As we all remember from the news story last week, the city councilmen of Warner Robins, the town just outside of Robins Air Force Base, just voted to ban commercial vehicles from parking for longer than 2 hours anywhere within the town limits. Before the vote took place, many truck drivers expressed their concern over the issue. Fortunately, truckers are a stubborn bunch. With the repeated pressure brought by drivers, the decision is now under review.
According to an article published by The Telegraph, one councilman alone received 75 emails about the decision from all across the country. Stunned by the overwhelming response, the councilmen immediately started to edge away from their previous claims that truckers were an “eyesore and a nuisance.”
“We are a military city,” said one councilman. “We have a logistics center here on (Robins Air Force Base). We’re pro-transportation. We’re pro-trucking.”
Well, the councilmen may be “pro-trucking,” but due to the ban, truckers have been refusing loads going into or through Warner Robins, causing a huge issue not only for the local stores that can’t get goods delivered, but also for the giant manufacturing companies that are nearby.
Because of the pressure from both truckers and local businesses, the mayor has stepped in to see if he can undo some of the damage that’s been done. Mayor Chuck Shaheen went on record saying “You tell em’ Chuck is for trucks. We’re going to do everything we can to provide a compromise — this is my personal project right now.”
“Chuck” is reportedly looking in to getting some land donated for parking purposes in an area nearby on Georgia 247. Until that can happen, he said he would call his City Attorney and see if there might be a way to suspend the ban until other arrangements can be made.
The ban is still in place for right now, but this just goes to show that when truckers stand together on an issue, all those voices can be pretty hard to ignore.
Next Story: Get Ready: HOS Changes Will Go Through As Planned
I love it
Good job.
Warner Robbins, oops!
The thing that gets me the most, and should get all truckers, is that the ban is in question only AFTER we show them we’re human beings, ourselves. Before that, we’re just “eyesores and nuisances”; we’re just these big old trucks that go too slow up ramps to the highway, and who otherwise make all of these selfishly self absorbed four-wheelers need to figure out a way to get around those “nuisances” in any way they can. BEFORE we took away their ability to stock their store shelves, we were just these big old trucks who just got in everybody’s frickin way!
The four-wheeling public of this nation seriously needs to start wising up. Everything they buy, every convenience they have, they have because of those “nuisances and eyesores”. They got it because TRUCKS brought it.
Totally agree!
Thanks for pointing out that everyone relies on “silly trucks”. People have stopped thinking for themselves. One person can say something and there goes the sheep. Baaaa! Would the community start thinking on how they can make it work for both sides we would accomplish so much more.
No matter what happens in the city council, we should still boycott WR. Teach cities a hard lesson before they even think about doing the same thing. Show cities and towns across the country that trucks and drivers are not an eyesore, but a vital part of their communities ability to not only succeed, but to survive.
I couldn’t agree with Mark more! Well said!
I will no longer spend any money in Warner Robins nor will I use any of their fuel stops anymore. I will continue to boycott wanna Robins weather the band is lifted or not.
I got a better idea how’s about every truck in America decides to stop? We’ll show the selfabsorbed four wheelers, government, FMCSA, PATT, and all the other people in this country that don’t like us just how much they need us. And then maybe we’ll get the repsect that we deserve. I’d love to see it personally. Sad thing is with the big megas out there that don’t care about the drivers it’ll never happen.
As much as I agree with you and think it would be a great idea that would work to boycott fuel prices as well… I think there are too many money greedy companies that would just step in and do the loads and buy the fuel as well. I believe if everyone would participate it would only take one day or two max before it put a hurt on thing enough to get their attention. 🙂
I’m thinkin’ we should just go on a massive strike like in the 70’s. That’ll show ’em when everyone tries to stock up on groceries or build a house but can’t cause their’s nothin’ on the shelves.
If we truckers didn’t treat every place we park like a garbage dump maybe we wouldn’t be hated so much. It’s those few PIG drivers that make the rest of us look bad!
Yeap Larry, those PIG drivers got NO respects and NO MANNERS.
It is sad that so many decide to use everywhere they park as a trash dump. I can agree with you here, by also not all drivers are slobs. Some o us do take pride in ourselves, our company, and our appearance.
I agree with the fact that we should pick up after ourselves. But what are you talking about? Pig truck drivers as if they are the only ones that litter. Excuse me but in general ALL people can be pigs. I’ve seen the most disgusting places near bus stops, on beaches, campsites, along roads highways, near people’s homes, on trails and the list goes on. ALL people need to take responsibility and do their part. See its the same story different facts. We love to point the finger at the other side. We are all responsible for the mess and we all need to clean up our act.
I 100% agree with u! All people want to associate modern day truckers with, is being slobs and such. I think the trucking communities should first off….stop crying and find ways t handle issues like this in a profesional manner. Maybe attend a city meeting and point out the affects their decision has on a growing town like W.R.! Crying and throwing fits wont change nothing. Why would we make all the citizens of W.R. suffer over this anyway. There i a big Air Force base there full of soldiers who defend our freedom everyday. Lets stand up the RIGHT way and get this overturned in a civil grown up manner. I am a driver and dont want to be looked at, as a whining baby who throws tantrums to get my way.
Isn’t it ironic that one government agency mandates that we stop and rest for 10 hours and others say “not in my backyard.” Finding a place to stop without violating hours rules is quite a trick. Looks like we need a chain of truck motels like RV parks where we can stop and plug in so we don’t have to idle all night … now forbidden in most metro areas.
Good point Jim.
Nah.. let the ban remain in place..
and drivers be sure to adhere to it.. they’ll figure it out on their own in short order.
when the A.F. base has to call the National Guard for supply delivery because trucks are not allowed, and the front gate to the base is crowded w/ the towns folk that also have no supplys…
True….WR will suffer for this….
Sometimes it takes a wake-up call to illustrate to people what we do. It’s good to see that WR can see their mistake and will work to correct it. As far as continuing to boycott them for correcting this, what good would that do? That’s like beating your kid every day for something they did last week.
You must be friends with someone on that City Council, Let the bullied get thier pound of flesh. It’s funny that they are now trying to make themselves look like the victims. Keep it up drivers United we stand.
Hey Nancy in one way your right BUT ! someone has to BE the example We Must Ban Them. Even still they all won’t charge their oppinion of us no matter what else happpens. I’m PUTTING MY RIG ON NO GO FOR WR period.
I agree with MARK,just park someplace else,and refuse to deliver. You call the place of delivery,and tell THEM to call the local government,and get it straightened out. All the local compainies complaining would get a lot of reaction real fast from the government officals !
Trucks move everything…truckers should be making 75K a year or more for full time work – period…that’s the only reason I left….new truckers have it the worst….after 2-3 years of being away from home (like it or not)….everyone working their’ asses off driving 400-600 miles a day to park an 80K rig between 4″ on either side should be making 75+ a year…
We’re NOT….we haven’t collectively seen mileage pay increases since 1976….we “R” this country and we get treated like the “stuff on a farmers boots”. Farmers are the only people that work harder than we do. We should all strike for 2-3 months….then let’s see everyone complain.
@Nancy: Because it’s not a kid, it’s a government agency, and they deserve all the pain and suffering they get.
GO GET ‘EM, CHUCK!!!
Now that’s how you roll! If only drivers (everybody really) would get that forceful about fuel prices.
This corrective measure should be applied all up and down the east coast…however, if it is coordinated by any one individual or organization, it could be construed as an organized crime by the fed, who is certainly watching closely. Just keep it grass roots, and it will work. ‘Bout time too.
When are we going to boycott America over artificially inflated fuel prices… I suppose the four wheelers expect us to fill up their Walmarts for free?
Finally we stick together as one. Now can we do this to the entire state of california?
Cali just needs to break away from the rest of us. It’s a lost cause.
the part that I don’t get, is, if such an impact can be done on this issue, in WR, refusing loads,
going around town, blah,blah,blah, then & when do you think that the trucking community might
say to there selves, gee wiz imagine what would happen on some other issues like fuel prices, the new H.O.S.,that I sure as heck don’t understand, ETC,ETC !!!!!! Now, I know common sense has long been out of existance, or extinct from Government, but come on folks. Please don’t tell me that you can’t figure this out !!! We are supposed to work smarter, not harder !! Can anyone out here tell me, how many other jobs in the U.S.A., the government dictates how many hours per day you can work ? or when you have to sleep ? WE, the trucking community, used to be in this business, for the freedom & glory of the open road, for the money. Anybody tell me what’s left,
no glory, no freedom, & sure as heck no money !!!! Must just be the CASH COW target on the what used to be shiny hiny
When I started trucking, forty odd years ago, it was FUN!! It sure as hell ain’t FUN no more!
I have refused to run the states since 1999. I run strictly Ontario to western Canada and back.For a few years I ran Ontario to the Maritimes, but Quebec is in the way so that’s out as far as I’m concerned.When I stopped running the U.S. I was getting a whopping .36/mile. Now. 14 years later, I get.40/mile. Every layover is costing more every week. When I get home every two, three or four weeks, I DO NOT want to leave again. One day I WON’T! I’ll contribute to the driver shortage and retire.
As for the anwser to how long any of us can work was setup by the Railroad’s Union’s and also the EPA was setup by them even though they were the one’s who were messing up the country sides they did it more or less to stop new growth of more RR tracks so that only one RR Co. had a monopoly of that area and also driving up the stock values of their RR anyway.
Yes I’m GOING TO BAN WR even if they lift the ban some one has to be the EXAMPLE !!!
And Yes I’m Going to Park if sell My Rig to Ban CSA 2010 and HOS I have done this already I am Tired of being Bullied and them reaching into my pockets helping themselves to what ever they feel like. I am Done !!! I will go on welfare and let support me before I turn another wheel again.
Well said J Carter! This is such welcome news. After reading the previous article about the ban and seeing this now, it makes me proud that we really can band together, create change and perhaps gain a little respect while educating the rude 4 wheeling public and their government along the way. Now, if we could only do this about the outrageous tolls we are subject to across the country. Just for an example, The Austin TX bypass. This bypass was created to ease congestion/get the passing through trucks out, but they have made it so damn expensive that very very few trucks ever use it. Our fuel taxes paid for the construction! Now we have to pay 5 times what the 4 wheelers do to use it?! Owner ops like me will just bend over and do it on occasion, but I know there are some company drivers out there that are forced to drive through Austin no matter the conditions, its outrageous!! And TX allowed a foreign company to come in and build/maintain the southern portion, which by the way never gives the occasional discounts that the northern portion does. I say a convoy of us completely blocks off downtown Austin on I35 and the frontage roads until the rates are lowered to a reasonable level. Then follow that trend across the country wherever we are being robbed.
I say after there forced to lift the ban …
Truckers inpose our own ban on that town
When our they going to stop bullying us? Hazmat, TWIC, Passports, just sucking even more money away from the Valiant Drivers that geter done through thick and thin rain or shine. They treat us like criminals we should boycott for a week just to show them how important we are. We are at least as importanat as Police and Fireman, You (the Public) need our services everyday!!! And if we boycotted for a week then you might need your local law enforcement evry day. So quit being in such a damn hurry. Believe me, if your that damn important they will wait for you!!!
I live in WR and use to park in the lot that created this
The councilman who started this is full of it. He said we were littering and soliciting prostitutes. That was a lie 95% of the truckers using the lot only parked there on the weekends when it was time for the hometime. I am refusing any load that goes to Warner Robins and I hope you all will to until they lift this ban.
And the other 5%? What did they do? Solicit prostitutes and litter?
The bad apples create the problems.
Look I’m with you all because I’m a driver who knows your pain (except Nancy of course, and what up with “artificially inflated fuel prices”?!? – I’m afraid you’ll have to venture outside of America to find those Dan…if anything they’re artificially deflated here!) – but the fact is, 18-wheelers aren’t really something you want a bunch of in your neighborhood if you’re not a trucker. This partly explains the trucking community’s strong and immediate response to WR’s action: it’s something they/we have to constantly worry about. One of the big reasons I just quit a new job after three weeks was because it involved too much having to park in southern CA. I have no interest in purchasing the TA’s inventory on their $20/day plan…and please, don’t even mention the food!
I have written to the Mayor of this town and have shared my disgust with this prissy towns attitude towards truckers. Yes, some truckers are pigs and will pee anywhere even with facilities near by and that hurts the rest of us, but the response to the parking of trucks was an ignorant decision.
Let them hear from you, you can e-mail the Mayor and all the council members at the following website.
http://www.wrga.gov/ then look for the contact us at the bottom of the page
http://www.wrga.gov/contact
Be professional, but let them know how you feel about this.
A few years ago ‘the city of stockbridge, GA. ‘ had a parking ban on ALL commercial vehicles in their city. There is a Goodyear Plant there, if I remember correctly. After getting unloaded there I went up to the Wal Mart and parked overnight. There were NO signs saying I could not park, nor were there any signs that I saw that said ‘no commercial vehicle parking in Stockbridge’. I got towed at the WalMart,, even tho the Mgr. said it was ‘not a problem with them ‘ to park there.
Fine was $250. Tow was $650. Crete didn’t reimburse, either. I don’t know if ban is still in effect, but it is the first little town south of Atlanta.
Still hatin’ the Yankees, I suppose. Typical of Georgia politics, from what I’ve seen in Georgia on a couple occasions. I hear Mesquite and Lancaster, TX are the same policy.
Mr. Wilson I live in Seagoville Texas. Thats about 12 miles from Mesquite and about 13 miles from Lancaster. I grew up here. Drive a truck here and I know of no such law to prevent truck parking. Granted you cannot park on entrance ramps of exit ramps. But most of the walmarts and such not all mind you but most will let you park on their lots. The problem is what has been discussed in earlier comments. The littering, the disposal of human waste etc,etc. tends to get out of hand.
If we make this town and others like them run out of food and even more important GAS, they would stop to think next time the call truckers an eyesore. It’s hard for company drivers to turn down loads but for owner ops, I would make this town understand trucks is the reason the are able to get GAS to drive to work to make these STUPID decisions. IF YOU GOT IT A TRUCK BROUGHT IT. Make this town and others like them understand that.
Jim Wood
jimwoodtrucking@aol.com
HELL YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This what we need alot more of.
Now if only we did this to California..
I AM doing this to California with their cronyism in CARB. More and more will as the CARB restrictions advance up through the deadline brackets for various CARB BS. I’ve tried to explain things and at least start a dialogue with my fellow truckers. The overwhelming response I get from these cowards, is “you’re wasting your time, or, hurting yourself, or it’ll never work…” — I say GROW A PAIR and stand up for your self!!
I get a lot of what CARB regulations???? I can’t believe any trucker would set themselves up for the fines that CA is hoping to collect from the truckers going into the state to make up for the money they are losing for the trucks that refuse.
Try driving through BC Canada. Not only is it mainly mountains, with 2 lane goat trails serving as the highways in most parts, and places to pull over few and far between. The towns, that are always inbetween to horribly large grades, refuse to allow truck parking within them. Even if you say to hell with it, your hours are up, so you have to park it, nope, sorry, there’s no room to pull over anyways. For a long time I’ve been saying that all truckers should boycott these towns. They are sure happy when we deliver goods to them, but hate us all the rest of the time. And I love it when all of them have signs up at the top of the grades forbidding the use of engine brakes (with a fine attached too). Screw them, I jake all the way down into their little crappy town.
The mayor along with his buddies in the counsel thought up this law and they passed
It then forced it down all of us drivers throats with words of scorn and contempt.
Well…thats the way they want it, fine…screw screw them, no driver should every deliver therer again. Let it be a leason to everyone else, we drivers are the back bone of this nation and we wont be treated like that again….PERIOD.
youtube ” the most honest 3 minutes in tv history” enough said
Larry just hit the nail on the head…be proud to truck this country..stop being a disgusting part of our reputation!!
This is why I found a local job. After many a night circling a truckstop about to pass out at the steering wheel waiting for a parking spot to open up. Forget that crap
Right on, guys!! No trucks for a day means no toilet paper in the city council potties. Let the jerks use some of the idiotic BS they try to cram down the public’s throat!! Let this be a lesson for all of us. If ya don’t like it, tell ’em to stick it. Truckers unite!! It doesn’t matter what company you drive for or what union you might or might not belong to. When you follow the fog line, you’re a brother.
John Burleson
Larry, I can’t agree with you more, I to am a truck driver . And it really irritates me as well to see the garbage and pee bottles that have been thrown out on the ground. Especially when you see there is a trash can or dumpster about 70 feet from their truck. Then you hear them complain about getting kicked out of places or there are no places to park. Well wake up truck driver’s don’t throw your garbage on the ground, keep it in your truck and dispose of it in the right!!!!! But at the same time it is nice to see people sticking together and standing up for right’s as human being’s. We are not all animal’s out here, some of do care about the communities and the environment where we go. I just wish we could take this a little bit bigger and stop some of the inflated prices that corporate greed has created and frivolous spending that or government is doing. This to is what hurts us as society and our humans right’s to live free and prosper in this country. At the same time we the people need to know our limits as to our own greed for higher and higher wages. It has only become a vicious cycle that no one can seem to realize and come to an agreement on. So I believe if we all don’t start working the together, then we are all responsible for the failures to this economy and society.
I think the only reason the mayor is thinking twice is because the general public won’t see it his way once they start running out of commodities and will want the rule changed so trucks will once again deliver to the town. If the mayor stands firm on the original decision and doesn’t change it to accomadate trucks in the town then the towns population will not vote for him at the next mayoral election. The mayor is only saving his own butt here, I dont believe he actually cares about truckers, he only cares about staying popular with the public. And that’s hard to do when he’s the reason the town shelves are bare!!
Well done Now that we have taken a stand here at a city level. How about trying it on a larger scale LIKE CALIFORNIA!!!
At least you don’t have to worry about parking. You really can have it all. A BBQ on the street. What could be better?
I SURE HOPE Your City has Plenty of Supplies stocked UP !!! WHY ??? Because of what Your City Council has said and Your Two HOUR Parking Law for Commercial Trucks and The comments made by the City Council “Trucker’s are an Eyesore and a Nuisance” Yep!!! I ‘m a Trucker and I will NEVER ! Bring any thing Absolute NOTHING ! to Warner Robins,GA. and You can Believe me an Apology’s won’t be enough to get me to Deliver to You. This is NOT a Threat but a Proclamation. I’m also doing this on behalf All the Trucker’s who live there that will have to move.
So Chuck is for TRUCKS Huh!!! Why did the law /ban ever get voted in anyway ? Because everyone on the City Council was for IT ! OOPpppsss! an this is what You Unprejudiced, Unbiased, Law Abiding, and Law Writing Leaders of the City and Citizens Support WOW ! sounds like the South has RISEN AGAIN!!! I’m Truly OFFENDED By Your City’s Comments about Trucker’s being an Eyesore and a Nuisance, Why Not also Bring back Slavery while Your at it and make Truckers go to the back door of the restaurant to get service. Hey Chuck don’t worry about getting land for truckers to park there will be an a abundance of that when Property Values GO thought the floor. I am contacting My Attorney and Yes I guess I will being seeing you after all IN Court ! For Deformation of character this may turn into a class action suit. HOW ABOUT WE ALL PARK OUR TRUCK”s and Do Away with CSA 2010 !!!!
I think that truck drivers need to stop being slaves of a country that can give a damm overall towards those whom deliver the very goods for their every day use. There is an attitude in this country against truck drivers. They are manipulated like slaves or robots. Do not park here , dont go there, to to the truck stop and get taken by a mark up on goods sold there and at the warehouses be treated like robots or slaves by some non properly educated receiver person. The same go with the wages. Truck drivers put up with wages not fit for their job while jerks whom do less work and at times have less common sense towards life and work than truck drivers. A truck driver should be pay at least a minimun of 60 cents a mile and owner opeators with the fuel surcharge should get at least $2 per mile.
i am impressed with you guys standing up together. i am a transport company owner here in south africa. here truckers are treated like crap as well city councils are full of crap as well. we pay a lot of money for tolls yet we make their lifes more comfortable. drivers are treated like they are not humans. i wish if we copy from you guys and change things here. in some countries like zimbabwe, zambia etc we pay for tolls for roads which have got pot holes almost everywhere.
Glad to see truckers are fighting this. This is just another attempt by local governments to try and collect revenue from the working class while the drug dealer goes free. They see truckers as a easy mark because they cannot take time off to try and defend their case.
Well I’m shocked that truckers actually banned together for once! There’s so much ball measuring out here that I don’t see how the majority of them accomplish anything! AMEN people! If we all keep this up EVERYWHERE, like D.C. maybe we’ll get some decent truck Large truck stops to take our needed rest time off! Maybe no toilet paper deliveries, or diapers, then they would all really suffer!
New update…..ban lifted today.
http://www.macon.com/2013/03/04/2380992/warner-robins-council-lifts-truck.html
This is the response to my earlier e-mail from the Mayor of this town.
RE: [Office of the Mayor] Ban on Truckers
Inbox
x
Chuck Shaheen
Mar 3 (1 day ago)
to me
This is an e-mail I sent to council last night… I can only answer for my own actions and vote. If it comes to a tie, I will vote in favor of the truckers…
We are the only city in the area that has an ordinance against trucks. Centerville, Perry, Macon, Fort Valley, Byron, Bibb, Peach, and Houston County do not have any restrictions.
Every other mayor and our chairman did not agree with our rules.
Just passing this information on.
We need to move forward with other issues and we have spent way to much time coming up with a solution to a problem.
This would be a compromise and a solution we have created.
I have spoke with the truckers newspaper and radio station hosts and the agreed that this would be very helpful to those who serve our businesses. We made a decision based on the information we had, we have more pertinent information, therefore let’s make another decision.
This is not the Mayor against the council.
Let’s please compromise on this topic.
Chuck Shaheen
Mayor City of Warner Robins
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—–Original Message—–
From: cwrra@wrga.gov [mailto:cwrra@wrga.gov] On Behalf Of LoyalLRitter@gmail.com
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 7:31 AM
To: Chuck Shaheen
Subject: [Office of the Mayor] Ban on Truckers
Loyal L. Ritter sent a message using the contact form at http://www.wrga.gov/contact.
Dear Mr. Mayor,
I find the ban on truckers/trucks an ignorant response to your parking problem. It sounds like you have some snobby council member that would like
to keep those smelly trucks and drivers out of their pristine/perfect town.
I have refused all efforts to dispatch me to go through or into your town.
If all truckers did this your town will remain pristine and empty of all supplies and people. How appalling it is to attack the very people that keep your community supplied with EVERYTHING that it needs to exist.
I would strongly suggest that you require your council to make a public apology to all hard working truckers who sustain this countries needs on a daily basis.
Disgusted in Florida,
Loyal L Ritter
A word of thanks to chuck, at least someone listened. we as truckers have a really hard time on many issues.most people think trucking is easy,and it would be if driving is all we had to do. more issues as i said, parking anywhere in us,idlelaws hours of service,getting paid hhg miles when we dont (cant in most cases)drive them. these are top of my list. can we all come together and change these also. Thanks again Chuck For Your Help
I agree with saying no truck parking, no deliveries. Yes it is horrible going to find a spot to sleep at truck stops. Truckers have it harder everyday. From low pay per mile, high diesel, outrageous plumper fees, and double the cost for food at truck stop restaurants. Truckers work more hours per day and do not receive overtime for it. We work up to 14 hours per day and 7 days a week. Home time is an option if you don’t want to make ends meet. The only way to make enough money is to stay out on the road and eat 1 meal a day and then it is so unhealthy it is pitiful. We do need to make a stand. Pay should be based on performance, on time deliveries, no accidents, no tickets and customer satisfaction. It also makes no sense to charge a lumper fee to a driver then the company charges it back to the customer anyway. If you do not pay attention you will not get reimbursed. Just don’t charge the lumped fee and they can drop the extra paperwork. Yes, if we want more pay we will cause the price of items to go up. The higher ups in the companies need to realize that it is the workers and drivers that are the reason they are still in business. Money needs to go to the ones who provide the means of goods and services. Sorry I am off track but it needs to be said.
Would be nice if we were really organised. We could tell the DOT what they can do with their CSA and EOBR crap.
The sad part is that people’s attitudes haven’t changed. They are not suddenly struck with a feeling a feeling of guilt over how they are treating trucks and truck drivers, they only care about themselves. Had loads been delivered they wouldn’t change their minds … don’t be fooled drivers, more needs to be done. RIP Jason
One city down, what STATE is next?