Ask The Trucker "LIVE" w/Allen Smith – Details, episodes & analysis

Friday 6PM et "TCGO is making a difference for trucking families battling grave situations" AskTheTrucker Live will have an update for you regarding the Truckers Christmas Group, On our last show, "Truckers coming to aid of fellow truckers during TCGO Christmas campaign" we discussed how trucking musicians, industry leaders for trucking charities, and other advocates such as Bill Weaver, Paul Marhoeffer, Taylor Barker, Mandi Jo Pinhierio, Jason Henley, Tony Justice, Ken Freeman, Keith Sampson, and more are working with TCGO to raise awareness and funds for the 2019 TCGO campaign.  This fundraising campaign literally "saves" the Christmas holiday for trucking families. Tonight we will talk about the families and their needs. These are trucking families battling grave situations folks. We also want to give a shout out to those sponsoring families and to all those who have donated to the Truckers Christmas Group, coming to the aid of their fellow truckers in need. Join Tom Kyrk and Donna Smith as they update on the progress and how YOU can help reach the $20,000.00 goal so all the nominated families can be aided.  Let's not turn any of these wonderful families away.   Take the $5.00 donation challenge today and donate here. It's safe, easy, and it will help more than you know. Call in number for the show 347-826-9170 to either listen in or be a part of the show.  

Truckers coming to aid of fellow truckers during TCGO Christmas campaign Saturday Nov 9th 6PM ET  Call in number 347-826-9170 It's that time again! The Truckers Christmas Group Org (TCGO), in its 12 year, is continuing its commitment to help as many trucking families in need during the holiday season as they possibly can.  This year has proven to be particularly challenging for many truckers and their families. Between layoffs, bankruptcies, illnesses, and other catastrophic occurrences, the need for funding is vital.  Learn more HERE   Watch the Christmas Video- How the Truckers Saved Christmas-combined effort by Bill Weaver Music and TCGO  Music copyright Bill Weaver Music-Video Copyright Truckers Christmas Group.Org This year, Trucking musicians, industry leaders for trucking charities, and other advocates such as Bill Weaver, Paul Marhoeffer, Taylor Barker, Mandi Jo Pinhierio, Jason Henley, Tony Justice, Ken Freeman, Keith Sampson, and more are working with TCGO to raise awareness and funds for the 2019 fundraising campaign. Press Release JOIN US TONIGHT Tom Kyrk, TCGO PR Coordinator, co-hosts the show. Learn how you can help our nations truckers.in their time of most dire need. Whether it be volunteering, sharing,a donation, sponsoring a family, or purchasing from the TCGO store, your commitment to help will be a blessing!.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

AsktheTrucker "Live' Open Forum-ELD Exemptions and Federal Authority Provisions Saturday June 2nd 6PM EST Call in 347-826-9170 The discussions continue as truckers move full steam ahead addressing the 2 most pressing issues in the industry today. ELD mandate and the Federal Authority trucker wage provision. The ELD Mandate Exemptions H.R. 5948 H.R.5948 - To exempt motor carriers that own or operate 10 or fewer commercial vehicles from the electronic logging device mandates, and for other purposes The Anti-Trucker Wage legislation to be voted on in the Senate this month. The Federal Authority provision known as the Denham Amendment or F4A , which if passed in the 2018 FAA Reauthorization bill and THUD bill ( they are currently in both House versions), would minimize and limit trucker wages by way of a New Federal Law  

Kevin Reid is the Founder and CEO of the National Minority Trucking Association with over 21 years of sales, marketing and executive management experience within the transportation industry. The NMTA provides education, resources and strong representation to all truckers across North America, with its founding focus based on the representation and educating of minorities within the industry. Mr. Reid began his transportation career in sales and marketing for an Atlanta based courier company before launching Universal Courier where he served as CEO. He then began serving as a go-to consultant for minority start-up trucking firms. Later he would become the co-founder of an Atlanta based intermodal trucking company where he served as Sr. Vice President. While serving in various industry positions, he was motivated to launch the NMTA as he discovered a void in the representation of minorities in the trucking and transportation industry. The NMTA offers many services and benefits such as education, training and consulation, all aimed in assisting truck drivers to succeed in their chosen profession. In addition to their strong representation, NMTA is constantly working to provide new benefits and services that will aid their members. These services and programs are designed to provide big fleet purchasing power to the independent professional trucker. Regardless of whether one is an owner-operator with their own authority or leased, or a company driver, the NMTA offers access to important benefits ranging from business operation, employment assistance and IRS Filings starting as low as $9.95 per single vehicle. Kevin Reid joins us as our special guest to further discuss the continual vision of the NMTA and to share some startling facts about the minority population within the trucking industry.

It is Open Forum for this broadcast of Truth About Trucking "LIVE" as Donna and I will share about the recent Industry at Sea 2014 event and any trucking-related topic that comes to mind! We will also touch on the SBTC's recent Police Misconduct Complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of fellow truck driver: Kenny Capell. How about National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, beginning Monday, September 15? Your thoughts on this event? Is one week out of the year enough and what do you think the industry as a whole should be doing, relating to the appreciation of truckers? Have a topic you would like to discuss? Join us as we open up the phone lines where our callers decide the topics for discussion. Have a new website, business or service to share with our listeners? Call in and tell us all about it. Call-in number: 347-826-9170 ... come join the conversation!

Topics are open but we will be including discussions on accountability for the qualified driver shortage, why new drivers are not entering the trucking industry, and more importantly, why are they not staying?  And Finally, is there a correlation between driver wages and safety? Call in number to be a part of the show: 347-826-9170 Be a part of the chat room by opening a blog talk radio account. We will be giving away Tony Justice CD’s in the chat room!

Can’t make it to GATS this year? No problem, Truth About Trucking "Live" is bringing it to you! Among some of our scheduled callers tonight are singer songwriter and Emcee of the Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search, Tony Justice; Finalist of Overdrive-Red Eye Radio Trucker Talent Search, Brad James; Country recording artist and Highway Angel program spokesperson Lindsay Lawler; Overdrive’s 2014 Most Beautiful winner,Emily Weymouth and Kylla Leeburg, Deputy Director at Truckers Against Trafficking. Others expected to call in, sharing the GATS 2014 experience are: Tom Kyrk of the Trucking Solutions Group, Christina Schnese of Make It Happen USA, James Lamb of SBTC, Dr. Pamela Thomas for the Truckers Rolling Against Hep-C Campaign, and whoever gets pulled into the show as they walk by! Come join the conversation as Truth About Trucking "LIVE" takes you "inside" GATS 2014 with some of the biggest names in Trucking Social Media.

Discussion will include the paradox between Hours of Service, Truck Driver Fatigue, and  waking up of professional drivers by law enforcement during their FMCSA mandatory 10 hour break period. As The FMCSA continues to strive for greater highway safety within the trucking industry, many times by the addition of new rules and regulations, the main focus in combating truck driver fatigue should be allowing drivers to sleep when tired. According to the 2013 Truck Parking Survey results, drivers reported that their rest was being interrupted by state law officials on a regular basis. Our guests are Kenny Capell, and Martin Hill, founder of the Don't Wake Me Up Organization. Having been awaken from the sleeper berth at a Georgia scale by LE officials demanding to see his ID, Mr. Capell stood by the 4th Amendment,and refused. Filing a 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 Federal Civil Rights lawsuit against the troopers, he has a court date set for August 11th, 2014. Mr. Capell and Mr. Hill will share the full story and why they believe it to be a direct violation of trucker's rights.

As professional truck drivers make their way across the country, their job calls for them to work in every high crime area in the United States. Major cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Baltimore, Oakland, the boroughs of New York City and everywhere in-between, truckers can find themselves in serious and dangerous situations. With the trucking industry operating 24/7 with scheduled pickups and deliveries at any given time of the day or night, these men and women of the highway face many areas of criminal activity and can often be the targeted victim as well. Even though there is no Federal Law that prohibits truck drivers from the legal right to carry a firearm for protection, individual motor carrier rules may do so. In 2012, Detroit city alone was home to 386 murders and 15,009 violent crimes as this is one of many major freight hubs where truckers must conduct business to keep America moving. Furthermore, rise in crime has fast been expanding outside of the typical major city areas such as states in the South and Midwest. The reality of trucking is that it can be a dangerous job and the inability for the driver to carry protection due to company rules and regulations can only add to the situation. Even with a legal state permit, drivers can find themselves in trouble if the transporting of the firearm is not in accordance with Federal Law 18 U.S. Code § 926A. Also, not every State recognizes an individual's State CCW. For example, only 34 states currently recognize a concealed weapon permit from the state of Florida; another aspect that could cause trouble for the driver entering such a state as New Jersey. It varies from state to state even more, as for example, only 18 states will recognize a permit from the state of Illinois. Where do truckers stand on their ability to carry for their own personal protection?  Call-in number: 347-826-9170

With the shortage of safe and secure parking for our nation's truck drivers back in the news, join us as we discuss the dangers drivers face every day because of the lack of safe truck parking availability. Who is responsible for putting drivers at added risk? Where are the most difficult areas to find truck parking? How are regulations adding to the already dangerous parking situations? Who doesn't want to see more available truck parking? Our guests include Hope Rivenburg of Jason's Law, Desiree Wood of Real Women in Trucking and our special guests, Ashley Boeglin and David Clark, wife and father-in-law of Michael Boeglin. We will also review some startling results of the 2013 National Truck Parking Survey led by Hope and the detailed data analysis performed by Ms. Wood. Join us for this very important broadcast.