Roses & Razzberries – August/September 2023

ROSES to a logging truck driver in New York who risked his life to assist in a deadly situation. New York State Trooper Richard Albert was shot during what he thought was a routine traffic stop on Interstate 88 in Duanesburg, N.Y. The truck driver, Tim Vannostrand, who just happened on the scene sprung to action and used his truck to block the suspect’s vehicle preventing them from driving off. Trooper Albert was treated and released, and according to OOIDA Board Member and Princetown, N.Y., town supervisor Lou Esposito, state police were looking into raising funds to help repair the damaged logging truck.

RAZZBERRIES for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Phase 3 proposal that fails to consider the real-life concerns relayed by American truck drivers, OOIDA says. “EPA must consider a more achievable implementation timeline that would provide reliable and affordable heavy-duty vehicles for consumers, particularly small trucking businesses and individual owner-operators,” OOIDA wrote in its comments filed to the EPA. The proposal would require 25% of new heavy trucks sold in the United States to be all-electric by 2032. “OOIDA members routinely make trips over 1,000 miles and can rely upon a nationwide network of truck stops and other locations to fill up on gas whenever and where they need to refuel their tank,” the Association wrote. “It’s difficult to estimate when a nationwide charging network would be readily accessible for commercial motor vehicles.”

ROSES for additional truck parking at two new Pilot locations, a TA Express in Huntsville, Texas, and a new truck stop off Interstate 11 in Henderson, Nev. The Pilot location opened in Rialto, Calif., has 91 truck parking spaces, while the Odessa, Texas, store has 39 truck parking spaces. Both Pilots have showers, laundry facilities, and high-speed pumps for quicker fueling. In addition, Pilot announced that it has completed remodeling on 80 stores across the county as part of its New Horizons initiative. The new TA Express in Huntsville has 90 spaces for tractor-trailers along with a restaurant, dog park and more. The Eldorado Truck Stop and Travel Center, an independent truck stop in Henderson owned by DeSimone Gaming, is expected to create more than 100 new truck parking spaces. The company also operates Railroad Pass Travel Center and its 200-plus truck parking spaces.

RAZZBERRIES for the New York State Thruway Authority’s plan to increase tolls. The plan, which OOIDA says is “excessive and discriminatory,” calls for a 5% increase in 2024, and another 5% increase in 2027 for New York E-ZPass users. Drivers paying cash for tolls would incur even higher increases. “Any toll increases on our members will severely impact their bottom line,” OOIDA wrote in a letter to the authority. “Often operating on the slimmest of margins, thousands of dollars in new out-of-pocket expenses could drastically diminish an owner-operator’s and their family’s income.” There’s also an issue of safety when you factor in the amount of traffic that will be diverted to secondary and local roads to avoid paying tolls, OOIDA said. “Truckers are willing to contribute to ensure our roads are safe and well maintained but not through excessive and discriminatory toll increase.”

ROSES to OOIDA Board Member and Association Secretary Bob Esler for receiving the Golden Achievement Award from the American Truck Historical Society. Esler received the award at the society’s National Convention and Truck Show in Reno, Nev., where he told Land Line how trucking has opened doors he never thought possible. “It has allowed me to go places, greet people, meet people, be in the White House, be in the halls of Congress, and meet local government officials. It’s just allowed me a world I would have never been able to do had I not been in trucking.” OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh nominated Esler for the award because of his long history with OOIDA and long history in trucking. “There’s nobody more deserving,” Pugh said.

ROSES to the truckers and the Greene County, Ark., Sheriff’s Department that took part in a recent Make-A-Wish event for a child who loves trucks. According to the sheriff’s department Facebook page, Cliff Carter, a farmer in Greene County and supporter of Make-A-Wish, asked truckers to bring a “few” tractor-trailers for a 5-year-old named Kenton’s wish reveal. A few turned into more than 150 trucks showing up and creating a convoy stretching over one mile, all for Kenton’s wish of a trip to Disney World being granted. LL