A fireworks-filled point-counterpoint session held this week at CCJ’s Fall Symposium highlighted the sometimes wide gap between small carrier and large carrier interests on some of the larger regulatory issues facing the trucking industry. A mini-debate pitted David Owen, president of the National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) against Lane Kidd, managing director for the Alliance for Drivers’ Safety & Security (also known as the Trucking Alliance).
Kidd and Owen debated a number of current industry issues from the perspective of their membership bases. And while there was occasionally some common ground, entrenched differences were the order of the day.
Here are some highlights:
Owen’s take: This isn’t an issue that impacts us a lot. Most of the doubles and triples being run today are being run by the complex logistics fleets. Our (owner-operators and small carriers) niche is truckload-long haul. And to the extent that we do look at this issue, we’re generally opposed because our guys would have to restructure their equipment to be competitive with fleets running double 33s with larger engines and new trailers. It would be too expensive for most of them.
Kidd’s take: This is a complex issue for the Trucking Alliance. We certainly see that shippers would favor these trailers. If you’re Procter & Gamble, for example, the ability to cube out two 33 cubic foot trailers is very attractive. But we do have safety concerns about Double 33s — notably that drivers are required to break down and reassemble those trailers twice per load.
