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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — By 2045, every new truck sold in California will be zero-emission. That’s according to the California Air Resources Board, which on June 25 adopted a first-in-the-world rule requiring truck manufacturers to transition from diesel trucks and vans to electric zero-emission trucks beginning in 2024 and culminating in 100% zero-emission trucks by 2045. A statement from CARB describes the move as “bold and timely,” adding that it sets a clean-truck standard for the nation and the world and marks the most important air-pollution regulation to date implemented by California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. The rule zeroes in on air pollution in the state’s most disadvantaged and polluted communities. “California is an innovation juggernaut that is going electric. We are showing the world that we can move goods, grow our economy and finally dump dirty diesel,” said Jared Blumenfeld, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection. According to CARB, many California neighborhoods, especially Black and Brown, low-income, vulnerable communities, are adjacent to the state’s ports, railyards, distribution centers and freight corridors and experience the heaviest truck traffic. This new rule directly addresses disproportionate risks and health and pollution burdens affecting these communities and puts California on the path for an all zero-emission short-haul drayage fleet in ports and railyards by 2035, and zero-emission “last-mile” delivery trucks and vans by 2040. “For decades, while the automobile has grown cleaner and more efficient, the other half of our transportation system has barely moved the needle on clean air,” said CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. “Diesel vehicles are the workhorses of the economy, and we need them to be part of the solution to persistent pockets of dirty air in some of our most disadvantaged communities. Now is the time; the technology is here and so is the need for investment.” Trucks are the largest single source of air pollution from vehicles, responsible for 70% of the smog-causing pollution and 80% of carcinogenic diesel soot, even though they number only 2 million among the 30 million registered vehicles in California, according to CARB. The aim of this requirement to shift to zero-emission trucks, along with the ongoing shift to electric cars is to help California meet its climate goals and federal air-quality standards, especially in the Los Angeles region and the San Joaquin Valley — areas that suffer the highest levels of air pollution in the nation. Statewide, the Advanced Clean Truck regulation is expected to lower related premature deaths by 1,000. The rule drives technology and investment, phasing in available heavy-duty zero-emission technology starting in 2024 with full transformation over the next two decades. CARB states that the rule sends a clear signal to manufacturers, fleet owners and utilities that now is the time to invest in zero-emission trucks and in the economy, building on California’s leadership as a manufacturer of zero-emission transportation. In the coming months, CARB will consider two complementary regulations to support its June 25 action. The first would set a stringent new limit on NOx (oxides of nitrogen), one of the major precursors of smog. This would require that new trucks that still use fossil fuels include the most effective exhaust-control technology during the transition to electric trucks. There is also a proposed requirement for larger fleets in the state to transition to electric trucks year over year.

FREMONT, Neb. — The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating a crash involving a tractor-trailer hauling fireworks south of Uehling. At about 11 a.m. Saturday, June 20, the Nebraska State Patrol received a report of a crash involving a tractor-trailer and an SUV at the intersection of State Highway 77 and Road F in Dodge County. When troopers arrived on scene, the tractor-trailer, which was hauling fireworks, was fully engulfed in flames and fireworks inside the trailer were actively exploding. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and Hooper Police Department also responded to the call. Witnesses were able to extricate all persons involved in the crash from the vehicles before authorities arrived on the scene. Both occupants of the SUV, a Toyota Highlander, were transported to the hospital in Fremont for treatment; the driver was then flown to Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha for additional treatment. The driver of the tractor-trailer was treated on the scene. The crash investigation is ongoing.

WASHINGTON — Truckers who applauded the long-overdue infrastructure bill now making its way through Congress were blindsided by a proposed amendment that would increase their costs of doing business. On June 18, Jesus G. “Chuy” Garcia (D-Illinois) submitted a proposed amendment to the bill that would increase the minimum level of financial responsibility for most carriers from the current $750,000 to $2 million. Haulers of hazardous materials are currently required to carry minimum liability insurance of $1 million to $5 million, depending on quantity and hazard class. Some carriers who have ceased operations in the past year cited the high cost of insurance as a factor in the demise of their businesses. The proposed amendment will undoubtedly add significantly to those costs. Garcia sits on the Highways and Transit subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and is a member of the Future of Transportation Caucus. H.R. 2, titled Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act (better known by its acronym, INVEST in America), was introduced into the House by Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) on June 11. The bill would authorize spending of $494 billion for infrastructure and related projects over the next five years. The act, if approved, will replace the current highway funding act, FAST, which is set to expire Sep. 30. The bill is currently in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and has not been released to the full House for a vote. Critics of the bill note that the $319 billion earmarked for highway investments falls far short of the amounts estimated by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in its 2017 Report Card, in which the group estimated a $543 billion cost just to bring current roads and bridges to an “acceptable” level. The organization estimated another $293 billion will be needed for system expansion and enhancements. The next Report Card from ASCE will be issued in 2021. Others criticize the bill on political grounds, including the exclusion of House Republicans from the drafting process and because of proposed funding of “green” initiatives such as emissions measurement and electric-vehicle charging stations. Garcia’s amendment passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee June 17 by a roll-call vote of 37-27. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which had previously issued a press release in support of the INVEST in America Act, sent a letter to committee members June 16 that opposed the Garcia amendment. “Passage of the amendment would be a poison pill for OOIDA and our members, forcing us to vigorously oppose a bill we otherwise support,” Collin Long, OOIDA’s director of government affairs, said in the letter. The letter also stated, “Increasing the minimum insurance requirements from $750,000 to $2 million in the midst of a major economic downturn would be nothing short of disastrous for many small motor carriers and owner-operators, who are currently struggling to stay in business due to historically low freight rates.” Once out of committee, the INVEST in America Act will go to the full House for approval. How it will fare in the Republican-controlled Senate is not known, but Republicans who feel excluded from the drafting of the bill will now have more cause to reject it, due to Rep. Garcia’s amendment.

ALBANY, N.Y. — After an investigation by the Albany Police Department, a 24-year-old Albany man who set fire to a tractor-trailer during a riot in late May has been arrested. Ah-Juan Boyd was arrested and charged with riot in the first degree, a Class E felony; third-degree arson, a Class C felony; and second-degree criminal mischief, a Class D felony. On May 30 at about 9:30 p.m., Boyd was a participant in a riot on South Pearl Street. in which rioters stopped a tractor trailer on the street and removed the driver. Boyd then proceeded to set fire to the tractor-trailer as it was parked in the middle of South Pearl Street at Westerlo Street. Boyd was arraigned in the Albany City Criminal Court and released on his own recognizance.

WASHINGTON — In a June 5, 2020 announcement, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) eased the process of returning to work for drivers who have been furloughed or laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement focuses on 49 CFR 382.301. Subparagraph “A” of that regulation requires pre-employment drug testing for drivers who are newly hired, but also applies to those returning from a furlough, lay off or other period of unemployment. Subparagraph “B” provides an exception to the pre-employment testing requirement. The employer can skip the pre-employment testing if the driver returns to work within 30-days and either participated in the carrier’s random testing program for the prior 12 months or was actually (randomly) tested within in the prior six months. The FMCSA waiver temporarily extends the 30-day time period to 90-days. The carrier isn’t prohibited from drug testing anyway, but the requirements are intended to make it easier and cheaper to put drivers back to work. Carriers are still responsible for requesting the driver’s record from the Drug and Alcohol database. The FMCSA action was a result of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on May 19. The order, No. 13924, defined U.S. policy to combat the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic with the same energy as the fight against the virus itself. The agency expressed concern that carriers would incur the costs of testing of the furloughed drivers just as they were expanding operations to pre-pandemic levels. The waiver also addresses the issue of trying to arrange drug testing for large numbers of returning drivers in a short time frame. Although not addressed by the announcement, easing of drug testing requirements also eliminates the period of waiting for results of the testing to be reported, which typically takes one or two business days but can take much longer under some circumstances. Drivers who return to work under the waiver can begin driving sooner. The temporary waiver was effective June 5 and expires on September 30, 2020. The waiver also specifies reporting requirements that carriers must follow if any of the drivers who returned under the drug-testing waiver are involved in an accident. Carriers must report accidents to the FMCSA within 5 business days and must specify that the driver was operating under the terms of the waiver. The FMCSA announcement states that the extension will not negatively impact safety because the requirements for prior participation and pre-employment check with the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse are still in effect. Overall, carriers who opt to take advantage of the waiver will find it easier and faster to get drivers back to work.

WASHINGTON — On June 8, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that Emergency Declaration No. 2020-02, which suspended parts 390 through 399 of the regulations, which includes hours-of-service requirements, has been extended through July 14 with some modifications. The declaration, issued by President Trump, had already been extended to June 14 from its original expiration date of May 13. The latest extension places additional restrictions on carriers and drivers to qualify for the exemption from regulations. The extension is limited to (1) transportation of livestock and livestock feed; (2) medical supplies and equipment related to testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19; and (3) supplies and equipment necessary for sanitation and safety, such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants. The FMCSA declaration specifically excludes routine commercial deliveries, even if they contain a small amount of sanitation products. Other categories of freight are not excluded. The agency concluded that there is no longer a need for emergency relief with respect to other categories of freight. Some regulations, such as requirements to obey state and local laws, those that address fatigue or illness, texting and driving and controlled substance testing requirements are specifically excluded from the declaration. The regulations suspension was issued by the FMCSA in response to President Donald Trump’s March 13 declaration of a national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic and was intended to help expedite movement of supplies and equipment needed to combat the virus. The extension of the emergency declaration will expire sooner if Trump declares an end to the national emergency. The largest effect on drivers was suspension of the hours of service (HOS) requirements of the regulations, including limits on driving time or requirements for rest period lengths. Since the suspension only applied while providing direct assistance, however, confusion resulted as regulations were off and then on again, depending on the load being hauled. Additionally, even though driving limitations were suspended while hauling essential loads, those hours still counted toward the 60- and 70-hour rules once the direct assistance load was delivered and the driver returned to regular freight. Drivers sometimes needed a 34-hour restart to regain hours to continue working after a few days of hard running to deliver essential supplies. Critics of the June 14 extension, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), noted that continued suspension of the regulations caused, in effect, an artificial increase in capacity, helping to suppress spot freight rates to their lowest level in years. Since the types of freight that will constitute “emergency relief” have been restricted under the latest extension, any increase in overall capacity should be minimal. Drivers should be cautions when operating under suspended regulations to make sure the loads they are hauling are covered by the declaration and to make sure hours are accounted for once they return to more “regular” freight.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Transportation plans to close 10 highway rest areas to save money amid a budget crisis. The closures starting June 15 will save about $800,000 a year, department officials said Friday. The department is closing rest areas near Lusk on U.S. Highway 18; Guernsey on U.S. 26; Greybull on U.S. 14-16-20; Moorcroft on Interstate 90; Star Valley on U.S. 89; Ft. Steele on I-80; Sundance on I-90; Upton on U.S. 16; and Orin Junction and Chugwater, both on I-25. The Wyoming Transportation Commission approved the closures in a special budget-related meeting May 27. “Although these rest areas will close, motorists will still have access to facilities in neighboring communities,” Department Director Luke Reiner said in a statement. “Each of the rest areas that are closing are within a reasonable distance of a town that has facilities for the public.” Wyoming faces a two-year budget deficit of $1 billion or more because of the COVID-19 pandemic and less revenue from its fossil-fuel extraction industry. Gov. Mark Gordon announced Thursday he wants state agencies to identify programs to cut and prepare for 20% spending cuts in the months ahead. “This is a painful reality but a necessary step given our state’s fiscal situation,” Gordon said of the rest area closures.

WASHINGTON — House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) has released text of the Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act. DeFazio said INVEST in America is a key component of the Moving Forward Framework that House Democrats introduced earlier this year. The current surface transportation authorization expires Sept. 30. “The INVEST in America Act, which enables the completion of critical projects through long-term, sustainable funding and is fueled by American workers and ingenuity thanks to strong Buy America provisions and labor protections, authorizes nearly $500 billion over five years to address some of the country’s most urgent infrastructure needs,” DeFazio said. David Heller, vice president of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), said TCA is in the process of examining the bill’s contents. “We are encouraged by the dialogue regarding this important issue and finally moving the needle on meaningful infrastructure legislation that will be the framework of freight transportation for years to come. We remain committed to being actively involved in these discussions and communicating the positions of TCA with all parties involved,” Heller said. “The effects of our nation’s crumbling infrastructure, as well as various other aspects of the bill, certainly present TCA with another opportunity to tell our story to our congressional leadership in an effort to fully educate them on the issues that present themselves in this legislation.” DeFazio said the nation’s infrastructure needs include: Tackling the massive backlog of roads, bridges and transit systems in need of repair and replacement. Building resilient infrastructure that will withstand the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. Designing streets that are safer for all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists. Putting the U.S. on a path toward zero emissions from the transportation sector by prioritizing carbon pollution reduction, investing in public transit and the national rail network, building out fueling infrastructure for low- and zero-emission vehicles, and deploying technology and innovative materials. Sharply increasing funding for public transit options in urban, suburban and rural areas in order to integrate technology and increase routes and reliability with tools such as bus-only lanes and priority signaling. Improving access to federal funding to help communities around the country undertake transformative projects that are smarter, safer and made to last. Todd Spencer, president and CEO of the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) said the association supports provisions in the bill, including increased funding for highway construction, $250 million for truck parking projects, provisions that will help limit excessive detention time and predatory lease-to-own schemes, new restrictions on tolling and further analysis of questionable H-1B Visa use within the trucking industry. Spencer said truckers will also like what didn’t find its way into the bill, including speed limiter and side underride guard mandates, an increase in minimum insurance requirements or truck size and weight limits, and the lowering of minimum age requirements for interstate drivers. In introducing the bill, DeFazio pointed to the plight of the nation’s infrastructure, “The bulk of our nation’s infrastructure — our roads, bridges, public transit and rail systems, the things that hundreds of millions of American families and businesses rely on every single day — is not only badly outdated, in many places it’s downright dangerous and holding our economy back,” DeFazio said. “Yet for decades, Congress has repeatedly ignored the calls for an overhaul and instead simply poured money into short-term patches,” he continued. “The result? We’re still running our economy on an inefficient, 1950s-era system that costs Americans increasingly more time and money while making the transportation sector the nation’s biggest source of carbon pollution.” DeFazio said the INVEST in America Act is an opportunity to replace the outdated systems of the past with smarter, safer, more resilient infrastructure that fits the economy of the future, creates millions of jobs, supports American manufacturing and restores U.S. competitiveness.

GENESEO, N.Y. — A suspect identified as Joshua Blessed, aka Sergei Jourev, a 58-year-old truck driver for Yurman Express LLC of Harrisonburg, Virginia, led New York law-enforcement officials on a chase that spanned three counties and lasted more than an hour. The chase ended when Blessed was fatally shot. It is not yet known whether the gunshot that killed Blessed was self-inflicted or was fired by law enforcement. During the incident, the suspect allegedly rammed police cars, attempted to strike oncoming vehicles and repeatedly fired at police officers and vehicles. In a press conference Thursday afternoon (May 28), Livingston County Sheriff Tom Dougherty described the event as “a stressful, intense incident” and provided a preliminary timeline of the events. The chase began about 8:37 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, in LeRoy, New York, when police officers pulled over a tractor-trailer for a speeding violation, and ended more than an hour later at 9:58 p.m. in Geneseo, New York, according to Dougherty. LeRoy Police Chief Chris Hayward said the suspect refused to interact with officers at the time of the initial traffic stop, refusing to roll down the truck window or provide requested documentation, such as his driver’s license, registration and insurance information. While the officers were attempting to verify the truck’s license plates, Hayward said, Blessed drove away from the scene with an officer still standing on the truck’s side rail. The officer was unharmed; however, the suspect rammed two police vehicles at the scene, Hayward said. Shortly after 9 p.m., the truck entered Livingston County after driving through a set of stop sticks set by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department and then drove through a second set of stop sticks placed by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Department. Dougherty’s team then joined the pursuit. During the chase, the driver’s speed varied from high to “really slow,” with the suspect occasionally stopping, Dougherty said. During the chase, the truck made multiple U-turns, doubling back on its route, and “aggressively” taking curves, “with the operator having no regard for human life,” he continued. The chase ended when the tractor-trailer veered off Route 20A and into a field in Geneseo; the suspect was declared dead at the scene. Dougherty said the body had multiple gunshot wounds and that the medical examiner’s office is working to determine whether the fatal shot was self-inflicted. Officers reported that a handgun was on Blessed at the scene and that investigators are searching the truck for additional evidence. “He fired a lot of shots and we fired a lot of shots,” Dougherty said. “He fired a lot of shots throughout the pursuit and we fired a lot of shots at the conclusion.” During the chase, four law-enforcement vehicles were struck by gunfire. One vehicle was hit 10 times. A bullet went through the windshield of another vehicle, passing over the headrest and lodging in the glass between the front and back seats, according to Dougherty. “I believe if he wasn’t ducking, then (the bullet) would have been right to (the officer’s) head,” he said. “I can’t put into words what the incident was like. ‘Challenging’ is an understatement,’” he continued. “You have a heavy, heavy vehicle with a man who wants to do carnage. He’s actively trying to kill our deputies and he’s got a big vehicle to move around that’s nearly impossible to stop, aside from having a tank.” Other than the suspect, no injuries were reported among law-enforcement officers and civilian bystanders, Dougherty said. “I would call it a miracle, I honestly would. God’s blessing,” he said. “I have no clue how nobody was hurt —so many shots at law enforcement, the size of his vehicle, his driving, the civilians around.” Dougherty expressed gratitude to the law-enforcement agencies involved in the chase, which included the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, the LeRoy Police Department, the Geneseo Police Department and the New York State Police, as well as area fire departments, EMS teams, the district attorney’s office and others. Officials say they do not yet have a motive for Blessed’s actions in allegedly fleeing what should have been a routine traffic stop and attempting to injure law-enforcement officers. Dougherty said there are many questions to be answered. “What was the last 24 hours of his life like? Why today? We’re trying to get those answers,” he said. The owner of Yurman Trucking spoke to 13WHAM News, an ABC affiliate in Rochester, New York, Wednesday night, saying that the driver was on his way to pick up dairy products in Batavia, New York, adding that he lost contact with Blessed and was not sure what happened.

SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. ― Hundreds of bees were discovered swarming the faucets, toilets and other facilities at the Southern Nevada Visitor’s Center rest area along U.S. 95 on Wednesday (May 27), causing a shutdown of the facility until further notice. The rest area is located about 17 miles south of Searchlight, Nevada, in Clark County. Maintenance crews discovered the infestation while performing a fog-seal pavement upgrade to the rest area’s north and south parking lots. “NDOT crews are working diligently to quickly resolve this issue,” said NDOT spokesman Tony Illia. “It’s important to make this rest area safe and accessible once again for motorists.” The rest area will remain closed until it can be safely reopened again. For complete list of Nevada’s state-maintained rest areas, click here.

WASHINGTON — Naysayers had been at it since before the start of the May 1 “mayday” protest by small trucking business owner-operators. It seemed that no one, perhaps not even the protesters themselves, thought the protest would result in much change. Many thought that, like the “slow rolls” that happened in Houston, Los Angeles and Phoenix earlier, and even like past trucker demonstrations in the capital, truckers would do their thing and then go home, claiming victory for raising awareness of the truckers’ plight while accomplishing little, if anything. This protest was different. The movement of owner-operator trucks to parking places along Constitution Avenue almost didn’t resemble a protest at all. Horns were blown at specific intervals, but when is Washington ever without the din of traffic noise? In the COVID-19 pandemic environment, traffic was already severely reduced, and the usual throng of tourists was gone. Well-mannered trucking-protest participants made friends of Metro and Park Police and Secret Service agents. Local residents and workers made signs for their cars and vans, mirroring the messages they had seen on protester trucks and blowing their horns, too. Smells wafted from charcoal grills as people gathered under waving American flags to share the dinner sizzling on the coals. When the protest was over after three weeks, the giant piles of litter left after most protests weren’t there. The polite protesters left the area cleaner than it was when they arrived. Still, the criticism continued. Some said the truckers were fighting for the wrong things. Others said they shouldn’t be protesting at all. Names were called. People were banned from social-media sites because of their ugly verbiage. And now that it’s over, some people question what was really accomplished. A grassroots protest, however, isn’t a labor negotiation. It doesn’t end with a signed contract between union and management. And, under the United States’ form of government, there are no royal decrees to instantly settle disputes. There are channels to follow, agencies to involve. Tangible results take time, but they are results, just the same. So, what results did the polite protesters achieve? They got their White House meeting. They didn’t always agree on the issues, but they never wavered from their desire to be heard. Presidential tweets and soundbites favoring their cause were welcomed, but not enough. Even when their cause made national news due to the sound of air horns during a Rose Garden press conference, they weren’t done. They said they were staying until they got their meeting — and they did. The Department of Justice reversed its decision not to investigate brokers for collusion and for price gouging during a time of crisis. In fact, the one time that protesters blocked Constitution Avenue was in response to a DOJ announcement that it was not investigating. That decision changed, quickly. Although some of the protesters’ demands were already being worked on by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), things were proceeding rather slowly. During, or perhaps because of the protest, OOIDA increased the urgency of its campaign. The organization sent a call to action to its members, sent letters to all members of Congress and then sent another letter to House and Senate Leadership, filed a petition with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and issued numerous press releases and articles through its own in-house publication. The protest generated presidential interest in the application and enforcement of 49 CFR 371.3, the regulation that requires brokers to share load information, including the amount paid by the shipper, to all parties involved in the transaction who request it. Encouraged by broker organizations such as Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), brokers commonly ignore the requirements of the regulation by forcing carriers to waive their rights of access to the information in order to do business, or by making the information available under conditions that most carriers cannot meet. In the White House meeting, Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was clear that the issue needs to be fixed. The protest woke the public as well as many government officials to the idea that small business trucking carriers are underrepresented when changes to regulations are discussed. As pointed out by United States Transportation Alliance (USTA) CEO Mike Landis, nearly 90% of all registered carriers have 10 or fewer trucks and are too small to join the industry giant American Trucking Associations (ATA). Yet, when changes are discussed, ATA often has a seat at the table — while small trucking business don’t. Brokers now know the spotlight is aimed squarely at them. The protesters acknowledge the free-market system and, except for a scant few, aren’t calling for limits on broker revenues. But the protests shined a light on those shadowy parts of the brokerage business, such as demanding large payments from customers while only spending a small percentage for the actual service performed. There are more arguments and, perhaps, litigation to come, but brokers are on notice that they are being watched and questioned. The protesters earned the admiration of many among the millions of truckers who weren’t at the protest with their display of unity and their perseverance. Many doubted they would get anything done. They were wrong. A group of people who, as Jeremy Johnson, administrator of the Facebook Group The Disrespected Trucker, said “couldn’t agree on a free cup of coffee” stood together with the Eastern European group, the Hispanic contingent, the Sikh business owners and the rest, a diverse group of ethnicities and genders. They weren’t sure who would speak for them, and demands varied from group to group, but they were determined to be heard. So, while concrete results are still to come, the protest has achieved more than anyone expected it to. Wheels are turning at DOJ and FMCSA, under the watchful eye of President Trump and his staff. Voices have been heard. More importantly, the protest has brought together more truckers than any in recent memory. While it’s doubtful that the number of trucks in Washington ever exceeded 200 at one time, many participants rotated in and out, trying to devote time to the cause while dealing with personal and family matters and maintaining at least a partial revenue stream for their businesses. Estimates range from 500 to 1,000 total truckers spending at least some time at the protest. One group, The Disrespected Truckers, had less than 3,000 members prior to the protest. In less than three weeks, that number swelled to more than 9,000. The usual complaints about the business of trucking were replaced by discussion of the protest and its goals. Other Facebook groups have seen similar results. Even as the protest was winding down, some truckers were still on their way to Washington to join in. The protesters know there are remaining issues to resolve, and the fight isn’t over. In trucking, there will always be more issues to resolve. If needed, one strong and growing group of owner-operators is ready to return to Washington to politely resume the fight.