VA Slow Roll Sat. 3/2: I-95 Doswell Truck Stop To Downtown Richmond At 11 A.m.

Chi-Town Large Cars member owner-operator Brian Bucenell’s* 2000 Peterbilt 379 was among the 100 or so trucks that participated in the Stand as One “slow roll” event in Indianapolis last week, intended as a step along the way toward an April 12 shutdown. It’s all part of the pressure-cooker tactics these truckers are employing in hopes to spur government to action on a variety of issues, perhaps most urgently ongoing agency work on an hours of service shift to add flexibility in the rules.

Bucenell is also helping put on a Virginia “slow roll” event tomorrow, March 2, with a gathering point in Doswell, Va. (The group plans to roll out from the Doswell Truck Stop on I-95 at 11 a.m.) Slow roll events follow in Ohio on March 8 and in the Carolinas around Charlotte on March 9.

* (pronounced BUSH nell)

Its not going to do anything besides waste fuel, and a few O/Os shutting down isn't going to be the end of the world. Life will move on as normal while they lose out on money.

I agree with you Jamie. The O/O are the only ones that will be affected by this. It's a good but with so many company drivers out there they will not participate in any strike type goings on.

There hasn't been a referendum on wages or rules that the driver's have a say in in a very long time. Will it get it get better, who knows. So far, Swift has kept its promises to me. I have no complaints. I'm working, I getting paid to see the country, I have a roaming roof over my head and I don't have to pay for the fuel. Just pay for food.

What else can you ask for?

My needs are simple. I'm happy within myself.

Raptor

I think Old School nailed it in a previous conversation we had about this. A lot of these people just love to have something to complain about and a cause to fight for. They love to rally against some sort of authority and like to be part of a group that's all worked up about anything, really.

If you started a rally to fight against the use of the color blue in blankets they'd take up arms and rally for the cause. They'd be in the streets burning blue blankets and handing out pamphlets proclaiming that blue blanket knitters are doing the devil's work. They'd demand that the Government put a stop to these Blue Blanket Devil Workers, but then of course demand that the Government otherwise stay out of their business.

I got stuck in the "slow roll" around Indy last week. Supposedly they made 2 laps around 465. Mainly O/Os the trucks having all the stereotypical chrome, lights and train whistle horns that they kept blowing.

Law enforcement was out in force and they had several large groups pulled over. They did pretty much stick to the right lane but it still made for a mess.

What I find ironic is that they claim to be this fiercely independent group, yet some of their major complaints are to have shippers, brokers, oil companies, etc treat them better. They basically are asking others to support their inefficient and financially ill concieved business model.

If they would just admit to themselves that they are hobbyists, and not the major players in the transportation industry they think they are, maybe the truth wouldn't hurt so much.

So this one was 100...last one was 80-ish. they keep giving estimates of "2000 to 3000" planning to attend.

i almost feel sorry for them. They dont have the support they think they have and totally alienated themselves from both company drivers by bashing our companies and the liberal left who normally gets loud for these issues by using the "black smoke" name

Because we live in USA I suppose they have the right to protest. A slow roll, if they are driving the minimum speed for the interstate highway is maintained, I would think they would be OK. The point is there have been so many protests, strikes and just every other word for frustrations with anything related to the industry. Way back in the 70's the Independent drivers were shutting down and blocking the interstate highways because of fuel shortages and high fuel costs. Then the Teamster drivers staged a nationwide strike and took out their frustrations on any driver who wasn't a Teamster and was still driving.

I have been affected by both and have been on both sides and it still doesn't prove a thing. Fuel is still high, states will not leave trucking alone either because the industry is like a cash cow and the Feds are not sitting by and not making life any easier. It seems like there will always be a shortage of parking spaces, shortage of drivers, autonomous trucks are probably coming in the future so it will never end. There will be something for someone to protest about. Good luck.

It's a casual Sunday morning so out of curiosity I went to their website to see what their reasoning is behind the elimination of electronic logbooks. Here's what I found:

Due to the ability to hack into the trucks electronic logging device the truck drivers feel that their rights to privacy are being violated. A person's identity and personal information are not secure when anyone may hack into such a device and retrieve that information. Due to the ability to hack into the trucks electronic logging device the truck drivers feel that their rights to privacy are being violated. A person's identity and personal information are not secure when anyone may hack into such a device and retrieve that information

That argument is so weak it's embarrassing. I mean, seriously, that's the cornerstone of your argument? That's the reason we should move away from a simple electronic tracking technology and back to paper logbooks? Because people are going to hack into your personal information?

They're also saying that trucking is overregulated, but at the same time they're calling for the State and Federal Governments to implement more parking for drivers. For one, why would the government implement parking? This is a capitalist society. A profitable venture should be created for something like this if indeed there is a demand. That would likely mean paid parking, but someone would have to pay for it one way or another. It's either going to be government funded through taxes, or trucker funded through usage fees which would be passed onto the customers as part of the cost of doing business.

So do you want the government in your business, or out of your business? Make up your mind.

Due to the ability to hack into the trucks electronic logging device the truck drivers feel that their rights to privacy are being violated.

That is laughable! How much personal information is on an ELD? Driver code, location, HOS? Between my Gmail accounts, every grocery store rewards card I have ever used, each and every time I have searched the internet over the past 20+ years, every time I swipe my credit card, every Health insurance plan I have ever enrolled in. Every loan I have applied for, this list goes on. T here is a crap ton of personal information out there on you, me and every other person that lives on this planet. Trust me, Google knows more about me than I could EVER know about myself. These fools use FACEBOOK for crying out loud, talk about privacy violations. If you combined the IQ's of this group of idiots, you couldn't come up with the number for the legal and safe air pressure for 1 steer tire.

If you combined the IQ's of this group of idiots, you couldn't come up with the number for the legal and safe air pressure for 1 steer tire.

Now that is some funny stuff right there.