RUSH: This is Joe in Lansing, Michigan. Joe, you’re next. Great to have you on the EIB Network. Welcome.
CALLER: Yeah, hello. Hey, I was just wondering if you’ve heard — I’m a truck driver — and I was wondering if you heard anything about the new regulations regarding truck drivers.
RUSH: Well, specifically, no. What are they?
CALLER: All right, well, I’ve been hearing from a lot of my colleagues and from companies about regulations regarding truck drivers’ weight and just a lot of regulations coming down which is gonna cost a lot of us our jobs.
RUSH: A lot more jobs. Already a lot of truckers are out of work.
CALLER: Yes, I know. Luckily I work for a company that has been able to keep me busy and working throughout the entire recession here.
RUSH: What are you trafficking in illegal immigrants?
CALLER: Excuse me?
RUSH: I’m sorry. Just a joke. You said your business was thriving, and I just wondered if you’re trafficking in illegal immigrants. My bad. I’m sorry about that.
CALLER: (laughing) No, no. I work for a company that specializes in cross border transportation.
RUSH: In cross border — well, I was close! (laughing)
CALLER: I run in and out of Canada.
RUSH: Oh, oh, oh. (laughing) Even when I’m joking, even when I’m making a joke, look how close to accurate I am.
CALLER: Yes. I’ve been hearing about these new regulations regarding a truck driver’s weight, sleep apnea they’re really cracking down on —
RUSH: Wait a second. Wait a second. Regulations on truckers’ weight, you mean like their body mass index and that kind of thing?
CALLER: Yes.
RUSH: Why? Don’t tell me the trucker’s weight is gonna be factored into fuel expense?
CALLER: No. No, no. For the health of the truck driver.
RUSH: Look, the only thing we need to know is, are they going to take the greenies away from you.
CALLER: If I lose my job for being overweight, yes.
RUSH: (laughing) No. Yeah, well, the point is with the greenies you can’t possibly be overweight.
CALLER: Yeah.
RUSH: It’s an inside joke. He knows what I’m talking about but he doesn’t want to comment.
CALLER: If you could look into that and get some information I’d be very grateful.
RUSH: About the body mass index and the weight?
CALLER: Yeah, and other regulations that they’re bringing out in the trucking industry.
RUSH: We will find it for you. I’ll have it for you on Monday, unless Mark Davis is listening and decides to steal it and get the information and report it to you tomorrow, because Mark Davis will be here tomorrow. I’ve got an appointment that I have to make, but either Mark Davis will have it tomorrow or we’ll have it on Monday. I haven’t heard this. There’s a just one little brief blurb in an obscure paper: ‘Truck drivers urged to shape up undue years of unhealthy behavior.’ It’s an AP story. Urged to shape up is not quite mandated to shape up. But we’ll find out what that’s all about.