Hop on over to Bloomington to visit the OOIDA tour truck

For Easter weekend, Marty Ellis expects to be in Bloomington, Ill., with the OOIDA tour trailer.

Ellis plans to set up the Spirit of the American Trailer at the TA Travel Center in Bloomington. That is at I-55/I-74/I-39 at Route 9. The exit number is 160. He expects to be there Good Friday through Easter Sunday, April 7-9.

The Bloomington TA has parking for 160 tractor-trailers. There is a Country Pride sit-down restaurant there.

This TA truck stop was dedicated in 2015 to Citizen Driver Gary Buchs. When he was awarded the honor, he had been a nine-time winner of the Landstar Star of Quality award and the recipient of a Platinum Star, which was awarded after he came upon a car accident and stopped to help. He pried the car door open and pulled a woman out, saving her life.

Having a TA or Petro truck stop dedicated to you is part of the honors that accompany being named a Citizen Driver.

Ellis also is a Citizen Driver, having been given the honor in 2017. So was his predecessor driving the OOIDA tour truck, Jon Osburn. In fact, Osburn was named a Citizen Driver in 2016, the same year OOIDA life member Candy Bass was given the honor.

Bass cleaned up at the 2023 Mid-America Trucking Show with additional accolades.

The newest Citizen Drivers – OOIDA member William McNamee and OOIDA senior member Lamar Buckwalter – also were announced at MATS.

Ellis and the OOIDA tour trailer haven’t been to the Buchs TA since April 2021. Ellis said Buchs stopped by then and spent some time at the trailer. Buchs is a great guy who helps with some charities and mentors other drivers, Ellis said.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see the OOIDA tour trailer, stop by and say hello. Ellis looks forward to visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. There are copies of Land Line Magazine to pick up there. You can join or renew your membership with the OOIDA 50th anniversary promotion of two years for $50. That’s a $40 savings. You can also use the promotion as many times as you like.

After Bloomington, Ellis plans to head to Effingham, Ill., on April 11-12. On April 14-15, he plans to join the fun at the Swamp East Missouri Truck Show & Convoy on April 14-15 in Sikeston, Mo.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL