10% of Go-Go-Go Store Ministry profits support the homeless
    Socials
Contact Us

Author: admin@adriverspers

That’s a Big 10-4 on D.C.

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

The Story Behind 10-4 on DC – and the Man Who Helped Keep the Message Alive

A Legacy Born from Loss

Fred Bowerman’s connection to trucking runs deeper than chrome, diesel, and long miles – it’s born from tragedy, resilience, and a lifelong respect for the men and women behind the wheel.

At just five years old, Fred lost his father – an owner-operator – in a fatal crash near Fremont, Indiana.  His dad had just finished prepping a new Peterbilt cabover and was on his first run when he fell asleep, swerved to avoid stopped traffic, and struck an overpass support.  The accident crushed the cab and ended his life instantly.

Despite the loss, trucks remained a part of Fred’s world.  His mother later married another truck driver, and memories of that old ’73 Peterbilt in the driveway kept his fascination alive.

A Dream Redirected

After high school, Fred hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps – but his battle with sleep apnea changed his path.  On his mother’s urging, he stayed off the road and pursued a career in mechanics, earning a journeyman’s card and later moving into robotics and engineering at the Toledo Jeep plant.

Still, he couldn’t stay away from trucks entirely.  At 21, he bought a 1988 Ford CLT 9000 cabover using his inheritance and hired a driver while keeping his factory job.  Three years and $5,000 in losses later, he sold the truck and stepped away – but the passion never left.

The Return of the Cabover – and a New Calling

In 2017, Fred bought a 1978 Peterbilt 352 cabover similar to his father’s.  It wasn’t about business anymore – just love for the machine and the memory it carried.  That same year, his life took another turn when he joined a D.C. protest against the federal Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate.

What started as frustration over government overreach became something bigger.  A convoy of truckers rolled into Washington, parking outside the FMCSA building in protest. Their timing was divine – the meeting that followed took place on October 4, known to drivers by the CB code “10-4,” meaning message received.

The meeting led to real results, including flexible sleeper-berth provisions – proof that when drivers stand together, Washington listens. And just like that, the phrase 10-4 on D.C. was born.

From Protest to Platform

What began as a spontaneous protest grew into a yearly movement of unity and advocacy. Fred – who had initially joined to “fill a seat” – soon became one of its steady hands.

After a chaotic 2018 protest (where one organizer was tased by police during a permit dispute), Fred stepped in to help bring structure and professionalism.  With his engineering mindset, he helped secure proper permits, built the 10-4 on DC website, and turned the loose coalition into an organized event with purpose.

By October 2018, they held their first official event on the National Mall, honoring drivers and educating the public about the challenges of life on the road.  The following year, the movement doubled in size, featuring convoys, concerts, and listening sessions with federal officials.

Eight Years Later: The Message Still Carries

Now in its eighth year, 10-4 on DC has evolved far beyond its original fight.  It stands as a tribute to America’s truckers – a blend of remembrance, awareness, and pride.

Fred’s story reminds us that advocacy doesn’t always come from behind the wheel. Sometimes it comes from someone who understands what’s at stake, even if they never logged a mile.

“Drivers have so much strength if they would use it,” Fred says.  “We’re stronger together than divided.”

As automation rises, policies tighten, and the road gets lonelier, 10-4 on DC continues to symbolize what trucking has always been about – brotherhood, backbone, and the American spirit.

A Big 10-4

I never knew Fred’s story until we sat down and talked.  Like many, I’d always wondered why someone who never drove for a living would pour so much heart into the driver’s cause. Now I get it.

His father’s legacy may have ended on the highway that night in Indiana – but Fred’s work ensures that legacy still drives forward, every October, in the nation’s capital.

Thank you, Fred, for sharing your story and keeping the light burning for the men and women who keep America moving.

Editor’s Note:
While this story highlights Fred’s unique role and perspective, TenFourDC was never the work of one person alone. It was built through the shared efforts, ideas, and time of many who believed in creating something that connected drivers and supporters alike. Fred’s story simply stood out as one part of that bigger picture – alongside others like Miss Arlene Bennett, whose involvement showed how even those who don’t drive a truck still have an important place in the movement. That spirit of teamwork is what TenFourDC was founded on – and what continues to move it forward.

Will Cook

A Driver’s Perspective

[TenFourDC.org]

Charles Claburn Interview

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

GOOD MONDAY MORNING – Let’s kick off the week with a flashback from the past that still hits hard today.  The title alone says it all:

[ YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH ]

I had the opportunity to sit down with a man who’s never been afraid to tell it like it is – Charles Claburn. For more than 20 years, Charles has been a relentless voice for truckers, speaking out about the hard truths most people don’t want to hear.

In this conversation, he opens up about unity, manipulation, and the ongoing fight to reclaim trucking from the inside out. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s long overdue.

October 6, 2025

When I sat down with Charles Claburn, I wasn’t talking to a man who read about trucking from behind a desk or built a following by shouting on social media.  I was talking to a man who lived it – who fought the battle for drivers long before hashtags and livestreams ever existed.

He’s a name that carries weight among the ones who remember when drivers stood shoulder to shoulder, not screen to screen.

Charles has been speaking out for truckers for more than two decades. Not because he wanted to – but because other drivers, the ones who respected him, told him he needed to.

“I didn’t volunteer for it,” he told me.  “Older drivers pulled me aside and said, ‘Charlie, you’ve got a way with words, and you ain’t scared.  Go tell them what we’re dealing with.’  I told them I’d rather be hauling milk.  That’s how it started.”

The Early Fight

The story goes back to New York in the early 2000s. Fuel prices were choking the small carriers and independents. Nobody in Albany wanted to hear about it – until Charles and a handful of drivers made them.

“We didn’t have sponsors.  We didn’t have GoFundMe. We had CB radios, word of mouth, and conviction,” Charles said.  “When we told the state police we were coming, they said, ‘You’re not convoying into Albany.’  I told them, ‘You try to stop 200 trucks and you’ll have a bigger problem than a fuel protest.’  Guess what?  We rolled.”

When those rigs pulled into the capital, they didn’t come to make noise – they came to make a point.  A sitting governor walked down the steps to meet them face to face.

“We didn’t need a celebrity or a livestream,” Charles said.  “We needed a message, and we had it: stop killing the little guy.  That day proved that if you organize right and you speak with purpose, they will listen.  But you’ve got to mean what you say.”

Those early wins, he told me, weren’t about personality – they were about presence.  Real drivers.  Real sacrifice. Real unity.

The Albany Lesson

Charles explained what made those movements work – discipline, respect, and leadership that didn’t need a camera to validate it.

“We weren’t perfect,” he said, “but we had structure.  We didn’t call ourselves heroes.  We just did what had to be done.  Guys like me were still hauling loads in between calls.  We’d park, protest, and go right back to work. It wasn’t about ego.”

That mindset – humility in the fight – is what made the difference.  The press couldn’t twist it, and the public couldn’t deny it.

But Charles watched the industry change.  The unity that once made trucking powerful started to fracture under politics, personality, and pay-to-play leadership.

“You can’t build a movement on selfies,” he told me.  “Once they started chasing views instead of results, it stopped being about drivers.  It became about branding.”

The Modern Problem

When the People’s Convoy hit the headlines and social-media voices started claiming to represent “all truckers,” Charles saw a familiar pattern forming – the same manipulation he’d witnessed years before, now weaponized through algorithms.

“The problem isn’t that drivers don’t care,” he said.  “It’s that every time one of us stands up, someone with a microphone tries to tear us down – especially if they can’t control the message.  The system knows how to exploit that.”

We talked about the ATU livestream incident, where Charles was silenced mid-conversation for asking a fair question.

“I didn’t come to fight,” he said.  “I came to ask, ‘What’s your plan?’  And they muted me. That right there told me everything.  Real leaders don’t fear questions.  They fear exposure.”

He compared it to an old farming lesson:

“When you want to keep cattle from going through the gate, you hang a shiny broom across the opening.  They’ll stop every time. Social media works the same way – every week it’s a new broom.  New distraction.  New ego.  Meanwhile, the same people in D.C. are tightening the leash on our livelihood.”

The Truth They Don’t Teach

We dug into policy – because that’s where Charles and I both believe the real war is fought.

“Executive orders ain’t law,” Charles said flatly.  “They come and go like campaign slogans. Until Congress writes it, it’s nothing but smoke.  But drivers see a headline and think we won.  Nah.  We just bought time.”

He shook his head when we talked about the FMCSA and DOT.

“They don’t make policy,” he said.  “They enforce what Congress funds. You want to fix trucking? You fix the people writing the checks – not the ones stamping the forms.”

That kind of plain talk is rare today. Too many influencers push narratives that sound patriotic but ignore how the system actually works.

“Most of these folks don’t want you educated,” he said.  “They want you emotional. Because when you understand who signs the bills – when you realize Congress controls labor, visas, pay, and automation funding – the whole game changes.  That’s why they keep us divided.”

What Drivers Really Need

Charles and I found ourselves circling the same three words: classification, pay, and training.

“Drivers need to be recognized as skilled labor,” he said.  “This isn’t fast food. It’s 80,000 pounds moving at 70 miles an hour.  You want better safety?  Start by paying people what the job’s worth.  Start by training them like professionals, not filling seats for bonuses.”

He pointed out that technology has become a crutch – and an excuse.

“Every sensor, every camera, every ‘safety feature’ is another way to justify undertraining and underpaying.  The more they automate, the less they have to respect you.  But here’s the truth: no machine will ever replace the judgment of a driver who cares.”

The Need for a Driver Voting Bloc

We talked about the one solution that keeps surfacing: power in numbers.

“Until we start voting as a bloc,” Charles said, “we’re just noise.  I don’t mean unionizing under one flag.  I mean using our voice as a class – the working class.  The ones who actually keep the lights on.  We need drivers in every district calling their reps, asking the same three questions: Where do you stand on classification, pay, and training?”

He grinned when he mentioned Truck the Vote, the movement that never got the traction it deserved.

“That was the right idea,” he said.  “We just didn’t have the infrastructure.  The ATA’s got millions.  We’ve got miles.  But if we ever aim those miles in the same direction, Congress will have to listen.”

That’s where Charles still puts his hope – not in influencers, not in organizations, but in the people behind the wheel who refuse to be silenced.

Where We Go from Here

As the conversation wound down, I asked Charles what keeps him speaking out after twenty years. His answer was simple.

“Because nobody else will. And because I still believe this industry can be saved – if drivers stop following personalities and start following purpose.”

In a world full of noise, Charles is still that steady voice cutting through the static – the kind of man who doesn’t just remember what trucking was, but what it stood for.

And that, more than anything, is what A Driver’s Perspective stands for.

Will. — A Driver’s Perspective

INSIDE OOIDA: The People Fighting for Drivers

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

A Conversation with Doug Morris, Director of Safety, Security & State Affairs

I got the opportunity to sit down with one of the many men and women who keep OOIDA going – just one of many important people who make this association what it is.  That’s the point of this new series: to give an inside look at the folks fighting for drivers and owner-operators inside OOIDA – what they do, how they do it, and why it matters.

For this first interview, I sat down with Doug Morris, OOIDA’s Director of Safety, Security & State Affairs. Before he became a voice for truckers in Washington, D.C., Morris spent more than 25 years with the Maryland State Police, leading transportation security after 9/11, working with federal and state agencies, and training in specialized commercial-vehicle inspections – including radiological, at a time when only a handful in the country had that expertise.  Since joining OOIDA in 2009, he’s become one of the industry’s most persistent watchdogs on safety regs, enforcement policy, and driver rights.

From Lawman to Driver Advocate
Morris didn’t set out to work for OOIDA. A trip to Kansas City to meet the team – and a dinner with the late Jim Johnston – changed his mind.

“When you see someone’s passion for trucking and for drivers, you want to be part of that,” Morris told me.

He took early retirement, joined OOIDA, and his role quickly expanded: national security initiatives, regulatory analysis, then lobbying, plus a heavy load of state-level legislative work during the first half of each year.

Who Writes the Rules (and Who Enforces Them)
One point Morris wants drivers to understand: Congress writes the laws; FMCSA implements what Congress funds; CVSA (a coalition of state enforcement) standardizes the inspection process and out-of-service criteria that states adopt and enforce.

“If you’re mad at FMCSA for something Congress mandated – or for how states are enforcing -it’s easy to yell at the wrong building,” he said.  “Know which committee holds the pen.”

The Non-Domiciled CDL Mess
On the hottest issue right now – non-domiciled CDLs and visa drivers – Morris is blunt.  The original intent of non-domiciled CDLs was simple: when a U.S. trainee tested in a different state than their residence, they’d transfer the temporary credential back home for a standard CDL.  It wasn’t meant as a backdoor for foreign drivers.

OOIDA, he says, had raised alarms for years, but national traction followed public attention and grassroots pressure after a series of fatal crashes and fraud cases made headlines.

  • OOIDA pressed FMCSA to restore English-language proficiency with real teeth in out-of-service criteria.
  • They engaged DHS and the DOT Secretary to tighten guidance and close loopholes.
  • They continue pushing states that still don’t track or properly gate non-domiciled issuances.

“It’s complicated for agencies that don’t live in this space,” Morris said. “You literally have to walk them through how CDL issuance works and where the guidance went sideways.”

Speed Limiters, ELDs, and Regulation by Megacarrier
Morris argues that some high-dollar lobbying campaigns push rules that benefit large fleets more than safety.

  • Speed limiters: “Great for fuel budgets, not a magic wand for crashes,” he said, noting increased rear-end collisions.
  • ELDs: Sold as a silver bullet, but in practice they’ve increased stress and congestion and boxed experienced drivers into unsafe timing.

“Talk to working drivers before you regulate drivers,” he said. OOIDA’s 21-member board—all truckers with hundreds of cumulative years behind the wheel—is built for that.

Money, Access, and the Grind
OOIDA’s lobbying dollars are modest compared to the millions spent by major trade groups and allied interests.

“Every dollar has to work,” Morris said.

The counterweight is grassroots: members calling and visiting lawmakers, especially those sitting on Transportation & Infrastructure (House) and Commerce, Science & Transportation (Senate).

“Lawmakers listen to constituents – and to money,” Morris said.  “We need members engaged so our side of the story is in the room.”

Parking, Pay, and Predatory Leases
Beyond the headline fights, Morris points to other critical issues:

  • Guaranteed overtime for drivers – to push rates up and pay drivers for their time.
  • Free truck parking – while some paid-parking interests fight to preserve scarcity.
  • Predatory lease-purchase contracts – OOIDA’s Business Services reviews agreements and warns drivers when the math sinks them from day one.

On AB5/independent contractor rules, Morris deferred details to OOIDA’s legal team, but confirmed the fight is active and crucial to the owner-operator model.

Automation: The Existential Question
Morris’s starkest warning is about driverless trucks.  If Congress authorizes interstate operation without a driver in the cab, he believes small-business trucking will be gutted.  Billions in hedge funds and tech money are pushing hard; some states already allow AV pilots; federal preemption could accelerate it.

“There will be niches,” he said, “but for dry van, reefer, and flatbed – if we don’t act now – the handwriting is on the wall.”

What Drivers Can Do Right Now
Morris’s call to action is simple:

  1. Visit fightingfortruckers.com.
  2. Identify your House and Senate members.
  3. Meet staffers who cover transportation.
  4. Speak to specific bills – support or oppose – and explain the impact on your business.
  5. Build a relationship and follow up.

“Don’t waste your time shouting at the wind,” he said.  “Show up where decisions are made.”

Why This Series Matters
OOIDA is not just a logo – it’s hundreds of people grinding in meetings, drafting testimony, managing state fights, and walking the halls of Congress so drivers still have a future in this industry.  Doug Morris is one of them.

In the coming pieces, we’ll keep pulling the curtain back on the men and women inside OOIDA who spend their days fighting for drivers and owner-operators.

If you’re a driver or owner-operator, your voice matters.  Get informed, plug in, and stand with the folks who show up for you every day.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective


[FightingForTruckers.Com]

Get Out of My Business: The Truth About CVSA’s Push to Limit Personal Conveyance



Posted on by admin@adriverspers

Get Out of My Business:

The Truth About CVSA’s Push to Limit Personal Conveyance

Let’s Start With the Basics
If I’m making the payments on my truck – whether it’s leased or bank-financed – the CVSA has no business telling me how I can use it when I’m off the clock.

I pay the insurance.
I pay the plates.
I pay the IFTA fuel tax, the highway use tax, the fuel itself.

If I want to climb into my truck on my personal time and drive it across the state to visit family, take a vacation, or just go for a long drive, that’s between me, my wallet, and God. Not the CVSA.  Not the FMCSA.  Not anybody else.

Why This Is Even a Discussion
The CVSA claims they need to put a two-hour daily cap on personal conveyance (PC) because some drivers are “cheating” – using PC to advance their loads or bypass Hours-of-Service limits.

This isn’t the first time they’ve tried it.

  • 2020 – CVSA petitions FMCSA for PC limits.  Denied.
  • 2022 – They try again.  Denied.
  • May 2025 – CVSA’s board approves a formal proposal for a two-hour daily cap.
  • July 29, 2025 – CVSA tells the U.S. Senate they’ve seen “40% misuse” in audits and claims some drivers use PC for up to ten hours.  They say it’s a fatigue and safety risk.
  • Now – They’re preparing their third petition to FMCSA.

As of August 12, 2025, the FMCSA has not changed its rules.  PC still has no federal time or distance limit, so long as you’re relieved from work responsibilities and not operating for the carrier’s benefit.

Who’s Actually Behind CVSA
The CVSA isn’t a corporate lobbying group.  It’s run by senior enforcement officials from state motor vehicle and highway patrol agencies:

  • Capt. John Hahn – President, Colorado State Patrol
  • Maj. Erick McGuire – Vice President, Florida Highway Patrol
  • Sgt. William Alarcon – Secretary, New Jersey State Police

These are career enforcement professionals, not politicians.  Their mission is road safety and rule enforcement – but that’s exactly why their proposals often go for broad, measurable rules instead of targeted enforcement.

The Safety Claim – and the Reality
Here’s the truth: there’s no confirmed fatal accident on record that was directly caused by PC misuse alone.

  • Fatigue-related accidents are real, yes – but PC misuse is only a potential indirect factor.
  • CVSA’s own argument is that misuse makes Hours-of-Service violations harder to detect.
  • Even so, with GPS, ELDs, and cameras, catching real abuse is easier than ever.

If enforcement agencies can’t detect when someone’s advancing a load under PC with all that technology in place, that’s an enforcement problem – not a personal conveyance problem.

What This Really Benefits
A hard time cap on PC makes life easier for enforcement agencies – not safer for the public.

  • It turns a judgment call into a stopwatch.
  • It eliminates officer discretion and replaces it with a number.
  • It sweeps up every driver, including the 60% or more who are using PC exactly as intended.

And let’s be clear – it benefits large carriers more than independent drivers.  Mega carriers already micromanage their drivers and often set their own internal PC caps.  This just levels the playing field in their favor by imposing those limits industry-wide.

The Legal and Rights-Based Problem
Statutory Definition

FMCSA defines PC as:
“The movement of a commercial motor vehicle for personal use while the driver is off-duty, provided the movement is not for the benefit of the motor carrier.”

There is no time or distance limit in that definition.

Property & Business Rights

  • As an owner-operator, your truck is your personal property as well as your business tool.  The federal government’s power to regulate it applies when you’re in commerce – not when you’re off duty.
  • Under the Fifth Amendment, you can argue that arbitrary restrictions on personal use of your own property without a compelling, narrowly tailored safety reason step toward infringement of property rights.

Constitutional Overreach
Because PC is by definition off duty, it sits outside the scope of active interstate commerce regulation.  Trying to limit it without clear safety data is legally shaky at best.

If They Really Want Safer Roads…
Start where the real problems are:

  • End trainees training trainees in mega carriers.
  • Require proper training and English proficiency for all CDL holders.
  • Tighten oversight on non-domiciled CDL holders who are fast-tracked into the system with minimal supervision.

Those changes will save lives.  Limiting PC won’t.

The Enforcement Fix – Without Overreach
If someone abuses PC to advance a load or dodge HOS limits:
1.      Use the tech that’s already in the truck to catch them.
2.      Fine them heavily – make it hurt.
3.      Apply the penalty to the violator, not the entire industry.

Bottom Line
Right now, CVSA’s proposed PC cap is just that – a proposal. It has no legal force unless FMCSA adopts it through rulemaking. And if they do, they’ll have to defend it against property rights arguments, lack of safety data, and a clear overreach into the personal lives of truck owners.

Until then, and even after, I’ll say it as loud as I can:

Get.  Out.  Of.  My.  Business.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

WHO HOLDS THE PEN: WHERE TRUCKING BILLS REALLY BEGIN IN THE SENATE

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

Who Holds the Pen: Where Trucking Bills Really Begin in the Senate


This is part of my Know Who Holds the Pen series – and the last in this 4-part series.  The final book, releasing by the end of August, will go even deeper into this topic and show drivers exactly who to contact before a bill ever makes the news.

The Question Most Drivers Never Ask
If you’re like most people, you probably think new laws for truck drivers start with one senator, one idea, and one vote.  That’s not how it works.

The truth is, every bill has to start in a “committee” before it goes anywhere else.  And where it starts often decides if it lives, dies, or gets changed into something completely different.

Think of a committee like a “dispatch office” for laws.  It’s where the freight – in this case, a bill – first shows up.  And just like freight, if it goes to the wrong dock, it’s not going anywhere fast.

What Is a Senate Committee?
A Senate committee is a group of senators who focus on one main area – like transportation, labor, veterans, finance, or agriculture.

Each committee is like its own mini-Senate.  They hold hearings, invite witnesses, change the bill, and decide whether to send it to the full Senate for a vote.

If the committee doesn’t like the bill, it might never move forward.  That means most laws live or die long before you ever hear about them on the news.

  • Three Real Trucking Bills and Where They Went:
  • Commercial Motor Vehicle English Proficiency Act
    1. What it says: You can’t get a CDL unless you can read, write, and understand English. No written tests in other languages.
    2. Where it went: The Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee.
    3. Why there: This committee is in charge of road safety, driver qualifications, and transportation policy. Since this bill is about safety and qualifications, it goes here.
  • Strengthening Supply Chains Through Truck Driver Incentives Act
    1. What it says: Gives drivers tax credits – up to $10,000 for new drivers or apprentices, and $7,500 for experienced ones – to help keep CDL holders in the job.
    2. Where it went: The Finance Committee (because it’s about taxes) and sometimes the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee (HELP) if the bill focuses on jobs, training, and keeping workers.
    3. Why there: It’s part tax law and part labor policy.
  • Veterans’ Transition to Trucking Act of 2025
    1. What it says: Makes it easier for the VA to approve multi-state trucking apprenticeship programs so veterans can start working sooner.
    2. Where it went: The Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
    3. Why there: Even though it’s about trucking, it’s really about veterans’ benefits – so it’s not considered transportation or labor for the purpose of where it starts.

How This Looks in Plain Words
The English Proficiency for CDLs bill went to the Commerce Committee because it’s about road safety.

The Truck Driver Tax Credit bill went to the Finance Committee because it’s about money – and it could also go to the Labor (HELP) Committee because it’s about keeping jobs filled.

The Veterans’ Trucking Apprenticeship bill went to the Veterans’ Affairs Committee because it’s about helping veterans get jobs, not about roads or wages.

What About Non-Domiciled and Visa Drivers?
Now let’s talk about something big that a lot of drivers bring up – non-domiciled drivers (people licensed here but living in another country) and visa drivers (foreign drivers brought in through a work visa program).

That’s not a transportation issue – it’s a labor issue.  Why?  Because it’s about who is allowed to work here, how they’re classified, and what the wage rules are.

That means bills about non-domiciled drivers or visa driver programs would go in front of the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee in the Senate – the same one that handles workplace rules, training, and labor protections.

This is huge, because if you’re fighting against unsafe driver programs, low wages, or job displacement by foreign labor, you’re not just fighting a trucking fight – you’re fighting a labor fight. And the senators who decide labor bills might not even be the ones who normally touch transportation laws.

Why Committees Decide the Fate of Trucking Laws
Here’s why all this matters:

If you’re a driver and you want a bill passed (or stopped), you need to know which committee has it.

That’s the group of senators you have to contact. That’s where the hearings will happen. That’s where the bill will get stronger or weaker.

If you’re aiming your message at the wrong senators, you’re wasting your voice.

How This Will Be Covered in the Fourth Know Who Holds the Pen Book
In the fourth book in this series, we’re going to dig deep into every Senate committee that handles trucking-related bills – from transportation to labor to finance.  We’ll show you:

  •      The names of the senators on each committee
  •      Which states they represent
  •      How to contact them directly
  •      Examples of bills they’ve handled in the past


We’ll also break down how to track a bill’s movement, so you know exactly when to speak up, before the media ever runs the story.

Committee Bill Example Reason It Went There
Commerce, Science & Transportation English Proficiency for CDLs Focuses on road and safety regulations
Finance/HELP (Labor-related) Truck Driver Tax Incentives Blends tax policy with workforce retention
Veterans’ Affairs Veterans’ Apprenticeship Approval Reform Centers on veterans’ benefits, not trucking

 

Side Note: See the chart above for a visual breakdown of where trucking bills go in the Senate. 

Each committee has a different role:

  •      Transportation – road safety, driver qualifications, CDL rules
  •      Labor (HELP) – visa drivers, workforce rules, job training
  •      Finance – tax credits and incentives
  •      Veterans – trucking apprenticeship programs for veterans

Some bills may also pass through other committees like Infrastructure (highway funding, freight corridors) or Homeland Security (border, port, and hazmat oversight).

The Bottom Line for Drivers
Bills about trucks don’t all go to the same place. Some are about road safety, some are about taxes, some are about jobs, and some are about veterans. And when it comes to labor issues like visa drivers, you’re in a whole different part of the Senate.

If you want to protect your job, your pay, and your industry, you have to know who holds the pen – because that’s who writes the first and most important version of the law.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

FREEDOM CONVOY: HIJACKED

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

FREEDOM CONVOY: HIJACKED

We Had a Chance to Stand With the World
But Instead We Stood in a Parking Lot

Was America’s Freedom Convoy Stolen from the People?

[This article is based on publicly available information, news reports, and personal analysis. It is intended for educational and commentary purposes protected by the First Amendment. All statements reflect events that occurred in the public eye or are commentary on public movements and figures.]

The Original Freedom Convoy – 🇨🇦 Canada, January 2022
The Freedom Convoy began on January 22, 2022, as a grassroots protest by Canadian truckers opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates for cross-border drivers.  What started with a handful of working-class truckers quickly grew into a national movement and then into a global symbol of resistance against government overreach and pandemic-era authoritarianism.

Thousands of trucks and supporters converged in Ottawa, parking near Parliament Hill and refusing to leave until mandates were lifted.  The protest was peaceful, determined, and organized – with citizens from all walks of life joining in to demand liberty.

Let this be clear: the movement was never called The People’s Convoy.  It was known globally and universally as the Freedom Convoy, and it represented more than truckers – it became a worldwide rallying cry for liberty.

The Global Response – Who Stood with the Freedom Convoy?
Inspired by what happened in Canada, a wave of similar movements spread across the globe.  These weren’t just anti-vaccine protests – they were expressions of widespread frustration against years of top-down control and the abuse of emergency powers.

Here’s a breakdown of the global response:

  • 🇦🇺 Australia launched the Convoy to Canberra in February 2022.  Thousands of vehicles descended on the capital, openly crediting Canada as the inspiration.
  • 🇳🇿 New Zealand organized Convoy 2022 NZ. Like Canada, trucks and supporters occupied the area around Parliament in Wellington.
  • 🇫🇷 France staged the Convoi de la Liberté. Thousands flooded into Paris in open defiance of health pass mandates, many waving Canadian flags.
  • 🇧🇪 🇮🇹 🇪🇸 Belgium, Italy, and Spain each had Freedom Convoy-style protests, focused on opposing COVID restrictions and rising government control.
  • 🇮🇱 Israel held a Freedom Convoy to Jerusalem, driven by everyday citizens who were tired of restrictions and creeping authoritarianism.

In every case, these movements cited the Canadian Freedom Convoy as the spark. The name “Freedom Convoy” – translated into each local language – became the shared banner for a worldwide movement.

Then came the United States.

Trump Calls for a U.S. Freedom Convoy
As Canada’s Freedom Convoy gained global attention, former President Donald Trump publicly praised the truckers and called for a similar movement in America.

 “We want those great Canadian truckers and those around the world to know that we are with them all the way.  We want the Freedom Convoy to come to America.”                                                  –     Donald J. Trump, February 2022

Take note: Trump used the term “Freedom Convoy.”  Not once did he call it “The People’s Convoy.”  He called for unity under a banner that had already inspired global solidarity.

The moment was wide open.  The people were ready.  And the movement could have continued – until it was redirected.

Hijacked in the U.S. – Enter The People’s Convoy
Shortly after Trump’s remarks, a group of U.S.-based organizers launched a convoy from California.  But instead of continuing under the Freedom Convoy name, they branded it something else: The People’s Convoy.

At the same time, a man named Brian Hinsen (known as “Von D” from Conway, Arkansas), who had ties to the original Canadian effort, was already organizing a Freedom Convoy USA. His team had a name, a plan, and early support.  But when Mike Landis and others got involved, everything changed.

Social media arguments erupted.  The Freedom Convoy name was dropped. And a new leadership circle stepped in, bringing with them a new name, new narrative, and a tighter grip on control.

What started as a grassroots movement transformed into a branded, livestreamed, and carefully managed spectacle.  And it didn’t take long before cracks began to show.

What Went Wrong at Hagerstown
The People’s Convoy made it across the country and arrived at Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland – and then it stopped.  What began as a rolling protest turned into a stationary camp.

As time passed, the issues grew louder:

Money and donation transparency became a major concern.

Organizers clashed over direction, control, and leadership.

Brian Brase, one of the lead spokesmen, resigned in May 2022, citing internal mismanagement and loss of purpose.

Some participants were pushed out or publicly criticized for asking hard questions.

Social media influencers dominated the messaging while many working-class drivers quietly left, disappointed.

What could have been a defining moment for liberty in America became a fragmented, ego-driven operation with no clear results.

A Pattern That Keeps Repeating
If this all sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before.

Back in 2020, during the Mayday protests in Washington, D.C., a grassroots movement led by Rick Santiago gained momentum – only to be overtaken by some of the same familiar faces.  The name changed.  The leadership changed.  The message changed.  And the movement fizzled out.

This is the cycle:

      • A legitimate grassroots uprising begins.
      • A small circle of figures steps in and seizes control.
      • Donations surge. Messaging becomes vague. Infighting begins.
      • The movement collapses – and the people who gave their time, energy, and money are left betrayed.

We’ve seen it.  Again and again.

Final Thought: What We Lost
When Donald Trump called for a Freedom Convoy, he was urging Americans to join a worldwide movement for liberty.  What we got instead was a rebranded operation that turned inward, lost its momentum, and failed to deliver any lasting change.

This isn’t about attacking individuals. It’s about recognizing a repeated pattern.  And when the same people keep showing up at the center of failed movements, we have to ask the hard questions:

                   Who’s really behind the curtain?
                   Are political players or donor networks pulling the strings?
                   Are working-class movements being hijacked on purpose?

Side Note: [USTA – Leadership and inner circle seem to end up in lead roles and inner circles.]  We’ve seen the same people support and go from CDL-Drivers Unlimited to now American Truckers United.  The silent few that always seem to participate in failing movements.

A Warning and a Question
There’s possibly another movement rising.  You can feel it.  American truckers are seeing through the smoke screen and are ready to take a stand.  But the question is: Will we let it be hijacked again?

Because if we do, we already know how it ends:

     • Same inner circle.
  • Same excuses.
  • Same disappointment.

If we want truth, we have to protect it.  If we want freedom, we have to define it.  If we want a movement that actually lasts, we have to guard the message – from grifters, from influencers, from opportunists, and from false leaders.

This is no longer just a political issue.  It’s a spiritual battle.  And time is running out.

Just A Driver’s Perspective
The People’s Convoy is still an unfinished story.  No clear accounting for donations.  No real answers about who made the decisions.  No justice for those who participated in good faith.

Until the full truth is revealed, I’ll call it like I saw it:

Another hijacking – by talking heads, self-appointed advocates, and opportunists looking for attention and a payday.

Author’s Note:
Ask yourself – where were the working-class show trucks?  Where were the associations?  Where were the trucking country singers?  Senator Ted Cruz made an appearance in Maryland, but that was obviously – looking back – a political stunt.

I talked to a journalist from the LA Times.  I’ve talked to people who were in the convoy from beginning to end.  I watched the entire thing.  I was personally involved in Mayday.  I spoke to Rick Santiago and Sean McIntosh while it was happening – actually before one truck parked in DC for Mayday – I was on those calls.  I have messages from the People’s Convoy.  Yes, I have receipts.
I know more than I write – and that’s why I keep writing.  Because I know the players.  I’ve seen the pattern.  And I’m going to keep exposing it.

In my personal opinion, the same people who hijacked Mayday hijacked the Freedom Convoy or allowed it to be hijacked.  And yes – it should have been the American USA-Freedom Convoy, not the People’s Convoy.  We had a chance to stand with the world – and instead, we stood in a parking lot.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

References

  1. “Canada Convoy Protest.” Wikipedia
  2. “Ottawa Trucker Convoy Galvanizes Far-Right Worldwide.” Politico, Feb. 2022
  3. “DC Convoy Leader Brian Brase Resigns.” Washington Post, March 18, 2022
  4. “The So-Called Freedom Convoy Was Never About Truckers.”  Truck News
  5. “US Convoy Inspired by Canada Launches from California.”  The Guardian, Feb. 2022
  6. “Freedom Convoy: What to Know.” Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)
  7. “Convoy Movement Isn’t a Struggle Over Freedom.” Truthout, 2022
  8.  Additional reports from Reuters, Business Insider, and FreightWaves

ATA’S DEFINITION OF SAFETY

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

ATA’S DEFINITION OF SAFETY
[CHEAP LABOR]

Today’s Safety Features Aren’t About Safety:
They’re About Replacing Skilled Drivers With Cheap Labor

Let’s stop pretending these so-called “safety” features on modern semi-trucks are really about protecting the public. They’re not.

They’re about replacing skilled drivers with less-trained, cheaper, more compliant labor – and eventually, replacing drivers altogether.

From lane departure systems to automatic emergency braking, radar cruise control to collision mitigation sensors, side radar, inward-facing cameras, orange seatbelts, and bright yellow grab handles – none of this was added to support experienced drivers. These tools were never for the men and women who know how to drive. They were rolled out the moment mega carriers started slashing their training budgets.

These systems aren’t there to make the job safer – they’re there to make the driver less necessary.

The Real Goal: Deskilling the Job
Every year, new trucks are built with more sensors, cameras, and automation systems. But what’s really happening is a quiet transformation – from trained professionals behind the wheel to tech-reliant, entry-level bodies with just enough instruction to get by.

That’s not a coincidence.

These systems are meant to:
• Replace training with technology
• Justify hiring low-skill, low-wage labor
• Shift liability from the carrier to a digital scapegoat
• Control every move the driver makes

Train them less.
Pay them less.
Monitor them more.
Replace them sooner.

The closer they get to making the truck “foolproof,” the closer they are to removing the fool altogether. And make no mistake – they’re not talking about AI. They’re talking about us.

Who’s Behind It? The Mega Carriers – and Their Manufacturers
Let’s name names.

The carriers who first embraced this tech didn’t do it because they care about public safety. They did it to compensate for the fact that they were no longer investing in actual training. When companies like C.R. England, Werner, Prime Inc., CRST, Stevens Transport, U.S. Xpress, and Knight-Swift started putting new drivers behind the wheel with barely a few weeks of instruction, they needed a way to protect their liability and keep their contracts.

So they turned to automation.

They didn’t just cut corners – they created entire training models that fast-tracked CDL holders into trucks without the supervision of seasoned drivers. The so-called “first seat/second seat” model became the new standard – meaning a driver with six months of experience was now training someone with zero real-world driving time.

In some cases, it was less than that.

This wasn’t mentorship. It was peer babysitting. It was a survival tactic – not a training program. And while that was happening, these carriers were lobbying for federal funding, exemptions, and fast-track visa approvals to bring in more labor with fewer questions asked.

Meanwhile, manufacturers like Freightliner, Volvo, and International were more than happy to outfit their trucks with whatever systems would help carriers keep payroll cheap and control tight – lane sensors, following distance alerts, fatigue monitors, and auto-brake systems that treat professional drivers like toddlers with tantrums.

It wasn’t about helping the driver. It was about managing the risk while hiring people who barely understood the job.

CDL Schools Aren’t the Problem – The Carriers Are
Let’s clear something up. CDL schools are not to blame for the lack of training. Their job is to prepare students to pass the test and legally obtain a commercial driver’s license. That’s it.

Real training – the kind that teaches you how to survive on the road, how to handle freight, how to make decisions under pressure – that’s the job of the carrier.

So when mega carriers run their own CDL schools, get drivers licensed, and then immediately put them into a truck with another rookie driver, that’s not a school failure. That’s corporate exploitation.

And they’re using automation to mask that failure.

They’re not investing in skilled mentorship. They’re investing in lane-assist tech and collision warning sensors – because they’d rather have a driver who’s dependent on hardware than one who knows what to do in the moment.

Brokers and Visa Drivers: The Next Phase
This problem doesn’t stop with the big carriers. Just look at today’s lease-purchase programs, broker networks, and platforms like Landstar. Many of the trucks showing up under their banner are now operated by non-domiciled visa drivers, funneled in through legal loopholes, third-party logistics networks, or questionable CDL mills.

These trucks are also outfitted with the same automation systems. The same electronic leash. The same carrier-issued control.

And it’s not a coincidence.

Visa labor is cheaper. Easier to control. Easier to replace. And when you pair it with automation, you’ve got the ultimate corporate dream: low-cost drivers in high-tech trucks who never ask questions and never push back.

This isn’t an upgrade. It’s an engineered collapse of the skilled American trucking workforce – replaced by tech-dependent labor that works for less and disappears on demand.

The Industry Doesn’t Want Skilled Labor – It Wants Control
Here’s what you need to understand:

Skilled drivers solve problems. They think critically. They make calls that save freight, protect lives, and keep this economy moving.

But that kind of independence doesn’t serve the corporate machine.

What they want is control. What they want is submission. And if they can’t get that from experienced professionals, they’ll build a new workforce that does whatever the computer tells them – until the day they can unplug the human altogether.

That’s not safety. That’s surveillance. And it’s not for our benefit – it’s for our elimination.

Bottom Line
This industry is being automated, corporatized, and quietly overhauled – not for the public good, but for corporate gain.

If you think this is about reducing crashes, look around. If you think it’s about saving lives, ask why experienced drivers are being pushed out while carriers promote teen CDL pilots and 90-day trainees. If you think it’s about making trucking easier, ask why more and more truckers are being replaced with app-controlled labor from overseas.

This isn’t progress. This is a betrayal.

The ATA calls it safety. But drivers know the truth:
The safety systems aren’t for us.
They’re for our replacements.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

IT WAS NEVER ABOUT SAFETY!

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

IT WAS NEVER ABOUT SAFETY!

If ELDs Are So Safe, Why Do Livestock Haulers Need an Exemption?
This week, Truck Driver News reported that Congress is once again pushing to exempt a specific group of drivers from federal Hours of Service (HOS) and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations – this time under the newly introduced HELP Act (Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection Act), spearheaded by Rep. William Hurd of Colorado.

If passed, the bill would permanently exclude livestock haulers – including those transporting insects and aquatic species – from ELD and HOS mandates.  The justification?  That stopping for federally mandated rest breaks can put animals at risk.  The bill is intended to give livestock haulers more flexibility, improve trip planning, and prevent harm to animals during transport.

Let me be clear up front: I am not against livestock haulers.  In fact, I respect them deeply. They’re some of the hardest-working, most dedicated drivers in the business, and they serve a critical role in feeding the nation. This isn’t about them. It’s about the broader system – and the hypocrisy that runs right through the middle of it.

Because if ELDs are truly the gold standard for highway safety – as we’ve been told for years –  then why are so many groups getting exempted?  Are livestock haulers biologically different from other drivers?  Do their sleep cycles not require rest like everyone else?  Or is it time we admit the truth: that the ELD mandate was never really about safety in the first place.

The Lie Exposed by Its Own Exceptions
The HELP Act isn’t the first exemption, and it won’t be the last.  Over the past several years, Congress and the FMCSA have handed out exceptions like candy.  Agricultural haulers have long enjoyed seasonal breaks from HOS.  Oilfield and utility drivers operate under separate rules. Short-haul carriers benefit from the 150-air-mile exemption.  And tech-driven mega-carriers manipulate split-sleeper provisions while dispatchers monitor and direct drivers in real-time, often pushing the limits of legal operation.

Meanwhile, your average long-haul freight driver is expected to obey a rigid digital stopwatch that doesn’t account for parking shortages, inclement weather, shipper delays, or real-world fatigue.  We’re told to shut down when the screen says so – even when we’re wide awake.  And we’re forced to keep driving when the clock says go – even when we’re exhausted.

But now, Congress is acknowledging what most drivers already know: that the ELD mandate and one-size-fits-all HOS rules don’t work in the real world.

Does the Exemption Make the Roads Safer?
Let’s look at the core question: Does this exemption make the public safer?  Does it make drivers more alert?

No, it doesn’t.

Removing ELD and HOS enforcement doesn’t suddenly give livestock haulers superhuman stamina. These men and women still need rest like everyone else.  Exempting them from rest tracking doesn’t reduce fatigue; it simply removes accountability. In fact, it increases the risk of drivers pushing past safe limits in order to meet schedules – not because they want to, but because the job demands it.

Without ELDs, there’s no verifiable record of how much rest a driver is actually getting.  That doesn’t make the road safer – it makes it more dangerous, especially on rural routes with limited resources and slower emergency response times.

If the science behind ELDs and HOS rules is solid – if fatigue management is truly the foundation of safe driving – then no group should be exempt.  Not livestock haulers.  Not ag haulers.  Not oilfield drivers.  Not anyone.  You can’t claim safety is the goal and then allow carve-outs for politically connected industries.  That’s not safety. That’s selective enforcement.

Livestock First, Drivers Last
The exemption is being sold under the banner of animal welfare.  And yes, animals do suffer when forced to sit still in hot trailers.  But where is this same concern when drivers are sitting for hours at a shipper’s dock, burning through their clock?  Where is the urgency when freight drivers are forced to sleep during daylight and drive at night because their ELD said so?

If rigid rules don’t work for livestock haulers, they don’t work for freight haulers either.  If Congress believes some drivers need flexibility for the sake of safety, then that logic must apply across the board.  Otherwise, what we have is a system that values cattle over the lives of professional drivers and the motoring public.

This Was Never About Safety – It Was Always About Control
The ELD mandate was sold to the public as a tool to reduce fatigue and prevent accidents.  But in reality, it became a mechanism of control – used by mega-carriers to monitor drivers minute-by-minute, and by enforcement agencies to penalize drivers for things often outside their control.  It turned a job of judgment, skill, and time management into a numbers game dictated by software.

Now, with the HELP Act, Congress is quietly admitting that the system doesn’t work – at least not for everyone.  But instead of reforming it, they’re just cutting out another exception for those who have enough lobbying power to get attention.

What about the rest of us?  What about the independent freight hauler with 25 years behind the wheel and a spotless safety record?  What about the lease-op running 700 miles a day to make ends meet while dodging traffic, weather, and logbook limits?

We get no exemption.  Just more compliance.

Fix the System – Don’t Patch It for a Few
If this bill is serious about safety, then it should serve as a wake-up call – not just for livestock haulers, but for the entire industry.  We need HOS and fatigue rules that reflect the real world. We need a system that values human judgment over automation.  We need policies that trust professionals instead of treating us all like robots.

You don’t make highways safer by creating loopholes.  You do it by writing rules that respect the complexity of the job – and the human beings doing it.

So no, I’m not against livestock haulers.  I stand with them.  I just want to know why their safety matters more than mine.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

Reference:
Truck Driver News. HELP Act Would Remove Federal HOS Rules for Livestock Haulers. Published July 28, 2025. Retrieved from Truck Driver News social media post.

THE REAL PROBLEM: Corporations That Exploit the System

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

THE REAL PROBLEM
Corporations That Exploit the System

Enforcing English Isn’t Enough – It’s Time to Hold the Companies Accountable

When Secretary Sean Duffy took to social media this week to announce that the U.S. Department of Transportation is now enforcing the English proficiency requirement for truck drivers, many of us in the industry had the same initial reaction: It’s about time.

“If you can’t read our road signs, you shouldn’t be driving freight,” Duffy posted.

Simple. Clear. True. And yet – incomplete.

Because while it’s refreshing to see someone in Washington finally acknowledge the obvious dangers of putting non-English-speaking drivers behind 80,000-pound vehicles, that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The real question came from the reply section, where one user nailed the heart of the issue:

“When are we going after the companies that hire these drivers?”

The Real Problem Isn’t Just the Drivers – It’s the Corporations That Exploit the System

Let’s get something straight: no one wakes up in Guatemala, India, or Ukraine and just walks into a trucking job in America. They are brought here – often recruited, sponsored, and fast-tracked by megacarriers, staffing agencies, and labor brokers that care more about cheap labor than public safety.

And for years, those same companies have operated in a gray zone – taking full advantage of visa programs, relaxed oversight, and political silence – to flood our roads with underqualified, undertrained, and often barely English-literate drivers. Why? Because it cuts costs. Because it reduces liability. Because they know the government hasn’t had the will to enforce the rules – until now.

But if we’re going to have an honest conversation, we need to go deeper. This isn’t just a DOT issue. The rot starts long before FMCSA ever sees these drivers.

It Starts at the Department of Labor

Here’s how the scam works:       

  1. Carriers – or the staffing firms they hide behind – file labor petitions with the U.S.  Department of Labor (DOL), claiming they “can’t find enough American drivers.” These petitions are often exaggerated or outright false.
  2. Once the Labor Department approves the claim, it moves to Homeland Security and USCIS, where the work visa (often H-2B or similar) is granted.
  3. Then – and only then – does the Department of Transportation get involved. DOT and FMCSA are tasked with verifying that the driver has a valid CDL, a medical card, and meets the English proficiency standard.


That’s it. DOT doesn’t screen the labor petition. It doesn’t verify whether the labor shortage was real. By the time FMCSA steps in, the driver is already behind the wheel.

So let’s be honest – this is a labor issue first, an immigration issue second, and only then does it become a transportation issue.

The fraud – the false claims, the visa abuse, the backdoor hiring schemes – all begin at the Department of Labor. But it’s DOT that gets stuck holding the bag when these drivers can’t read a road sign, can’t follow basic safety commands, or cause a catastrophic crash.

The “English Requirement” Has Been Ignored for Years

FMCSA regulations (49 CFR §391.11) have long required drivers to be able to “read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals….and to make entries on reports and records. That’s not new.

What’s new is that we finally have a DOT Secretary willing to say the quiet part out loud – that English proficiency is about safety, not xenophobia, and that failing to enforce it puts everyone at risk on American highways.

But let’s not pretend this just became a problem.  It’s been deliberately overlooked by both Republican and Democrat administrations. Why? Because the real culprits – the megacarriers and politically connected logistics firms – also line the pockets of politicians and bankroll the lobbying arms that shape transportation policy.

What Accountability Really Looks Like

If Secretary Duffy and the DOT are serious about safety, then enforcement must go beyond individual drivers and reach the hiring chains, recruiters, and contract firms responsible. That includes:

  • Auditing carriers that consistently employ non-English-speaking or unqualified drivers
  • Fining or suspending operating authority for repeat offenders
  • Revoking CDLs issued through corrupt or fast-tracked testing sites
  • Targeting staffing agencies that specialize in visa-based driver pipelines
  • Reforming the visa system so it prioritizes safety and qualifications – not labor exploitation

You don’t solve the root of a problem by pruning leaves – you pull out the entire rotten root.  And in this case, that root is corporate greed, backed by political protection and enabled by federal labor loopholes.

A Turning Point – Or Another PR Move?

The video Duffy posted shows a yellow truck weaving through traffic, paired with the caption “a lot of behavior change right now.” Let’s hope that’s not just spin. Let’s hope this marks the beginning of real, structural change in an industry where too many have looked the other way for too long.

We don’t need more photo ops. We need prosecutions.
We don’t need more tweets. We need teeth in the law.
And we certainly don’t need to keep sacrificing safe, qualified American drivers in order to appease the profit margins of billion-dollar freight companies.

America First means protecting America’s highways, America’s labor force, and America’s public safety– not just checking a box at the border.

The Bottom Line

If a driver can’t read a road sign, they shouldn’t be behind the wheel. But if a company lies to the government to get that driver here in the first place – they shouldn’t be in business.

So here’s the challenge, Secretary Duffy:

Don’t stop at English enforcement.
Start holding the companies – and the labor fraud – accountable.

Only then will we see the “behavior change” this industry – and this country – truly needs.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

The Illusion of Independence: How Port Carriers Are Skirting Labor Law by Converting to Brokerages

Posted on by admin@adriverspers

The Illusion of Independence: How Port Carriers Are Skirting Labor Law by Converting to Brokerages

At first glance, the flyer stapled to the utility pole outside Port Newark’s Elizabeth Marine Terminal looks like just another freight opportunity.  It reads:

“LMCs Wanted – Power Only.  Have your own authority?  Have your own tractor? Give us a call. We have the work.”

The company behind the ad, Marine Container Services, isn’t just advertising for trucks – they’re advertising for Licensed Motor Carriers only.  That distinction isn’t random.  It’s part of a growing trend in New Jersey and across the country where drayage companies are converting themselves into brokerages to stay compliant with new labor classification laws – most notably the ABC test.

But beneath this restructuring is a familiar game: preserve corporate power, shift liability onto the driver, and keep all the leverage – all while claiming it’s in the name of “independence.”

Let’s break this down.

What Is the ABC Test – and Why Are Carriers Reacting?

New Jersey has adopted the ABC test to determine whether a worker is truly an independent contractor or should be classified as an employee.  Under this standard, a worker is considered an employee unless:

A) They are free from control or direction over their work,

B) The work is performed outside the usual course of the business, and

C) The worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade or business.

That “B” prong is critical – because if the worker’s job is the core business of the company (say, hauling freight for a motor carrier), then that worker doesn’t pass the test.  And that means the company may be liable for taxes, benefits, workers comp, unemployment insurance, and more.

Rather than absorb those costs or bring drivers on as employees, some companies – especially in drayage and port operations – are choosing to restructure themselves as freight brokers.

Instead of contracting with owner-operators directly, they now say: “We only contract with motor carriers.”  In theory, this places the driver outside the ABC test – because they’re no longer performing core work for a motor carrier.  They’re a separate company doing work for a broker.

But the reality is far more complicated.

The Tethered Independence Model: SCACs, Sealink Cards, and Chassis Control

Drivers who sign on with these “broker-converted” operations quickly find out they’re still functionally dependent:

  1. SCAC codes: Port terminals still require a Standard Carrier Alpha Code to process freight.  Often, the driver is forced to operate under the broker’s SCAC – not their own.
  2. Sealink cards: Access to marine terminals is restricted.  Drivers may need to be pre-approved or operate under the broker’s umbrella.
  3. Chassis rentals: Many brokers still control the chassis used for containers, renting them back to the drivers – often with restrictions or fees.

So even though you’re technically a Licensed Motor Carrier (LMC) under your own authority, you’re still reliant on the broker’s infrastructure to move freight.  You don’t set your own rates.  You don’t access your own customers.  You’re still waiting on dispatch. You’re still controlled.

This is not independence.  It’s rebranded servitude.

What This Means for the Industry — and for Labor Enforcement

What we’re witnessing is a legal shell game:

  1. The corporation avoids liability by shifting the relationship from employer-contractor to broker-carrier.
  2. The state loses enforcement power, as the worker is no longer directly tied to the entity assigning the work.
  3. The driver takes on all costs – insurance, maintenance, taxes, compliance –  with little to no increase in control or freedom.

This model is spreading – not just in New Jersey but across every state where the ABC test, AB5, or labor crackdowns are gaining traction.

But make no mistake: while companies are adapting to new legal frameworks, the power dynamic remains unchanged.  And the ones bearing the brunt are the very drivers the laws were supposed to protect.

Why This Matters for American Labor

This story isn’t just about ports or drayage or SCAC codes.

It’s about the erosion of real independence under the illusion of freedom.  It’s about how companies manipulate labor laws to their advantage while workers continue to absorb all the risk with none of the protection.

It’s also about how state and federal agencies fail to keep up – choosing to enforce paperwork definitions rather than functional realities.

And in the bigger picture, this is a preview of what’s to come with automation, robotics, and AI-driven logistics.  When workers become disposable and legal accountability disappears behind layers of corporate structure, everyone loses – not just drivers, but families, communities, and the middle class itself.

Final Thought: Who’s Really Independent?

You can’t call a driver “independent” when:

  1. They don’t control the rate,
  2. Don’t control the customer,
  3. Don’t control the equipment,
  4. And can’t access the terminal without your card.

That’s not independence.  That’s dependency with paperwork.

As port carriers rebrand themselves into brokers and claim compliance, let’s not lose sight of the bigger question:

Who really owns the freight lanes – and who’s paying the price for their freedom?

Until regulators wake up and drivers stand together, this bait-and-switch model will continue to flourish – one chassis rental and SCAC code at a time.