The Spirit stops south of Atlanta before heading to Florida

Look for the OOIDA tour trailer, the Spirit of the American Trucker, at a truck stop south of Atlanta through Tuesday.

The Spirit is at the TA Atlanta South truck stop, which is at I-75 at Georgia Highway 36, Exit 201, in Jackson, Ga.

After Tuesday, Jon Osburn, skipper of The Spirit, plans to head for Ocala, Fla., which is some 300 miles south. This will be Jon’s first time to roll on the highway after full enforcement of the ELD mandate went into effect on April 1.

Remember, the law says after April 1, drivers without an ELD will be put out of service for 10 hours. They will then be allowed to complete their run. Before proceeding beyond the load currently under dispatch, an ELD must be installed in the truck.

Let us know via OOIDA’s Twitter or Facebook pages if you notice a lot of law enforcement officers interested in knowing if truckers have their ELDs or not. If you have a dash cam and see long lines at weigh stations, snap a picture and send it to us.

Jon spent a quiet Easter Sunday at the TA Atlanta South truck stop, thanks to someone’s idea of an April Fool’s Day joke. A bomb threat was called into the truck stop that morning, so law enforcement authorities closed access and called the bomb squad. Restaurant and fuel customers were evacuated.

Authorities found a backpack filled with only harmless trash in the vicinity of the chapel. Jon said it was one of the unfunniest jokes ever.

Whenever you see The Spirit tour truck, go and say hello to Jon. He enjoys visiting about the Association’s activities and current issues. You can also 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 at The Spirit.