AUSTIN, TX – Ever since Texas Senate Bill 140 tightened texting and privacy regulations, trucking recruiters say they’ve been forced to strip every ounce of personality out of their messages – and morale has plummeted faster than an unstrapped load on I-35.
The new law, designed to curb unwanted or misleading SMS marketing, has left recruiters terrified of sending anything that could be seen as “too personal.” As a result, many have gone from friendly banter to what drivers are calling “emotional flatbeds.”
“Before SB 140, I’d text, ‘Hey, big hauler, ready to roll?’” said Debbie Mullins, recruiter at Lone Star Logistics. “Now my compliance team makes me say, ‘Hello. This is an employment opportunity. Reply YES to consent.’ I sound like a fax machine with trust issues.”
Drivers agree that the vibe has changed. “Used to feel like recruiters wanted to know you,” said Leroy ‘Dieselheart’ Jenkins, an owner-operator from Dallas. “Now they sound like they’re afraid I’ll sue if they use an emoji. I miss when a message came with at least one wink.”
Recruiting managers are scrambling to adapt. Some agencies have hired consultants to “re-humanize” compliant scripts, while others rely on punctuation art to express emotion safely. “We can’t use smiley faces, but semicolons are still legal,” explained HR Director Paula Nguyen. “We call it the ‘Sad Winky Initiative.’”
Experts say the chill in communication may hurt hiring. “Without warmth, connection drops,” noted marketing analyst Brett Holden. “One company accidentally sent 400 drivers a text that just said ‘LOAD.’ Half of them thought it was a ransomware attack.”
Still, the state insists the change is for the better. “Texans deserve clarity, not courtship,” said a spokesperson for the Communications Compliance Board.
Meanwhile, drivers across the Lone Star State continue waiting for that one recruiter who can make compliance feel like chemistry again.
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