Through Wednesday, the OOIDA tour trailer is in Ashland, Va.

After a weekend at White’s Travel Center in Raphine, Va., Marty Ellis has hauled the OOIDA tour trailer to the TA Travel Center in Ashland, Va. He plans to be there through Wednesday, Dec. 7.

The Ashland TA is at the junction of I-95 and Route 54. That is Exit 92 from the interstate.

The Ashland TA has parking for 183 tractor-trailers. There is a Fuddruckers restaurant there.
It is one of two Ashland TA Travel Centers. The other is further south on I-95.

Ashland is 16 miles north of Richmond, Va. The city is named for the estate of statesman Henry Clay (1777-1852), who represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. He also served as secretary of state under President John Quincy Adams.

Land Line Now ‘driver shortage’ discussion

Ellis regularly discusses what he sees and hears from drivers on the road during Friday Land Line Now broadcasts. Often drivers stop by while they are on a 34-hour break and have time to get into real discussions. A recurrent topic is what many mega carriers and industry groups call a “driver shortage.”

“This has been brought up quite a bit, especially since the rates have gone down and the fuel’s still up. And, so, people are wondering, if there’s actually a shortage of drivers, that means there’s less trucks to pick up the product. Wouldn’t the rates have to go up?” Ellis said on Friday’s Land Line Now broadcast. “Well, of course, I mean, if it’s true about supply and demand.”

Right now, though, the rates are lousy, and the narrative just doesn’t make sense, and drivers are wondering when will this narrative stop, Ellis said.

“In my mind and in some out the drivers’ who pop by there, it’s basically a scheme to get the government so concerned that we’ll allow anybody and everybody to come into the industry and to lessen the regulations to make it easier for people to come in,” Ellis said.

OOIDA calls the driver shortage a myth.

Listen to the full conversation here or below.

Stop by when you see The Spirit

If you see the OOIDA 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.

After Ashland, Ellis and the OOIDA tour trailer are scheduled to stop in Kenly, N.C., and then Columbia, S.C.

Here is the schedule for The Spirit. LL