The OOIDA tour trailer will weekend in Gaston, Ind.

With the past stop and the next, Marty Ellis is taking the Spirit of the American Trucker on a short tour of 2021 Citizen Driver truck stops.

The past stop was in Glendale, Ky., where the Petro is dedicated to Citizen Driver Dan “Dusty” Porter, an OOIDA life member and a driver for Werner Enterprises.

This weekend, April 2-4, Ellis and The Spirit are scheduled to be in Gaston, Ind., at the Petro dedicated to Don Talley, another OOIDA member.

The Citizen Driver award recognizes professional truck drivers who earn respect for the industry through good citizenship, community involvement and leadership. Recognition that comes with being named a Citizen Driver includes having a TA or Petro truck stop dedicated in the honoree’s name.

Ellis himself was named a Citizen Driver in 2017, and his predecessor behind the wheel of the OOIDA tour truck, Jon Osburn, was named a Citizen Driver in 2016.

Talley is a U.S. Army veteran who has driven professionally for more than 20 years and has logged more than 2 million crash-free miles. Both he and his 2021 Citizen Driver compatriot stopped by the trailer in Glendale.

The nomination period for the 2022 Citizen Driver program is expected to open in May. Winners are expected to be announced in November.

The Gaston Petro is at Exit 245 from I-65. It has parking for 150 tractor-trailers, and the Iron Skillet dining room is reported to be open.

More visitors in Glendale

Some OOIDA members stopped by the OOIDA tour trailer with their canine copilots when Ellis was at the Glendale Petro.

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 Gaston, Ellis and the OOIDA tour trailer are scheduled April 2-4 to be at the Petro in Remington, Ind.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL