Is congestion pricing necessary for urban sustainability or an unconstitutional financial burden? In this episode of the Rollin' 18 podcast, we tackle the heated debate surrounding New York City's upcoming Congestion Pricing law, which is set to take effect on June 30th. Walter Gatlin unpacks the Trucking Association of New York's fierce opposition, breaking down the legal arguments and potential repercussions for truckers and daily commuters. Discover why this law could mean higher delivery costs and what actions are being taken to fight it.
But not all the news is contentious; we're also celebrating an extraordinary milestone within the trucking community. Tune in as we honor the world's oldest truck driver, who at 90 years old, continues to inspire us all with his dedication and remarkable career. Plus, we've got a fresh song recommendation to keep you company on your next haul. So grab your coffee, sit back, and join us for an episode filled with critical insights and heartwarming tales from the road.
Is congestion pricing necessary for urban sustainability or an unconstitutional financial burden? In this episode of the Rollin' 18 podcast, we tackle the heated debate surrounding New York City's upcoming Congestion Pricing law, which is set to take effect on June 30th. Walter Gatlin unpacks the Trucking Association of New York's fierce opposition, breaking down the legal arguments and potential repercussions for truckers and daily commuters. Discover why this law could mean higher delivery costs and what actions are being taken to fight it.
But not all the news is contentious; we're also celebrating an extraordinary milestone within the trucking community. Tune in as we honor the world's oldest truck driver, who at 90 years old, continues to inspire us all with his dedication and remarkable career. Plus, we've got a fresh song recommendation to keep you company on your next haul. So grab your coffee, sit back, and join us for an episode filled with critical insights and heartwarming tales from the road.
Text me anytime with news, suggestions, and stories at (641) 990-5641. God bless, be safe, and keep it between the lines drivers.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to Rollin' 18 Podcast. This 40-year veteran is here for anyone wanting to stay up to date with the trucking world. Grab your coffee, hop on board and let's get on down the road with Walter Gatlin.
Speaker 3:
Hello drivers, welcome to Rollin' 18 Podcast. I appreciate you folks listening to my podcast. I have started putting a video on Rumble. If you go to rumblecom and look up Roland 18 podcast, you will see that I'm putting up videos of a dash cam of me driving through the nice countrysides of the state of Iowa when I make my deliveries. I think it's cool, gives you something to look at, and every video is going to be different, so don't worry about it. I've got hundreds of hours of dash cam that I'm going to be using and that way, if you prefer to listen to a podcast while watching a video, I've got you covered.
Speaker 3:
Today's podcast is going to be about two things. Number one, it's going to be about the new law that New York is calling New York City Congestion Pricing, and we're going to tell you what the drivers that are against that, the associations that are against that, what they're going to do because they're calling it unconstitutional. I'm also going to talk about the Guinness Book of World Records. Oldest truck driver is 90 years old. We're going to recognize him too. And then also, I'm going to play a song today, a song recommendation that you should listen to while you're driving a truck. So we're going to have some fun today.
Speaker 3:
Anyway, the Trucking Association of New York is calling New York City's congestion pricing a violation of the Constitution that would put a financial burden on the industry. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority would charge semi-trucks using E-ZPass between $24 and $36 every time they enter the congestion relief zone in Manhattan from 5 am to 9 pm. So basically they're penalizing you for delivering stuff that those people over in that area ordered. Does that make a lot of sense? People order stuff and then they go ahead and charge the company because the truck has to make a delivery. They don't mind if you come in after 9 pm and deliver before 5 am. That makes a lot of sense, you know. It's as if tolls weren't high enough as they are, and I don't even think toll roads are constitutional, but that's just my opinion. It said here commercial trucks would also be charged between $6 and $9 overnight. So they are going to charge you when you go in after 9 pm. So much for that idea. Cars would be charged a flat rate of $15 once a day, no matter how many times they enter and exit the designated area. So it looks like they're going to rip off the four-wheelers too. That's good, that's good. Keep us a little equal there. The New York City congestion pricing is set to begin on June 30th.
Speaker 3:
The Trucking Association of New York, t-a-n-y, alleges in a lawsuit that the New York City congestion pricing violates the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, which allows Congress to regulate commerce Among the several states. The lawsuit cites that the Federal Aviation Act of 1994, which sets forth that a state may not enact or enforce a law, regulation or other provision having to force and effect of law related to prices, routes or services of motor carriers with respect to the transportation of property. Now, you drivers may think this is a company thing and you may be right. They may absorb the cost and not affect your pay. But don't get me wrong when I say this. It affects everything. Anytime a motor carrier has to raise prices for whatever reason, and they don't get to recoup that through raising the cost to the shipper, then they're going to have to pass that on to somebody and it's going to be you. It may not be this year, it may be next year, it may be the year after that. It's going to affect it. And if you don't think you get paid enough now, wait till this new law takes into effect Now.
Speaker 3:
The lawsuit also alleges that the New York City congestion pricing imposes a financial burden on TANY trucks which is not a fair approximation, they said, and it's not a fair approximation of their use of Central Business District and it is a financial burden on those trucks which is an excessive in relation to the benefit conferred upon them. The lawsuit also refers to the New York City congestion pricing plan as a scheme for which there is no prior precedent in this country. So I think the lawsuit's got a good chance. But how long does it take for a lawsuit to get through the system? Several years. Any state regulation that interferes with a motor carrier's rates routes services in this way is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, and that came from an attorney. This is unfair to the trucking industry and the businesses that rely on us. It charges us more than passenger vehicles and it charges us every time we go into the zone and we are non-discretionary travel, which means we have to go exactly where the shipper ships the product. We have to make those deliveries at the time that our customers demand it.
Speaker 3:
Supporters of the New York City congestion pricing plan claim that the trucking industry will benefit from the plan because they will be able to do the same trip in less time, they will be able to do more trips per shift and they also will distribute the cost among their customers. This is how politicians think. They think they can dip into your pocket and then somehow you're going to come up with a miraculous way to recoup your money, and that doesn't always work that way. Try going to the customer and tell them we're going to have to charge you $50 extra each time we go into this zone and see what they say, and they'll find somebody else that will absorb the cost. There's always somebody that's going to haul that freight cheaper.
Speaker 3:
Let me tell you company drivers any story I do that you may think affect the owner-operator only or the broker. You're wrong. It's going to affect you, because who gets hit the most with all these extra costs? The brokers aren't going to lose money. The companies and the CEOs of these companies aren't going to lose. The shipping and receiving aren't going to lose money. They're going to pass it down to the companies, which is going to be passed down to the driver, which is going to be passed down to the consumer. If they let you. If they don't let you, it stops at the driver. You guys are going to have less pay, and we're already at a point now where our pay is equal to the 1990s, so you're not getting paid most of the time. Good enough, anyway.
Speaker 3:
Now it says here the MTA says the plan is necessary to cut down on traffic and fund improvements to mass transit in the city. So basically, they want you to use all mass. Why don't we do that? Why don't we go to the border where that fee starts? Just before you get there, pull over, hit the shoulder and dump all their garbage out on the shoulder, and then you can have one of them state patrolmen sign for it and then they can call the people that are responsible for that, the people that want that product to come over and get it with their pickup trucks or whatever. However, they want to do it. Yeah, you drivers need to do something about this, and if the courts don't get involved soon enough to stop this, it's up to you drivers to stop this. That's all I got to say about this story, because it's just another tax on top of a tax on top of another tax, and, regardless of whether you're being affected by it or not, you should be mad about it simply because of the fact that we are always being overtaxed.
Speaker 3:
Now this next story is going to melt your heart, because this story is about the oldest truck driver, and he is the world's oldest truck driver, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Now the world's oldest truck driver has no plans to retire, even after celebrating his 90th birthday. Has no plans to retire even after celebrating his 90th birthday. His name is Doyle Archer and he was officially recognized as the oldest truck driver at 90 years and 55 days old, as verified on February 2nd. Now he's been driving trucks for over 60 years and has traveled approximately 5.5 million miles. He says I don't plan to retire anytime soon. As long as my health holds, I will keep driving. I do not have the word retire in my vocabulary.
Speaker 3:
The last 20 years of Doyle's career has been at Coombs Incorporated and it's in Phillipsburg, kansas, where he was just named a million-mile safe driver after traveling one million miles without an accident. Now it's clear that whatever Doyle is transporting is in very safe hands, and that could be just about anything. Anything you can haul in a truck. I've hauled it, he said, and he really means anything. He's transported everything from livestock to canned goods and furniture, petroleum across this country. It's all about traveling. That has been the biggest part of the job for Doyle. He said it has provided the opportunity for me to see many things that I wouldn't have otherwise got to see. I've got to meet a lot of people from many different parts of the world.
Speaker 3:
Doyle has driven across 48 US states and through all five provinces of Canada. He's driven the famous Route 66 all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles around 2,000 miles and has seen history along the way, including driving on the first eight-mile section of the Eisenhower Interstate System in Kansas shortly after it was built. How amazing is that? Doyle said my favorite views. I've always been able to witness the mountain views, scenic prairies and the timbered forest of this great country. I've been given the opportunity to see the Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center of Houston, texas, many decks and harbors of ports in many states dealing with international shipping. I've witnessed many sunrises and sunsets from behind the windshield deserts in the southwest historic settlements, the bright lights of Las Vegas and the western lifestyle of the Cheyenne Rodeo, the music of Nashville, tennessee, and the great still mills of Chicago, but my favorite will always be the wheat fields of the high plains in June and July.
Speaker 3:
He grew up on his family farm in Kansas and went on to earn a degree in agriculture. Doyle became a partner in a lumber and grain company before getting into the trucking industry in 1961. Asthma forced him to leave the farm and grain trucking business behind, but he stuck with hauling. Doyle's life on the road has come with challenges, from severe weather to heavy traffic, rising fuel prices, but plenty of fun moments too. Looking back, he told us there once was two men at a place I was waiting to unload that were walking down beside park trucks looking for one that was unlocked. They found one and opened the door and proceeded to make entry. When they climbed up in there, much to their surprise, were two Dobermans to greet them. I love that. That was enough to scare one of them and he fell off the truck and landed on his back in the street. They were in a real hurry to run away. I imagine they thought twice about doing that again.
Speaker 3:
I still chuckle from time to time when I see another driver with a dog thinking of that story and although he admits it never crossed his mind that he'd still be doing this job at 90 years old. He says he's honored and proud to be recognized as the world's oldest truck driver. As much as he loves his life on the road, doyle has plenty to go home for. He's been married to his high school sweetheart, lois, for 70 years and together they have nine children, 25 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. In his spare time Doyle takes a big interest in antique cars and he loves watching John Wayne movies.
Speaker 3:
If he ever does retire, it sounds like he'll have plenty to keep him busy. So this is the story that warms my heart and we appreciate you, doyle, and we appreciate everything you've done through all of those years of trucking. You are an inspiration to all of us. God bless you and your wife and all of your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Now today's song that I want to recommend for you guys to buy and download is Six Days on the Road by Dave Dudley. It is a beautiful song.
Speaker 2:
It is a beautiful song. I got my diesel wound up and she's a-running like a never before. There's a speed zone ahead with all right. I don't see a cop in sight. Six days on the road and I'm a-gonna make it home tonight. I got me ten forward gears and a George Overdrive. I'm taking little white pills and my eyes are open wide. I just passed a Jimmy and a wife. I've been a-passing everything in sight. Six days on the road and I'm a-gonna make it home tonight, but it seems like a month since I kissed my baby goodbye. I could have a lot of women, but I'm not a like a son of a guy. I could find one to hold me tight, but I could never make believe it's all right.
Speaker 3:
Six days on the road and I'm gonna make it home tonight dave dudley was a great singer and he put out a lot of great hits and if you guys get a chance, look him up on youtube. Look up dave dudley. There's always somebody that puts all of his great hits on there. Check it out. He's a. He was a great singer. He was a great man. If you go to wikipedia and read the story about him, you'll learn a lot, because, as rough and tough as men were back then, we all have our flaws, even today. There's certain things that certain men do at times that really make them stand out, and I believe Dave Dudley is one of those guys.
Speaker 3:
I appreciate you folks listening to my podcast. It's been a blessing. I don't know if you checked out my Twitter page. I did post pictures that I put my new logo on top of my Jeep. Check it out at Roland18podcast on X. I guess they call it now instead of Twitter, but I still call it Twitter and X Formally known as Twitter, just like the star prince, right. Anyway, you guys, have a great day and always be safe out there. Always keep an eye on your mirrors, always keep an eye on each other. We are the largest industry in the world. Let's try to remember that God bless, be safe and, as always, drivers keep it in the world. Let's try to remember that God bless, be safe and, as always, drivers keep it between the lines.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for listening to Roland 18 Podcast. Please visit my website at mediaiowacom or the podcast page at roland18podcastcom. Breaker 1-9.