Coal Bucket Outlaw

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that coal produces over half of our nation's electricity. Coal Bucket Outlaw is built around a day in the life of a Kentucky coal truck driver. This digital documentary gives Americans a direct look at where our energy comes from, and reveals the human and environmental price we pay for our national addiction to fossil fuels.

The narrative line follows two Kentucky coal truck drivers as they chase their version of the American dream. Viewers learn how the economics of the coal business demand that both drivers break the law every day. A veteran independent trucker plays the "cops and robbers" game with the weight crew from the Department of Transportation. A young driver debates whether to keep hauling coal or to move his family to the city. And, a father describes a collision with a coal truck that killed his teenage son. Facts and figures about coal as an energy source will place these individual struggles in a national context.

Coal Bucket Outlaw examines the connection between coal haulers and the larger system that produces America's electricity. If outlaws deliver half of our nations energy, are consumers and policymakers completely innocent?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• appalshop
• coal
• mining
• outlaw
• illegal
• energy
• Tom
• Hansell
• trucking
• environment
• safety

[codyhos]

My dad and papaw both drive coal trucks and ive growed up around them too. right now its hard to get by between fuel costs,breakdowns, and low pay hauling overweight is the only way to make enough money to survive. so all u liberal tree hugers can just stick it!

"over-weight and under-payed

[popcorntrucker]

Coal keeps the lights on

[jonsterbud123]

Load 'em like a train... drive 'em like a plane!!!

[manisdrillingcompany]

Stupid women

[theevenstarfamily]

@codyhos, It sounds like you need to get a new job. Break out of the mold and adapt to the future. Our health and safety should not be compromised so you can have a job. 

[mattxD]

Plus most of those aren't suppose to haul 80-120 ton, sure they can pull it. That's not the issue, shit breaks down easier when you put the rig under more stress.

I also like how this makes truckers out to be bad guys, if they didn't do this then fucking greedy fuckers that own the coal companies would only have the rail road to haul it. Not every coal mine is beside the rail road tracks.

[mattxD]

It's not the safety laws faults, stop blaming the government for coal mine owners to under cut the men hauling this shit for nothing.

I was born in WV, dad drove coal trucks for a while and was put out of business. Seeing as he had a wife and two kids to feed, he needed to get paid a little more than just getting enough to put gas in it and put wheels back on the damn thing. Coal mine owners make fucking bank, the safety regulations are there for a reason. Coal owners need to pay up.

[fk4515]

We had the same thing in Michigan, only it was GM "Body haul" trucks, if you got near them and weren't careful you got dead. They weren't overweight they just didn't have to obey the traffic signals or speed limits. But the UAW had a sweet deal with GM, once you got your loads in for the day you could screw off. Not even corporate greed just a personal desire to get paid $30.00/ hour to set on your butt.

[WhatNow858]

@starmanskye

Last time I looked the latest ones on the welfare list was banks and auto makers. I guess stupid white trash wear white collars too. Booya!

[WhatNow858]

There are no easy answers. But weight limits are set for safety purposes-eighteen wheelers have to go to the scales regularly for the very same reasons-and they're not trying to navigate on these mountains. The heavier you are the longer it takes to stop and harder to control-common sense. Coal is in my family and in my blood, we are still heating our house with coal-I will always be grateful for the men (and women) that make it possible. But its never ok to put money over human safety.

[trainsimulator2]

the women at 40sec said if your in there way thell move you out of there way get out of there way idiots

[mikespeed100]

those coal truck drivers up there drive like idiots, i used to drive an IJ food truck up in there, and they were always flying and coming over the yellow line in curves. most of them should have their license taken away i say.