Almost three weeks ago, the city council of Warner Robins voted to ban commercial vehicles from parking anywhere within city limits for longer than 2 hours without consent from the property owner. Since Warner Robins is the city just outside Robins Air Force Base and a general hub for the large manufacturing companies in the area, the trucking community made their displeasure heard loud and clear.
Well, score one for the truckers! The ban in Warner Robins has been lifted! If for whatever reason you haven’t been following the story, you can get our full coverage of previous developments here and here.
Just days after the initial vote, truckers started refusing loads going to or through the city. Complaints from truckers and local business owners started pouring in. One city councilman received more than 75 emails complaining about the decision before the week was out. The issue quickly garnered both local and national attention as truckers nationwide joined the movement.
The mayor quickly stepped in, assuring both the local business owners and truckers that he undo the damage, saying “You tell em’ Chuck is for trucks.” The mayor kept his word, and at a city council meeting on March 4th, just two weeks after the ban was born, it was killed by a 5-0 vote. If you’ve been paying close attention, you know that there are actually 6 council members. The councilman who initially proposed the ban was not in attendance at the latest meeting.
Another councilman weighed in on the mistake saying: “We said from the start we didn’t want to do anything to damage the working guy. And that’s the way it kind of came out, that we were against truck drivers. And it’s nothing further from the truth.”
“We made a decision based on the information we had,” The mayor said. “We gathered more information, so we went back and made another decision.”
Whatever the reason, the ban on trucks has been lifted, in no small part because the trucking community as a whole stood as one. Congratulations, everyone. Let’s keep the ball rolling! If you know about another community that has a trucking ban, tell us about it on Facebook, Twitter, or in the comments!
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Source: Macon
Rich Charles says
They were caught with their proverbial pants down.As truckers,we DON’It’s T have to bring you your freight.Now the trucking community needs to band together and step on NYC and Calif’s toes.We are only helping the country,and these so called experts are out to hurt the USA,more than we ever could.Its a cycle of change,and more than 1 change is coming,and its coming very soon.
RC says
Thats right Rich Charles, we need to put these movements in full action, starting with, NYC and CA. they definitely should be the 1st. From outrageous tolls to ignorant parking signs, its so outta hand. They have no respect, or care for the very ones that bring the products they use every day. No respect or care for the ones that keep their businesses going, we are the reasons why money is made, we are the blood in the body that keeps this Country alive. Its about time for Company’s, Owner Operators, and Company drivers also (when ever they can) to stand up, start refusing to go in these areas until demands of decent comforts are made. There has to be a better way, some type of compromise. Even the fuel, should be regulated better.
We need to organize a nationwide set up to force every state to allow commercial parking in any area that there are commercial property, unless of course if its mixed with residential. But even that should be a community option, not just the town saying no truck parking period, like many towns do. Including over night parking, especially for the areas where there are any truck stops for miles. People may not care or act like they dont understand when we communicate a necessity when you ask, BUT, you let that freight stop coming through, bet they all will understand reeeeeeeeal quick..
Jon says
I received a phone call from the mayor on a SUNDAY about this ban.
I was very pleased with the discussion we had. To say he wasn’t happen is an understatement.
People made it clear, the council did NOT represent the city that week they did this.
Craig L says
It would be interesting to see how quickly California laws would change if the store shelves went empty. Too many truckers live in the State for it to work, however. I do refuse to shop at any Walmart that does not allow overnight parking. That one is a little tough though because so many truckers are pigs. I don’t think I would want your nasty pee bottles dumped on my property either.
Stormy says
It is a shame that it has to come to this to get anybody to show just an iota of common sense
Trisha says
I know its a little easier for my husband and I as owner operators to take a stand against California, than if we were company drivers. But we made the decision not to comply with California and pretend it doesnt exist anymore. I hope more drivers and owner operators decide to do the same. California is putting a lot of financial strain on an economy that cant really afford it right now.
Sue says
That’s an excellent idea. We won’t be able to run there after next year anyway, so why not get an early start on avoiding CA. Their rules and regs are ridiculous. One of their Ag check officers argued with my hubby over a tumbleweed that had gotten stuck on the bottom of the trailer, insisting that it was a thistle, and refused to listen to reason. We as an industry need to step up the pressure on the parking and freight rates issues.
Sharon Jones says
Good for Warner Robbins. Another city that should be looked is Fayetteville, NC. They are extremely harsh on truckers, and have no truck parking. Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg, one of the largest bases. They have one area on 301, that they call a truckstop, but drivers may only pay to shower, get gas, and then have to keep it moving. There is much freight throught the city, but a trucker has nowhere to wait to deliver or God forbid, try and get some shut eye.
Stormy says
Hi Trisha….. we are O/O’s and we are with you on California. Hard on us because we do entertainment trucking and have had to tell our customers we won’t do any shows in CA anymore. They have bankrupted the state and now they want to bankrupt the truckers and businesses.
Ray M. says
@ Craig: It is ashame that drivers can’t keep their trash in their trucks until they reach a trash can. However, it’s not just the trucks doing this. My wife and I watched some fat slob and her fat slob of a husband (presumably) just empty their car of all their fast food trash from what looked like a months worth of visits to BK and Mickey D’s. My wife took a picture of that mess and their license plate and took it straight to the manager and told her that its not just trucks that do this. It seemed to go right over her head. We figured the manager and the slobs were related.
SWolf says
RayM. Send your photograph and details to WallyWorlds head office, be sure and tell them the attitude of their local manager. I also take my business elsewhere instead of shopping there. Having been in the retail end of things off and on WalMart is a prime example of greediness, and the employee is dirt. As in most reporting make sure your details are there, date,time, names, etc. Might help the cause if you post it in a lot of places
d king says
Ray M. try sending it to BK cooperate office , then to that city, county that it accured, stating that trucks are not responseable for all of the trash. some drivers do, most do not ,some car drivers do, most dont
Paul says
Way to go Warner Robins!Now if the whole country could see what happened there ,amagine what we could do if we all could stand together and stop all the fuel gouging(maybe spelled wrong).This country would shut down in 48 hrs if we would just shut down and don’t do any loads till they fix a lot of the rules and bans they have on the truckers!
Jim Robinson says
Levi town, pa has it where there is no truck parking allowed anywhere near or in the town.
John Burleson says
This is a great day for the trucking community. We CAN stick together when it counts. Now…fuel prices….
Des says
Now all truckers need to do is stand together and refuse to haul cheap freight .
Sharon Jones says
Des, you just said a mouth full.
Gary Crawford says
You’re right on the money Des. To bad all the new entries into this business feel it’s OK to cut rates just to get going. The only place they’re are going to be going is out of business. The problem is how many people and companies are they going to take down with them.
dmfletcher55 says
I already turned down cheap Freight. And I won’t go to California or New York City. I too am in owner operator.and we need to go after them about the cost of fuel. And who knows how to get this information out to someone who can do something about it
puddle jumper says
Hmmmmmm. Image that, they want there goodies, gas, food….. Well truth is that the point should be shoved down warner robins throat just like they did to all us drivers, the boycott should go on till they beg us to deliver. Then ca. And all the other cities ans states will have an example of what happens when thr trucks stop delivering and then they can get realistic about trucks and all us drivers who struggle to make a living.
mike c says
WE ARE TRUCKERS…RISE UP AND BE COUNTED!!!
Flower child says
Seems to me cities would be more understanding of our need indeed but I’ve ran across man many many truckers I would NEVER want any where near my home!!!!
dmfletcher55 says
flower child do you think that we would have a better quality of truck drivers if truck drivers were treated better?and also paid better?
Gordon says
CA is the thorn in Americas Paw so to speak. Reefer trucks have the power to make a change in CA and refuse to utilize it. It is OK to go to CA. Deliver your load and then go to the chilling houses and back to the dock and refuse to open the doors or load . When the farmers begin to plow produce under I bet they get Sacramento’s attention in a hurry. . Changes will occur when millions of dollars of produce get plowed under.
Philip Bagwell Sr says
Need same change in Carson, CA…Imagine, a town just up the street from Long Beach and San Pedro, CA harbors banning truck parking in the city. I was coming out of the DC for DHL in Carson last week and saw where trucks were waiting for their Appt. and getting parking tickets while on an un posted side street . We need to protest there and other towns in and around Los Angeles, Ca
shut down says
Next on the list should be paying the over priced tolls to feed Ny City….Boycott!!!!!…We all should learn by this just who needs who.
sarah says
HELP!!!! My husband is a dedicated truck driver and has a layover in coos bay, Or for 10 hrs everyday except Sunday. The city of Coos Bay has declared no parking within city limits. they are claimimg we are a hazard to the local drivers. There is no truck stops for hours. It is not because we are messy. They are claiming that drivers cannot see the stop signs. Is there any help for truckers that are being bullied by the cities they take care of.