We are in year four of a freight recession where there are too many trucks chasing after the amount of freight that’s out there. I’m in the biz and am constantly amazed at the rates some truckers are willing to move freight.

The large national carriers spend billions recruiting, qualifying, hiring, and training drivers, putting them in the best equipment, and (for the most part) giving them good wages and benefits only to compete with fly-by-night, piss-ant carriers who care only for a warm body in the seat for the next load…safety be damned.

My company tests all the latest tech with autonomous trucks and alternative energy. One, the tech on both has a long way to go. Two, shippers won’t like the cost.
So, for the far foreseeable future, there’ll be drivers behind the wheel.

Do you think native Spanish speaking immigrants are a danger on the roads?

But, they all have to speak English, too. It’s important not only for reading road signage but also in communicating with our customers and other employees. I see no difference in the safety performance between our Hispanic drivers and non-Hispanic. There are great drivers in both groups, just like there can be bad ones in both.

The danger I see is from Mexican drivers who come across the border in their trucks driving on our roads. Besides their being less familiar with our driving laws, lack of ability to read signage, and not knowing our “driving culture” (for lack of a better term), we don’t know their qualifications, driving history, or anything. When was their last drug test? Plus, how safe is the equipment?

I am admittedly pretty hardcore on a professional driver needing to be able to speak English.

Thank you.

or completely agree..........

We here in Colorado have had two HORRIFIC accidents costing the lives of many innocent people by Mexican Semi Drivers......Not sure if they had visas or were documented or not documented......Neither could read english, neither had CDL's...........The reports after the accidents, stated that the company that hired them, had hired many drivers that were in no way qualified, or had CDL's.................