OOIDA tour trailer heads to Alabama, then Florida

Judging from the last stop, chances are good that protest convoys and infrastructure spending priorities will be top of mind of drivers checking in at the OOIDA tour trailer in near Mobile, Ala.

Starting Monday, Marty Ellis and the Spirit of the American Trucker trailer are scheduled Feb. 28 through March 1 to be at the TA Travel Center in Grand Bay, Ala. That is Exit 4 from I-10.

Grand Bay is 20 miles southwest of downtown Mobile. The Grand Bay TA has parking for 89 tractor-trailers. There is Popeye’s fast food, a Dunkin’ and grab-and-go food available there.

What drivers are talking about

Last week, at a stop in West Memphis, Ark., Ellis said the big issues on drivers’ minds were connected to the COVID-19 vaccine protests in Canada and the United States.

Speaking on last Friday’s Land Line Now broadcast, Ellis said that like a lot of drivers he was excited about drivers’ voices being heard through the protests, though he was concerned about how quickly the tide could turn. He also said he wished professional drivers could get ahead of issues.

“There are times I really do wish that, instead of reacting we would act ahead of time, whether it’s on ELDs, or the changes in rules for the hours of service, that type of thing,” Ellis said on Land Line Now. “Maybe we can learn from all of this and start acting beforehand – contacting our elected officials, getting involved, just to get the word out that you don’t want these changes, or you do, depending on where you stand on things. And instead of waiting until after it’s already done and then going after it.”

Ellis was joined on last Friday’s Land Line Now broadcast by his predecessor at the wheel of the tractor pulling the Spirit of the American Trucker tour trailer across the country, Jon Osburn.

“It’s time to be proactive, not reactive,” Osburn said. “You know you’re only an email away or a phone call away from your elected officials. Let them know how you feel. And keep it clean, keep it civil, keep it professional.”

If not talking about the protest convoys, Ellis said the priorities for spending money from the federal infrastructure bill had stirred up some debate among truckers.

“Especially the $5 billion that’s going to the electrical vehicle infrastructure and we’re leaving (truck) parking out somehow again. Our elected officials, our bureaucracy, has decided that parking is not an issue,” Ellis said.

Apparently the officials and bureaucrats haven’t seen trucks parked on on-ramps and off-ramps or along interstates and other highways, way too close to traffic, all because the law says they need to stop.

“We really need the federal government to step in and take some type of ownership of part of the parking issues,” he said.

Listen to last Friday’s Land Line Now

Thanks for stopping by!

Marty said he appreciated the shout-out on social media from Andrew and Cheryl Anderson, and he looks forward to seeing them again.

Just met Marty Ellis at the @OOIDA Truck. So grateful for the opportunity! @Land_Line_Mag @TATravelCenters #trucking pic.twitter.com/D8PhXdUcbA

— Andrew & Cheryl Anderson TeamAndersons (@teamandersons) February 18, 2022

Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see OOIDA’s 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 for $10 off the regular price at The Spirit. Face masks are available at The Spirit for anyone with a commercial driver’s license.

After Grand Bay/Mobile, Ellis is scheduled to spend some time in Florida, starting with Marianna on March 3-5.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL