What is your Time Worth Per Hour? by Ellen Voie

If you’re a driver, you get paid by the mile or by the load, but not usually by the hour.  Have you calculated your value in terms of time?

If you are a volunteer, your time is worth more than you think.  Many of you offer your services, your passion, and your time to organizations with missions you support.  Sometimes it takes a tragedy for someone to recognize a need to support a charity’s efforts.

If you or a family member suffer from a disease or handicap, you have probably given money to help address the affliction.  If your goal is to support environmental efforts, you might assist groups that protect trees, parks, rainforests and other natural settings.  Maybe you love animals and want to support groups that adopt or protect various species.

The trucking industry has charities that target professional drivers.  TransAlive helps drivers who need a ride when they are physically unable to get home.

The St. Christopher Fund assists drivers and their families who experience hardships due to medical needs.  Trucker Charity is another nonprofit that helps drivers in need due to an emergency.  Transport for Christ and Truckstop Ministries both serve the spiritual needs of professional drivers.

There are literary and educational foundations that provide funds for scholarships and those that focus on specific trades or industries.  Many trade organizations such as Women In Trucking and Truckload Carriers Association have foundations to support their members. You can’t open a trucking magazine or attend a truck show without seeing a message from a nonprofit organization.

Sure, it’s easy to write a check and feel good about your contribution, but if you really want to support a cause, you’ll donate your time.

Time is something we all share equally, twenty-four hours in a day, 365 days in a year.  You can’t ask for more hours or minutes or days; you get what everyone else gets.  The question is how you’re going to spend it.

Professional drivers are some of the most generous folks around. Look at all the charities you can support that are specific to your industry.  Be a Trucker Buddy and send a postcard each week to an elementary class.  Join Convoy for a Cure and help fight breast cancer for all women or support the Special Olympics through the Truck Convoy.  Contact Truckers Against Trafficking if you see illicit activity at a truck stop.  You can make a difference with your time.

According to the Independent Sector website, the estimated dollar value of a volunteer’s time is $21.36 per hour.  Think about that number when you’re tempted to write a check or throw a dollar into a donation jar.   Sure, your funds are needed but so is your time.

Last year volunteers gave over eight billion hours in time, which amounts to nearly $173 billion of value.  If you think you don’t have enough hours in a day to give to a charity, please reconsider.

If you need more encouragement, think about the personal benefits you can achieve.  According to Volunteering in America’s website, volunteering can make you healthier!   Research has shown that volunteers who give more than one to two hours per week live longer and enjoy greater mobility and health.

If you watch any television at all, you might want to give up some of your time in front of the boob tube to volunteer.  People who never volunteer are found to spend, on average, 436 more hours of time watching television than their neighbors who volunteer their time.  You could put some of that time to good use and help your favorite charitable organization.

Over 26 percent of Americans offer their time as volunteers each year.  The top state for volunteering is Utah, and the top metropolitan area is Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota.  If you live in New York, you are less likely to be a volunteer and so are your neighbors, as only twenty percent of New Yorkers give their time to charitable efforts.

The next time you hear or see an ad for a nonprofit organization, think about how you can support them with your gift of time.  Reach out to them and ask them how you can benefit their efforts as you travel while working.  You can find the time if you truly desire to do so.  Remember, you have the same amount of time as your neighbor, and you can use it to benefit a cause, or you can continue to sit in front of the television.

What’s the value of your time?

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

I'm just a EX-truck driver, trying to pass along a little information. I been in the Trucking Industry as a driver for over 15 years. I have driven both as an owner operator and as a company driver. I have also been a driver instructor for an accredited truck driving school in KY. I am no longer a truck driver, but I consider myself to be a watchdog for the trucking industry. In fact this site is the #1 site for getting the real news about trucking. We don't hold back here, you will hear the full story. Twitter | Contact Me |Truck Drivers News Facebook

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Lessons from a Frog by Ellen Voie

Recently I read a book called, “Before You Leap,” by Kermit The Frog. You are probably familiar with Mr. Frog, who bills himself as an “international television and motion picture star, a humanitarian, an amphibitarian and an educator.” He’s better known as the star of “The Muppet Show,” on Sesame Street.

The book’s title, “Before You Leap,” gives the reader insight into the content, but the subtitle describes it perfectly, “A Frog’s-Eye View of Life’s Greatest Lessons.” Throughout the book Kermit gives advice on everything from making your dreams come true to dealing with difficult people and challenging situations along the way.

The author begins by relating the story of his birth and how he left his 2,353 tadpole siblings after he grew his legs and left the swamp to pursue a career. Throughout the book Kermit gives the reader advice on meeting life’s challenges.

“Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go, life is how we get there.”

“Every journey begins with a single hop.”

“Success is believing in yourself, and then convincing everyone else you’re right.”

One of the most intriguing chapters is titled, “How to win friends and meet influential people.” Kermit discusses the power of friendships. Much of his insight extends beyond the animal kingdom and can be applied to humans, especially those of us in the trucking industry.

First, be happy with who you are. If you’re not happy with yourself, you won’t make a good teammate, friend or spouse. If you’re not pursuing your dreams and realizing what is important in life, you won’t be happy. If you can’t look in the mirror and smile at your reflection, start by making changes with yourself.

“Begin every interaction in a friendly manner.” Maybe you were treated badly by the desk clerk or inspector, but don’t lower yourself to their level. Smile, be approachable and be kind. People will react differently and your world will be much happier; just try it for a day or week or month and see what happens.

“Be genuinely interested in others,” and “let the other person do most of the talking.” You’ve heard the phrase, God gave you two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion. After spending the day in the cab alone, most drivers love to talk. If you listen to their conversations, you’ll understand what troubles they are facing and what makes them happy. Just listen and nod and smile and see what happens.

Watch someone’s face when you are telling him or her a story and see if they are really listening to you, or if they are merely waiting for you to finish so they can share their experience. Next time, just let them talk and encourage him or her to continue. If he’s not all that interested in hearing what you have to say, don’t insist on talking and just let him or her dominate the conversation.

Kermit’s next rule to always show respect to others which builds upon the second two suggestions. If you are friendly and show interest in people you meet, you will also be respectful. The people drivers meet while doing their jobs often treat them less than professionally. From the guy in the loading dock to the woman behind the fuel desk, you might not always get the respect you deserve, but don’t let their attitude spoil your day. Turn it around and be respectful to them and they’ll think twice about the way they address you next time.

“Expect the best from others,” is Kermit’s next rule. Don’t assume the scale master is going to do everything possible to find a violation. Be pleasant and just let him or her do the job. Think about how you would approach drivers if you held that position. “Appeal to others’ higher motives.” Know that safety is a priority for both of you and agree to focus on that instead of being confrontational.

Another rule for being happier is to be open to new things. Tired of the same food? Try something you’ve never eaten. What about reading a different kind of book or watching a movie you don’t normally consider. Change your hair or your clothes for a new look. Make new friends, or as Kermit puts it, focus on having a “cross-species” network of friends!

The final rules for making friends include having a sense of humor, being honest, avoiding arguments and admitting your mistakes. Be quick to forgive and finally, “give freely of yourself and your talents.” Help the new driver understand how to fill out logbooks, or share the best places to stop and eat or shower. Be helpful.

Nothing Kermit teaches us is new, but sometimes we need to be reminded how to make friends and in doing so, make the world, swamp, or trucking industry a better place to be.

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

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Who are These People and Why are They Telling Me What To Do? by Ellen Voie

When you enter any industry you will be overwhelmed by numerous acronyms; and the trucking industry is no different. In addition to MPG, EOBR, GOAL and others, your carrier will add to the list of letters that will become significant to your job.

Add to these alphabet mixtures a list of governing bodies that have even more influence over your job, DOT, FMCSA, NHTSA, NTSB and your head will start to hurt trying to remember which group has authority over what parts of your daily duties.

It’s to your benefit to understand each of these organizations so you can be better informed and prepared in knowing what to expect from each one. Some have regulatory authority and some do not. Some make recommendations and some do not. Knowing the parameters of each group and what control (if any) they have over the trucking industry should be important to you.

You are probably the most familiar with the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) led by Secretary Ray LaHood. This is a government entity that was established by an act of Congress in 1966. The DOT is a large organization and oversees eleven administrations, which include the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Regardless of your role in the trucking industry, each of these agencies has some influence in your occupation. You can blame the railroads for the enactment of interstate regulation, as the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 was intended to give the government control over the rail industry. In 1995 the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was terminated and its functions were relegated to the Federal Highway Administration under the US DOT.

The ICC lost much of its effect during the passage of the Motor Carrier Regulatory Reform and Modernization Act of 1980 under President Carter and “deregulated” the trucking industry. One of the roles of the ICC was to issue Motor Carrier numbers to interstate carriers and the department of transportation now assumed this duty; the designation was referred to as DOT numbers.

The other regulatory bodies under the DOT that directly affect the trucking industry include the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) which works with states to ensure the safety of our nation’s highways. Administrator Victor Mendez currently leads this agency. The mission of the FWHA is to “improve mobility on our nation’s highways through national leadership, innovation, and program delivery.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), under the leadership of Administrator Anne Ferro, was established in 1999 to prevent commercial motor vehicle related fatalities and injuries. This agency’s focus is on safety and has the authority to enforce safety regulations, strengthen commercial motor vehicle equipment and operating standards, and to increase safety awareness. Current initiatives include hours of service review, CSA implementation and EOBR implementation.

Another agency under the DOT’s authority is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which appears to have similar goals to FMCSA, but is also concerned with four wheelers and other motor vehicles. NHTSA, under the leadership of David Strickland, focuses on distracted driving, impairment, seat belt use and child safety restraint use.

One additional organization under the DOT umbrella is the Surface Transportation Safety Board (STB), which is an economic regulatory agency led by Daniel Elliott III, its current Chairman. This agency focuses on the railroad industry and was created as a successor to the ICC.

In addition to these agencies, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was created as an independent agency to promote safety and assist victims of transportation related accidents and to investigate accidents to determine probable cause. Currently Deborah A. P. Hersman chairs the board that was originally placed under the DOT in 1967, but was changed to a separate entity in 1974. The agency has no authority to regulate, fund or be involved in the operation of any mode of transportation and is directed only to investigate and recommend corrective actions from an objective viewpoint.

You may have wondered why so many government agencies had an interest in the trucking industry, but now you understand that some are concerned about safety, some focus on commercial vehicles and other are charged with investigating accidents. The one common thread for all these groups is a focus on safer and more efficient transportation.

The next time someone complains about the government’s involvement in transportation, you’ll be better educated on each agency’s role.

© 2011, Truck Drivers News Blog. All rights reserved.

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