It is time to get these nightmares off of the highways and put freight back on the railroads where it belongs. These guys have terrorized the public with their dangerous driving, inadequately secured loads, and ignored the laws far too long.

While I would agree that moving most freight by train is a good idea, it is too bad that you really do not have a clue what you are talking about. The most "dangerous" driving is done by the tourist that has no clue what they are doing on long trips driving cars that are not prepared for anything beyond the neighborhood store. Most trucker are professionals who handle their rigs with great skill.

These guys

I can only imagine the degree of confusion which reins in your life. You have brought a knife to a gunfight, retreat is the intelligent course, then get some education before flailing wildly becomes a trouble for you.

Of course you are unaware is it the articles of trade and transportation approved by voters and ratified by congress that has produced the most effective economy in the industrialized world which your are criticizing.

According to trading figures at least 75% of our nations product travels primarily by truck and 65% is by independent businessmen; a.k.a. independent contractors, some of the trucks ride on trains too. Thought the overall mobility and quick responsiveness of our economy can be attributed to freight moved on trucks.

The trucking industry is a testament to the merit of capitalism which helped build our nation.

This is a great thread topic...

Profesional drivers? What you are refering to as Profesional drivers are nothing more than a collection of high school drop outs that barely passed drivers education. Most of them can not even read a speed limit sign and refuse to obey the ones that are explained to them. The articles of trade you refer to are an antiquated set of regulations written back when teamsters actually were. They drove a team of horses not an overpowered missle on public highways. Yes 75% of our nations product travels by truck because congress in its infinite wisdom has chosen to try and tax the railroad system out of business. I suggest that you actually read the ICC regulations before you buy into that "heros of the highway" horseshit that has been shoved down your throat by the media. Actually spend some time out on the road with your eyes open.

You have no point of reference...

I got a CDL, commercial drivers license with all endorsements when I wanted freedom from fluorescent lights, etc.. So I hit the highway for some years but now only to help the neighbors bring in the harvest.

By the way the once was ICC is no more for some years, authority is still referred to as ICC Authority but it's now split between DOT/FHWA.

Each year the traffic accidents with fatalities involving automobiles only (no trucks) totals about 47,000 but those involving trucks less than 6,000 in the US of A.

Go on out there yourself, ride along find out about what you speak, go in the winter. I could show you conditions more treacherous than what is seen on "Ice road truckers" .

But that which you'd understand within a week is the obstinacy displayed by the average four-wheeler (automobile driver).

Regarding those individuals whom drive the highways professionally, they are a mirror of society and you'll find all sorts among them including some iron men even if their wagons are now Aluminium.

Now more relevant history please...

I definitely have a point of reference. I have spent many many hours working around truck stops and garages listening to one high school drop out after another brag about dodging scales, hauling overloaded trailers clear across country, speeding, dropping bennies or whatever the drug of the moment is to stay awake and running honest hard working people off of the road. Your stats don't hold water. There are thousands of times more cars on the road than trucks so stating that there were more car accidents than truck wrecks is not a valid comparison. It is time to get freight off of the highways and back on the railroads where it belongs. Your argument about trucking built the country does not hold water. This country was built before WWII when over the road trucks were rare, after all there were no interstate highways, This country was built on rail roads. It is time to require every truck in this country to be equipped with recording governors to limit their speed to 65 mph. You could even go further than that and place RF transmitters on the back of every speed limit sign to electronically enforce the speed limits. Oh yes I know that you and your buddies will whine that that would not be safe that sometimes you have to speed to avoid an accident so the programming could even allow you to speed for say 30 seconds to avoid the "accident" say once every three days. On the other hand, I have never heard of an accident that instead of speeding, slowing down would not have done a better job of avoiding.