It’s rare for an industry this large to have such a strong sense of community. Especially with such a high turnover rate, it would be all too easy to forget that drivers were once known as ‘The Knights of the Road.’ With new drivers coming on board every day, our industry is shifting and growing ever larger.
Drivers may no longer get compared to knights, but people still know that we look out for our own. Police in Rock Falls, IL have asked drivers to be on the lookout for Owner Operator Bryan Van Hooser, after his family reported him missing last week. He was supposed to be delivering a load of frozen meat to Chicago last Tuesday, but when he never showed, calls were made. Hooser apparently never even started the trip – his rig was found in the lot where he normally parks it.
His wife, Mindy, filed the missing persons report on Tuesday of last week at around 4:17pm. The police report stated that Mindy called the police so soon after he went missing because she was worried about “some remarks during a conversation that troubled her earlier in the afternoon.”
Police say that his personal vehicle is gone, a 2006 blue Chevy Trailblazer with a Green Bay Packers’ trailer hitch cover and IL plates 661 5431. His cell phone was left at his house.
Rock Falls, IL, Police Chief Mike Kuelper says that police haven’t received any leads or positive sightings, but went on to say, “We received information that he might be headed to the Midwestern states like South Dakota, Wyoming or Nebraska. As of right now, we don’t have anything concrete. He is still missing.”
Kuelper knows that Hooser’s fellow drivers offer the best chance for him to be found and has asked them “to check any rest areas or off-the-beaten path areas, just in case they might spot him.” But just remember to keep your own safety in mind.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rock Falls Police Department at 815-622-1140 or tips@rockfalls61071.com.
No matter how much has changed, there’s still a code amongst drivers. In an industry where the standard is to pay per mile driven, any time not spent driving is money lost, but if a driver sees a rig on the side of the road, he pulls over and lends a hand. He does it because he knows if the situation was reversed, the other driver would do the same. He does it because it’s the right thing to do.
UPDATE: SauxValley.com has reported that Hooser has been found safe. Police would not say where he was found, or why he left.
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Source: landline
Joe Jandura says
Bryan has been found safe a local news article has stated