Say What?

Question: If you could change one thing about this industry, what would it be?

Steve Weyers, 40, Oshkosh, WI

Professional driving experience: 10 years

“The pay rates. They’re just not high enough, especially when you include the detention time that you have. You’re just not compensated for all the time you spend on the job. That needs to change. I’d also allow different hours of service to allow for different sleeping patterns.”

Doug Vanatta, 55, Findlay, OH

Professional driving experience: 33 years

“I’d change the way they’re training the new drivers. Most of them aren’t ready to drive when they get out of school, yet these companies are putting them right on the road with a trainer. The problem is, the trainer climbs into the bunk and goes to sleep while the student is driving. That’s not right. When the truck is moving, the trainee should be in the driver’s seat and the trainer should be in the other seat.”

Bob Burky, 42, Shelby, IA

Professional driving experience: 22 years

“I would like to see the government step in and give us a little help with fuel costs and other costs that we can’t control. It’s going to be real hard for some owner-operators and small fleet owners to even stay in this industry if someone doesn’t do something about fuel prices, and the government is the only one that can.”

John Stuart, 53, Peru, IN

Professional driving experience: 16 years

“If there’s any one thing I could change about this business it would be that the speed limits are enforced. That’s my biggest pet peeve out on the highway. I’m talking about local law enforcement, state law enforcement and people in general. For law enforcement, the speed limit is just a means to gather money at the first and last of the month. I would like to see the speed limit enforced all the time on everyone, including police officers, because to me they are some of the worst offenders.”