Big Rig Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

re: Big Rib Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

kimjauch — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:16:58 GMT

I think that when several years ago, California raised the vehicle taxes on semi trucks causing them to leave California and register their trucks in other states causing California to lose a large amount of revenue. This could be easily be fixed that if you operate a semi truck in California at any time, you would be charged a fee.

re: Big Rib Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

FreakBoy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:22:49 GMT

What a great idea, we need these big rigs off the road. Sometimes I fear that they don't see us. I stay away from them when I drive. They feel like big bullies....

re: Big Rib Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

dsuess — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:37:12 GMT

Where is the railroad from Bakersfield to Long Beach Kevin mentioned.. i'm taking Amtrak from LA to Chicago next month and have to take the Amtrak bus to LA.. a big link to the plan is missing..
RR on coast works and around Tehachipi but not following the 5 down south..
love your show
Dave

re: Big Rig Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

catpaw — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:21:14 GMT

I voted for the half-cent tax. It was very little for alot in return. Since then, the roads have gotten more congested. The recession (most unemployed would call it a depression) has lowered tax revenues. One penny tax for $2 is not a financial burden to the average consumer. Maybe the 1/2 cent tax will be proposed again. Assuming that will be enough to work on our roads.

re: Big Rig Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

Kiyoshi Tomono — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:02:41 GMT

Catpaw...given what we heard from local leaders, it's probably only a matter of time before the voters see something like it on the ballot again.

re: Big Rig Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

tfaulk13 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:53:54 GMT

First I'd like to say that I am not a truck driver. Just a regular person that drives a four-door compact car. I think a lot of people tend to forget where over 80% of their daily used items come from...A TRUCK. A truck delivers the groceries we eat, the clothes we wear, the fuel that we put in our cars and the toilet paper that we...well you get the point. As long as there have been trucks powerful enough to climb over our mountains, Bakersfield has been a mini-hub. It's not an issue of economics or who has the most rights on the road; it boils down to geography with an influence by climate with our agriculture. People have complained about farmers and ranchers for quite a bit lately. The farmers are stirring up too much dust or the trucks are too numerous or the dairy attracts too many flies and of course the refineries are ugly and emit too many pollutants. But what would each and every individual do if their complaints were acted on? We could have nothing but homes and small businesses to view because everything else has been moved out of the area. Milk would cost about $8.00 per gallon, fuel would be at about $7.00 to $9.00 per gallon. all produce would cost about $4 to $5.00 per Lb. Clothes would triple in price and lets not forget the traffic would be 30 times worse...with no trucks allowed to make deliveries, all deliveries would be with cargo vans and pick up trucks (how many vans would it take to replace that semi that bothers you so much? And at what cost?)

re: Big Rig Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

heggar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:47:45 GMT

It doesn't sound practical but too bad there isn't some way to charge a toll fee at the base of the vine for northbound traffic. Revenues collected could be used for road repair and clean air. Seems like in this day and age of electronic gizmos and computers there would be a way. Just wishful thinking.

re: Big Rig Blues: How to fix Kern County roads?

raymond blanco — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:16:06 GMT

First of all as an ex truck driver, no one wants to come to California. When i drove a truck I did everything that I could do to avoid coming here, I even took lesser paying jobs to avoid it.

California laws prohibit truck drivers from making any money here unless your a local driver and then your forced by your company to drive illegally just to make a living because the law doesn't allow you enough hours of driving time to make it through this state in 1 day.

Even if u did have the hours to drive this state in 1 day the speed limit makes it impossible to do so.

If you want trucks out of your way, allow them to use the fast lane and match the speed limit with cars. that way truck will be out of your way when you try to merge onto highways also your less likey to jump in front of a truck while attempting to jump off the fwy exit you knew was coming up 2 miles ago.

This works in many states however California is way to greedy wanting truck drivers to pay for the roads and numerous other things.

People wake up. If you bought it a Truck brought it to you. If there was a national ban on trucks in California we wouldn't last 1 week....

So stop picking on truck driver's make matching speed limits, equal fines for equal crimes, ie. a truck driver is charged 4 times the amount as a person in a car for going over the speed limit.

In states with no lane limits there are fewer truck accidents then in California.

One last note, don't jump in front of a truck nand hit your breaks then expect 80,000 pounds to stop behind you. I had many friends that went into a ditch and died to avoid killing a family who's driver decided to do just that.... Food for thought.

God bless the driver's whp have lost their lives for the stupid, Inorder to save your families....