The OOIDA tour trailer heads to Rogers, Minn.

Marty Ellis, skipper of the OOIDA tour trailer, gets a chance to check on the TA Travel Center dedicated to him on his next scheduled stop.

Ellis and the Spirit of the American Trucker are scheduled Aug. 24-25 to be at the TA in Rogers, Minn. It is at the junction of I-94 and Highway 101, Exit 207.

There is parking for 80 tractor-trailers there. The full-service restaurant is temporarily closed, according to the Rogers TA website

The Rogers TA was dedicated to Ellis in 2017 as part of the recognition that comes with being named a TA & Petro Citizen Driver. The Citizen Driver award recognizes professional truck drivers whose citizenship and driving record have added to the positive reputation of the industry.

There is a dedication plaque at the Rogers TA commemorating Ellis being named a Citizen Driver.

Ellis said he was treated like a rock star when the Rogers TA was dedicated to him.

“It was kind of surreal. You never think in this industry that you’d get this kind of recognition,” Ellis told a Land Line reporter at the dedication ceremony. “But (the folks at the TA) really made it seem like it was a big deal for them too.”

Before signing on to be skipper of the OOIDA tour trailer, Ellis had driven nearly 27 years as a company driver. In addition, he was deeply involved in South Dakota Convoy for Special Olympics for 12-15 years.

 Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see OOIDA’s tour trailer, stop by and say hello. Ellis is looking 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 there. Face masks are available at The Spirit for anyone with a commercial driver’s license.

After the stop in Rogers, The Spirit is scheduled to stop Aug. 26-29 in Clearwater, Minn., and then Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Albert Lea, Minn.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL