The Spirit heads to Glendale, Ky, and then to Indiana

Normally when OOIDA’s tour trailer stops in Glendale, Ky., it is where Jon Osburn, skipper of the Spirit of the American Trucker, gathers his wits before arriving at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

This year is anything but normal, though, with the COVID-19 viral outbreak up-ending schedules and normal protocols:

• MATS 2020 was canceled.
• Truck stop chains are adapting.
• Shippers and receivers have to be told to let truck drivers use the restrooms.
• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has to remind independent truck stop operators that drivers need access to their facilities.

Nonetheless, The Spirit is scheduled March 19-22 to be at the Glendale Petro on Exit 86 from I-65.

The Glendale Petro has 263 truck parking spots, an Iron Skillet restaurant, a Dunkin’ Donuts Express, five truck service bays, Wi-Fi and other amenities. It traditionally is a great stop for talking to lot of drivers, Jon said.

That also is usually the case at the previous stop for The Spirit in West Memphis, Ark. Not this spring, though. Traffic there was way down, Jon said.

“Have you ever seen an abandoned truck stop?” he asked.

Early one evening, he said, there may have been 50 trucks in a parking lot that holds 300. Reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak seems to have seriously curtailed business and shipments.

For instance, one driver was delivering fire hydrants but was told to go home and wait for a call, Jon said. The construction companies that install the fire hydrants were closed down in response to the COVID-19 threat, so there was nowhere to deliver the hydrants.

OOIDA has been busy contacting state officials and working with federal authorities to make sure professional truck drivers have the means to keep the nation supplied with necessities.

OOIDA and Land Line Media are compiling the latest updates from federal and state governments on the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. You can check on this regularly updated store of information here.

Stop by and introduce yourself

If you pull in somewhere and see OOIDA’s tour trailer, stop by and say hello to Jon. He enjoys visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. 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 Glendale, Jon and The Spirit head to Seymour, Ind., and then Jeffersonville, Ohio. Here is the schedule.