Immigrant drivers are victims exploited by foreign “cheater” trucking companies putting “good companies” out of business, company owner says
An Illinois trucking company owner says that many immigrant drivers are victims of exploitation by foreign “cheater” trucking companies that are breaking laws and putting “good” American trucking companies out of business.
Zach Meiborg, owner of Meiborg Brother Trucking in Rockford, Illinois says that the recent fatal semi truck crashes involving immigrant drivers point to a deeper issue involving “cheater” trucking companies hiring the drivers.
“The real story is that the companies hiring drivers like this are breaking electronic logbook and other federal laws every day, while regulators look the other way,” said Meiborg to The Center Square.
Meiborg says that the same companies hiring illegal or questionable status drivers are generally the same companies that would resort to erasing elogs and otherwise breaking safety laws.
“They’re being exploited by companies owned out of Serbia, India or Pakistan that are breaking every law across the board. Meanwhile, American carriers following the law are being driven out of business.”
“There are over 200 e-log providers, and about half of them are illegal. They let dispatch call in, wipe the driver’s hours clean, and give him a fresh 11 hours of drive time,” Meiborg continued. “Good companies are going out of business because we can’t compete with cheaters who are twice as productive. If regulators are going to pass these laws, they have to enforce them, otherwise you’re just incentivizing people to cheat harder.”
“These drivers are victims in some ways. Drivers are coming here from countries where $5,000 a year is a fortune. They’re promised $30,000 in the U.S., send half home, and they feel like kings,” he said.
“DOT has removed some illegal e-log providers, but there are still more than 100 operating illegally,” Meiborg added. “We can’t compete against the cheaters, and our government, while imposing many rules, some of them good, is looking the other way when enforcement is needed. They’re letting foreign-owned companies take over the backbone of our economy, transportation, betraying the patriotic Americans who are just trying like hell to just get by.”
