October 7, 2011Dear Sir,I would like to bring to the Bermuda public's attention the plight of the independent truckers on this Island.Since 2002, the Bermuda General Trucking Association has repeatedly written to TCD, the police, Ministers of Transport and publicly protested to anyone who would listen voicing their concerns over the illegal use of tractor trailer dumpsters.TheMotor Car Act quite clearly states that you can only use a trailer when the goods can not be safely carried in a truck. The effects on our industry have been devastating as for many Independent truckers the excavation work represents their staple diet which is evident by the fact that most of them have trucks with dumps geared at this work.The current Minister has publicly suggested support for our argument (via talk radio) and approximately five months ago sent the director of TCD Dann Simmons to one of our meetings to hear first hand of our plight. Mr Simmons then returned to a meeting last week and informed us present that our interpretation of the law is correct and that only one dumpster has been granted special permission to operate on our roads on a specific job for a specific amount of time, a position the trucking association has no problem with because the job at hand can not be safely carried in our trucks.The independent trucker, many without post high school education epitomises the entrepreneurial spirit that we so often hear being encouraged by our leaders. Unfortunately this same spirit is under attack when those same leaders turning a blind eye to the law being flouted.INDEPENDENT TRUCKERSandys