers