John Q Citizen Speaks

You haven't seen the end of Green Scams

The beginning.. For over a year now we have been deluged with commercials promoting placing of containers on TRAINS as a green initiative ( oh and to get those big trucks off the roads too).

The adds mostly by CSX tout the "a train can move one ton 460 miles on one gallon of diesel".

Let’s examine that claim a little.

They do not claim they move 1 ton of freight, just one ton. SO who produced that number?

Many trucks are now getting as high as 8 miles a gallon.. IF the railroad is using gross weight to get their numbers rather than net load….

A truck can move 80,000 pounds 8 miles on one gallon of diesel. that is 40 tons or 26 tons net. If you used gross weight ( because you might find the railroad is using gross weight) The truck moves one ton 320 miles. If you use net weight it is only 208 miles.

Next fact to check…

Railroads do not burn diesel. Why is this important in showing a green scam again in those adds?

A conversation between Rusty Wade and OOIDA about this collectivization issue!

Well, a friend of mine ( Rusty Wade) sent my little article to his organization OOIDA ! They responded promptly, and he sent me copies of 2 emails from them that I think should be posted here.

From the second email, Rusty,

Feel free to post my response to your website. You are not the first person I’ve heard from wondering “where is OOIDA on this?” As much as we do communicate positions on issues – like this one, unless someone happens to read that days particular story, hear the particular radio segment we’ve done…etc, it can be easy to miss.

-Joe

Having received permission, let me continue with a quote of the entire first email from Joe Rajkovacz Regulatory Affairs Specialist to Rusty Wade. ( see extended text for entire quote and discussion of contents!)

Collectivization of the port truckers in California.

Protesting truckers snarl traffic on 710 Freeway and in downtown L.A. — latimes.com November 17th, 2009

Hundreds of protesting truck drivers slowed traffic Friday on the 710 Freeway and blasted their horns while driving past Los Angeles City Hall to draw attention to new environmental rules they say threaten their livelihoods.
“We all want to go green,” said Sofia Quinones of the National Port Drivers Assn., which represents thousands of independent truckers. “But the devil is in the details.”
More than 400 truckers protested new restrictions in the year-old Clean Truck Program, a pollution-reduction effort credited with cutting diesel truck emissions by 70% at the Port of Los Angeles and a similar amount at the Port of Long Beach.
Starting Jan. 1, all trucks built before 1994 will be barred from the ports, as will trucks built from 1994 to 2003 that have not been retrofitted to reduce emissions.
Retrofitting one truck can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and buying a new truck costs more than $100,000.

This seems like just another port trucker protest… But what is missing from the story?

The missing part is the story of the slow but steady move to force the port drivers into a collective corporate structure.

Yes The CARB rules make their already OWNED trucks no longer welcome in the port even after a claimed 70% reduction is pollution is already in effect. Under the guise of GREEN the port is driving these struggling independent businessmen into the government assisted waiting arms of the corporate masters that will be taking control of all drayage in the ports.

Millions of dollars were spent and millions more were given in grants to the political backers and corporate pig men who control these politicians, but when the small independent owners applied for similar grants, the funds were already gone, given to the waiting corporations that intend to hire these men when their personal businesses are driven out of business by the power of the state.

This quote tells it all…

William Gallarido, a 39-year-old driver, said that after paying expenses, he brings home a couple hundred dollars at most each week, and he needs an extension and financial help to retrofit his truck.
“I work very hard,” the Los Angeles resident said. “I can’t live on this.”
Sarah Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said this is why the plan calls for requiring independent drivers who work out of the Port of Los Angeles to join trucking companies that could cover such expenses.

Quotes from the L A Times

Protesting truckers snarl traffic on 710 Freeway and in downtown L.A. — latimes.com

John Q Citizen Speaks

Today we are opening John Q Citizen Speaks because someone has to speak up or we will all be lost.