OOIDA’s tour trailer heads to Missoula, Mont.

OOIDA’s tour trailer will spend the weekend nestled among the mountains surrounding Missoula, Mont.

The Spirit of the American Trucker is scheduled to be at the Missoula TA on June 6-8. The Missoula TA is at the junction of I-90 and Highway 93. It is Exit 93 from I-90. There are 210 truck parking spots there and the Country Pride restaurant dining room is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Missoula is about 330 miles from The Spirit’s previous stop in Laurel, Mont. About halfway on the trip, The Spirit passed over the Continental Divide.

Five mountain ranges converge at Missoula. The average high temperature in June is in the mid-70s.

I-90 bisects Lolo National Forest in the Missoula area. Dominant trees are western red cedar, larch and white-bark pine. Montana has 10 national forests. While the name “Lolo” may suggest a Native American derivation, U.S. Forest Service experts think it came from a misspelling of a French fur trader’s name on an 1853 railroad survey and map.

Fun time and serious discussion in Laurel

In Laurel, Jon was busy talking to truckers, cowboys and cowgirls. The restaurant staff feted him with a cake for stopping by, and everyone in the restaurant got to have a piece. The Spirit has stopped there often since the truck stop was rebranded as a TA Express a few years ago, and the staff likes to celebrate when The Spirit returns.

In addition to the fun with the cake, there were some serious topics on the minds of drivers. One particular issue was suspected broker retaliation since truckers began protesting in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. Drivers have complained about low freight rates and brokers not providing the documents drivers are legally entitled to see.

Many drivers report brokers paying slowly since the protests ramped up, blaming it on a paperwork backlog because of the coronavirus. When it comes to assigning loads, however, there is no sign of a paperwork backlog.

OOIDA knows many brokers are not above retaliation. A brokers’ trade group has been blatant in calling for it, as Land Line has reported. The Transportation Intermediaries Association has lashed out against mandatory broker transparency that OOIDA has advocated on behalf of truck drivers. Land Line Managing Editor Jami Jones called them out on it recently.

Drivers faced with slow-paying brokers can file against the $75,000 bond brokers are required to have. OOIDA’s Business Services Department can offer advice and help. Here are some broker guidelines from OOIDA to consider.

OOIDA advises drivers to never wait for payment past the agreed-upon payment date. Since the required bond is only $75,000, it does not take long to exhaust it. It is likely if one driver is not getting paid that others also aren’t getting their money.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see The Spirit tour truck, stop by and say hello to Jon. He enjoys visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. He usually has copies of Land Line Magazine to hand out. You can join or renew your OOIDA membership for $10 off the regular price there. Also, you can get vouchers for flu, shingles and pneumonia vaccines from Jon.

After Missoula, Jon and The Spirit are scheduled to stop in Spokane, Wash. Here is the schedule.