OOIDA Foundation criticizes the pay-by-the-mile system for drivers

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Tom Weakley of the OOIDA Foundation is speaking out against a pay-by-the-mile system for drivers, which he claims encourages safety violations and takes money out of their pockets. Most truck drivers are already paid by the mile instead of by the hour and this may result in several pitfalls.

1. Safety concerns: Paying truck drivers by the mile may create an incentive for them to drive faster or longer than they should, in order to earn more money. This could lead to increased accidents and put the safety of the driver and other drivers at risk.

2. Increased wear and tear on the vehicle: Paying truck drivers by the mile may also create an incentive for them to drive more, which could lead to increased wear and tear on the vehicle. This could result in higher maintenance and repair costs for the trucking company.

3. Reduced driver satisfaction: Truck drivers may not be satisfied with being paid by the mile instead of by the hour. This could lead to a higher turnover rate among drivers and make it more difficult for trucking companies to retain experienced drivers.

4. Inequity: Paying truck drivers by the mile may be unfair to those who drive shorter routes, as they would earn less money than those who drive longer routes, even if they have the same number of hours on the road.

5. Inflexibility: Paying truck drivers by the mile is a fixed rate and does not take into account factors such as traffic, weather, and other unforeseen circumstances that can affect the time it takes to complete a route.

It's worth noting that a pay-by-the-mile system, could be combined with other factors such as safety records, experience, and other performance indicators to create a comprehensive payment system for truck drivers.

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