The road less traveled
We’re hearing a lot of the right messaging coming out of Washington, D.C., about the work-life balance for truck drivers. There is acknowledgement of the need for better compensation and generally improving the daily working conditions truck drivers face.
It’s encouraging to hear these things. It’s long overdue. Yet, we have to get to the point where the question has to be asked, “So? What are you going to do about it?”
Thinking about it from the perspective of regulators, the Robert Frost poem “The Road Not Taken” comes to mind. I’m not a huge poetry buff, but this is one that has stuck with me my entire life.
For those unfamiliar, it’s the tale of a traveler on a path in the woods who comes to a fork. Metaphorically, the paths represent the well-traveled path in life that “everybody” takes and one less traveled.
The poem ends:
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Scholars of poetry debate on Frost’s true message, which road the traveler took and whether it turned out good or bad for our traveler. But, for the sake of my point, let’s say the traveler took the “one less traveled” and found a better life.
Regulators have gone down the same rutted, worn out, beaten path and, frankly, nothing has gotten much better. It’s literally status quo in a lot of respects.
Senior Editor Mark Schremmer takes a deep dive into the options that lie ahead of our regulator “travelers,” if you will. They are at a crossroads, and it’s time to pick new direction. Read his analysis starting on Page 16.
Sometimes, to get your point across, you have to just take to the road.
This issue has an update on truck convoys in protest over vaccination mandates. The protests in Canada were stretching into weeks as we went to press and had escalated to the point where roads were blocked at various border crossings. U.S. convoys were also in the works protesting vaccination mandates of any kind. This was a fast moving story and better covered on our website, LandLine.Media. But these convoys will likely be historic and deserved to be chronicled in the print edition. You can read about them on Page 30.
Talking about paths not taken, or at least not in a while, it’s been two full years since anyone has made the trek to Louisville, Ky., for the Mid-America Trucking Show. For many, that show is almost like the homeland for truckers that must be visited once a year. Craving a return to normality has many champing at the bit to go to a truck show.
To add to the excitement, this is the 50th anniversary of the Mid-America Trucking Show. Show organizers are pulling out all of the stops to celebrate the history of the show, but maybe even the fact that the show is finally happening.
Read our feature on MATS’ history by Staff Writer SJ Munoz starting on Page 48.
OOIDA Board Member Doug Smith was one of the truck drivers on this past season of “Shipping Wars.” Smith had a lot of reasons to do the show, but the one that I love is the fact he wanted to introduce a little bit of road reality to the reality show. Doug is a cool dude, and it shows in the show and in the article on Page 54.
And, one more thing before I wrap up. Back to the road less traveled – Ryan Witkowski, our newest staff writer, talked to an OOIDA member who definitely takes the road less traveled. In fact, in the story on Page 60, it really doesn’t even involve a road. I’ll leave you with that and not give any more away. LL