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theseldomscene · Banned Joined: 17 Mar 2005 Posts: 7817

http://portal.tds.net/news.php?story=23171

P1234567890 · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject:

I wonder what will get more cars off the road, a gas tax or tolls?
_________________
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction."
-Blaise Pascal
"...with or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil -that takes religion..."
-Steven Weinberg
"I would bless my children with your destruction instead."
-Someone who shall remain anonymous.

lone-traveler · Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2007 9:10 pm Post subject:

you trying to cheer me up tss?

It's not only in CA. it's happening in a lot of places.
We're going to have to turn in the truck if this keeps up.
We already pay fuel taxes at the pump and quarterly's.
About $400 a year. That's not including the fuel.
If the tolls actually paid for repairs of the roads, well then I might not complain..
But have you ever gone northbound over the George Washington Bridge in NY in an 18 wheeler?
Talk about shake rattle and roll..man..
All of the northeast is terrible. I tell Mark, we should get some of these people that recieve the tolls and put them in a truck and let them go boppin down the road. I worry about the front end. It takes a beating, not to mention your kidneys. Sometimes the roads are so bad the load is at risk..that's not good.

anywhooo..
Like I say, IF they used the money to keep up the roads then I wouldn't squack at all. But most times it goes to lining other projects pockets, and the roads get neglected bad.
Last time we went nb on the gwbridge it cost $4. for cars and $35. for trucks. And cars don't have to pay a road toll tax on top of their fuel tax. We stay out of the northeast as much as possible...
Now who does that hurt the most in the end?
the consumer.
If we have to pay tolls then the cost of the load has to go up to compensate. If the revenue goes up, the products go up, and the people that buy the commodoties get charged more to compensate for the shipping charges.
It's a vicious cycle...

There's a lot of truck drivers hurting right now with the cost of fuel, freight is slow, weathers bad. Lot's of them go out of business..the little guys like us.
That means less trucks to move the commodoties, all goes back to supply and demand.
And then you have these wonderful hours of service rules that apply. You can't sleep when your tired without taking out of your drive time. Less drive time means longer delays getting to the P/U and REC. So you can drive for 11 consecutive hours straight and sleep for 10. The other 3 hours is for loading and unloading, eating, repairs, traffic jams,bookkeeping.
Get real..we sit sometimes to get L-UL for up to 5-6 hours or more alone.
And if your tired..too bad. have to get to the destination on time. If not who starts crying? The consumer because the items they want aren't available when they want them...NOW..

more road tolls... Rolling Eyes

It's getting tough out there..for sure.

sorry I went on a tirade..it's tax time.
Mark is in Indiana. Having some rough weather up there and I'm just...well you know me...worry wort.. Rolling Eyes

P1234567890 · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:20 am Post subject:

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

The sad part is that our state legislature doesn't look at the whole problem and the whole solution.

To solve a multitude of problems they have to implement a multitude of corrections:

1) start reorganzing their budget to eliminate certain spending and redirecting the funds to transportation (I think they should cut thier salaries first and divert those funds)

2) improve mass transit to make it workable and affordable

3) gas tax the regular gas and leave the truckers alone

4) actually start making roadway improvements before the roads are so bad they have to be completely redone.

5) make the developers actually pay the infrastructure fees they are supposed to when planning huge development projects.

That would be a start. Heck I would right public transit if I could get to my work from home and get their timely.

BTW:

Ana · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:02 am Post subject:

lone-traveler · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:

Both I-80/90 and I-76 coming from MA and NJ going into Indiana is all toll road. There are no truckstops on the toll roads, there are service areas. These service areas do not provide enough parking spaces for trucks to stop and have their 10 hour breaks. Some of them only allow you to park for 2 hours. And there is no idling which when it's very hot out or very cold out can cause one to get very sick and even die. So we have to put generators on the trucks so we don't melt and freeze. And then they say the generators make too much noise.. Rolling Eyes

But these service areas don't provide any where to sleep other than in the truck. If you want to stay at a motel you have to exit the toll road and pay more money to get back on. The cost of diesel fuel costs more on toll roads as well as the things you purchase in the service plaza.
They know they got you by the ..hmm..so that's how they make their extra money. The roads are kept up fairly well, but they are always under construction. And most of the time they are repairing the same stretch of highway they worked on the previous year...can't figure that one out.. Confused or disgusted

And they're talking about making I-75 into a toll road. there's lots of them.
And then you have a choice of Mcdonalds, BK, all fastfood restaurants which are greasy and fatnening and put a lot of stress on the drivers. It's not like we can get out and go for a 30 minute jog on the highway. So we put a refrigerator in the truck and a microwave...but you have to run the truck or have a generator or an inverter to run them. So now your back at idling. which burns fuel which costs money...which make noise which creates fines if you run them.

And they say the tolls are to pay for the roads that their building, but long after they have been paid for they are still in effect. Who's going to shut down a cash cow?

So we take the back roads and the side roads as often as we can. We sleep in truckstops on off ramps and on ramps and rest areas, but still parking is limited.
I love being with Mark but I don't like being on the road. He gets frustrated because for every dollar you make someones trying to take two out of your wallet.

It's not easy being a truckdriver...that's for sure.
and I tell you, the money isn't that good for all the crap you have to go through to make it.
And there is no mercy out there. Every one always trying to cut you off. slam their breaks right in front of you..they don't realize 80,000 pounds is a lot of weight to try to stop on a dime. It just doesn't happen.
Everyone should have to learn how to drive a truck, then they might understand how to behave around them.
Get out from under my tires..get out there where I can see you, don't ride beside me pass on by, if I have to come over and I don't see you that could be a problem. Don't hang behind my bumper I may have to stop quick or something may fall off and break your windshield or get under your tires, or I may get a flat tire and it could blow up in your face...I don't want to be responsible for your death, so please please..give me some room to maneuver.

thankyou
I'm on the soapbox today.. Rolling Eyes

_________________
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

Ana · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:17 pm Post subject:

lone-traveler · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject:

President’s Budget Recommends $1.4 Billion for Major Transit Projects

www.dot.gov/affairs/fta0107.htm

President Bush today recommended to Congress $1.4 billion in funding for major transit projects that are aimed at increasing mobility and easing congestion in urban areas such as New York and Seattle, as well as smaller metropolitan areas like Springfield, Ore., and Kansas City, Mo., U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said.

The New Starts Annual Report includes $864 million in annual funding for projects to which the federal government has already made long-term funding commitments, known as Full Funding Grant Agreements (FFGAs). Another $330 million will be available to fund four projects recommended for an FFGA. Finally, six projects will compete for $72 million based on their progress within the New Starts program and four smaller projects will receive a total of $52 million.

“We believe the projects recommended in this report provide American citizens the greatest possible return on the investment of their tax dollars,” said FTA Administrator James Simpson.

I could think of better things to do with 1.4 billion dollars.
_________________
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

45degreeN · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:17 am Post subject:

Lone I agree with this sentiment:

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

Ana · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:08 am Post subject:

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA