The movement that gathered nearly 75,000 followers in its one-week existence came to a halt as the person who started it all backed away from calls for a work stoppage, saying, “Now is not the time.”
In an appearance on the video blog “The Post Trip with James Rogers,” Stop the Tires 2020 creator Jeremy Rewoldt discussed how the overwhelming growth of the Facebook group took him by surprise and thrust him into a position of leadership he had not anticipated.
“I am no leader,” he said. “But I am a believer. What I am asking for next is for you to NOT stop your tires. Now is not the time.”
Rogers, the show’s host, referenced and then read much of an article published last week by The Trucker, “Stop the Tires 2020 founder hopes to gain understanding, support of trucking industry issues from government,” about Rewoldt and his group.
Rogers said he had reached out to Rewoldt after reading The Trucker’s story to give him a chance to change course.
“You made an emotion-based decision based on a presumed result of the election that hasn’t been certified yet,” he told Rewoldt in the interview. “I did,” admitted Rewoldt.
During the interview, Rewoldt discussed how the administrative team he had assembled had ultimately fractured over disagreements about the purpose of the group. Rewoldt favored a work stoppage only, with no action taken that might harm trucking’s image, such as slowing or blocking traffic and not interfering with shipments of medical supplies.
Rewoldt also posted his request on the Stop the Tires 2020 page, saying, “When this group was made the intentions were to talk and BS amongst a few, if not a couple hundred, people, my friends and others included. What I though was going to be a few hundred turned into 75K people who I now had to voice for.”
The group’s profile photo was changed to now include the words “Canceled, stand down, do not stop, now is not the time.”
One person that Rewoldt referred to as the “workhorse” of the group created pages on other social-media sites, as well as a standalone website, and had begun soliciting funds for the group — all, Rewoldt told Rogers, without his knowledge or approval.
“When I first started the group, I made it clear that I want no boost like money or profit coming into my group,” he explained.
Hours before Rewoldt appeared on “The Post Trip,” Cara Carroll, who initially referred to herself as a “co-founder” of the Stop the Tires 2020 group, posted in another Facebook trucking group that she was no longer associated with Rewoldt’s group due to “different visions for the movement moving forward.”
Other members have moved on to a variety of trucking groups on Facebook, expressing a desire to become more active in protesting conditions faced by drivers and owner-operators. Some are still concerned about policies president-elect Joe Biden could enact upon inauguration, such as restrictions on fracking and the Green New Deal; others voice more traditional trucker complaints, such as overregulation, taxes and insufficient pay.
In any event, the scheduled Nov. 26-29 shutdown scheduled by the Stop the Tires group has been called off. While some continue to claim in other groups that they will shut their trucks down anyway, no group has come forward to claim leadership over any such movement. At this point, there doesn’t seem to be much agreement on a cause or what actions will be taken in its support.
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
This is extremely sad and disappointing news! this country needs to wake up not just to the value that truckers add but all blue collar workers add to this country! We all need to put down our tools, our trucks, our equipment for a week and let this country really figure out who pays the bills in this country who breaks their back to make this country work!
America damn well better wake up and this would have been a step in the right direction! If we don’t get after it soon it’s going to be too late!
You’re definitely correcto it might be too late. Trump 2020
We’ve been set backwards 4yrs to accommodate racist bigots that worship rich republicans that cut corporate taxes and raise our cost of living. Biden-Harris saving America!
You really are stupid biden and harris are out to destroy america@so your democrat get the hell out of the usa or we will put you out
Sherry, don’t believe that nonsense you’ve been fed. Biden is blue collar guy, not a freaking reality TV star trying to manipulate you for his own power. Trump doesn’t give a crap about truckers.
yOU SIR ARE AN iDIOT!!
I don’t roll on that weekend regardless. Didn’t really think those dates were a good choice to begin with.
Roughly 70% don’t because of Thanksgiving but are being led to believe it’s because of the movement they are shutting down…I support truckers and what they do have family and friends who drive trucks and these were already planned days off for the holidays…the movement will not gain traction because they are misleading the public…they are also claiming the shortages in stores at the moment are do to some shutting down already, not that things have been moving slow for the past few months because of the virus issue…you have a great Thanksgiving
You folks should look “behind”, instead it forward! Todays younger truckers, and that means everyone with less than 20-25 years driving, need to learn to respect the public and their rights, PLUS each other!! All I hear out there us crying about 4wheelers, slow trucks, traffic and ELD’s! How about quit bitchin’ and start being the pro you claim to be! Was a time we were respected and appreciated by most everyone. Travelers knew that they could count on a driver stopping to assist, if they had a problem. Now, we are trusted on the road. That is mostly due to drivers who are pushy and reckless. Got that “all about me” attitude! Grow up! It can be a difficult, but very rewarding lifestyle, if done with right mindset! Me, 47 years out here, and still “rollin'”!. Used to be enjoyable on the road. But, just like that barrel of apples, it only takes a few. Don’t be one if the few! Be a pro. Oh yeah! ELD’s. Not much differe t than paper, if done legally. You start at 7AM on paper OR ELD’s, your day ends at 9PM,no matter what you’ve done. Just be safe doing it. Be observant, be safe , be respectful and be a professional. Good luck!!
Well said Driver!!
thank you. I really wish that people would stop the “me, me, me” and get back to the we of things. If people would stop and help their fellow man this country would be a lot better off and would get stronger too. Right now with all of the things happening in this country and around the world we need to stand strong together not against each other. Truckers are a major part of our lives and deserve respect from everyone. If we didn’t have truckers we would have a lot harder life. We would be paying a lot more money for All of the products that they deliver and some of the things they deliver and we depend on would never make it to us. I am not a trucker but I do and will always RESPECT truckers. Thank you all and please continue to do a good job for us.
Amen Cutter! My daddy was a truck driver for over 40yrs. Started out pulling Air Streams and when he got sick and passed away he was hauling Oxygen, Helium, and Nitrogen out of Otis, Kansas. Throughout his career he hauled everything from Schlitz Malt liquor, food, oil, gas, and even bombs that we’re buried in places no one would even begin to know or even believe where they were (he couldn’t talk about that because it was government and classified) I have so much respect for all of the truck drivers on the road that stay out there serving all of us that couldn’t handle being away from our families for days or even weeks at a time. The young selfish truckers are definitely giving some truckers a bad name and reputation. It breaks my heart that our nation has become full of selfish, disrespectful, whine ass people, that really don’t care about anyone but themselves. All people demanding all these stupid rights that get their feelings hurt over a joke or trying to ban things that have been around for years that are now offending this young generation. I just don’t understand some people. Anyway I just want to THANK YOU for all you do.. THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERYONE of you that are respectful and still have good morals, values, and keep delivering the things we all need. For stopping to help our fellow Americans on our roads and are not out their just for the money.
Couple of correction on previous post.
1 we are NOT respected on the road. Said we were, but forgot the word NOT! Sorry!
Sorry them days are over and done I’ve been out here 33 years and sad to say I’m ready to hang it up and believe me when I say this there is nothing else I ever wanted to do my grandfathers on both sides drove and my dad and all my uncles and two aunts but the trucking I came into is gone and ain’t coming back so I say let these flip flop drivers have they have trashed it up anyway
Sorry them days are over and done I’ve been out here 33 years and sad to say I’m ready to hang it up and believe me when I say this there is nothing else I ever wanted to do my grandfathers on both sides drove and my dad and all my uncles and two aunts but the trucking I came into is gone and ain’t coming back so I say let these flip flop drivers have they have trashed it up anyway
Jajajaja lol
This world we live in today has NO RESPECT FOR US we are wat keeps America moving we are who gets the food to the warehouse n stores and as a 3rd generation trucker I have seen them simplyfl this industry and with doing this common sense went out the window people say this is not the time for it I say it is because when everything is good in the world nobody cares anyway when we are needed n depended on thats when they listen. If this shutdown happens that government wants then this country will be going in to a deep depression maybe even worse then the one during ww2 but wat we know I say we need to stand our ground and make them realize how vital we are
Not everyone feels that way about Truckers. I myself want to say thank you each and everyone of you for your service. Keep them wheels a rolling. Without you we wouldn’t have food, and all the other things that we need. People need to wake up and show you guys the respect that you deserve.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/691325071770089/?_rdr
I’ve got specific goals and am not quitting and will not be bought
Bunch of pussys you cry about change and don’t do shit about it!
Hi thanks for this opportunity I want a newsletter.
We call this all talk and no cock we have a huge percentage of younger generation ready to step in if we need to drive trucks to keep things rolling we will but we’re busy working healthcare jobs. Treatment of covid cases but many of us are looking at trucking anyways.
Like my presidente Said, Donald J Trump. Americans need to wake up.
Your ex-Presidente is a bumbling buffoon
Ted Kennedy is smiling from hell they deregulated our industry to break what strength we had at one time we could have brought the government to yield now all anybody does is bitch about not making any money too much regulation pure laziness is why we face the problems we have now all I ever wanted to do was fix and drive trucks every report I had a choice in the 12 years of school I completed was about trucks and moving freight grew up around a bunch of old steel haulers 29 cent a gallon diesel fuel and outlaw stories convinced me that no job in the world was as much fun or rewarding than driving a truck then reality set in after 5 years of giving my all and what could have been some good opportunities I watched it go from a decent living to a regulated nightmare thanks to the epa fmcsa dot and many state governments what was supposed to be deregulated turned into regulated hell I’m sorry you can’t make damn living with an electronic log book look at the truck stops and rest areas full by sundown trucks that are so technologically advanced they won’t run and can’t be fixed without committing a felony California allowed to tell someone that’s legal in all the other 49 states they are not allowed to operate because carb holds the state hostage no state law can be stronger than a federal one but we stopped defending the constitution it’s a shame the movement fell apart but I dont expect much from folk to lazy to shift a truck
Now isn’t the time, the time was years ago.
ALL trucks need to stop for months not days.
Until rates get back where they need to be.
It won’t happen, there are too many who can’t afford to miss a month of pay and megas would be all too happy to pick up the slack while using it as an excuse to cut driver pay;
But, isn’t that the problem?
The hell that is driving a truck should afford 6 months off out of the year and a living.
If people would see and fight for that, it would.
Why are you all content to spend all but two days out of a month working for next to nothing?
Wish the truth behind this “shutdown” would come out. It’s all because people are butthurt that trump lost. Nothing more. Get over it already. Let him run again in 2024 if he isn’t in prison. But throwing tantrums and threatening to hold your breath because your candidate didn’t win is a bit childish
Well said
Not really. It’s about plenty of issues including your party constantly cheating, and now you pussies are getting nervous. You scumbags have been butthurt since Election Day 2016. Got burn down you shithole dem cities.
Looks like he got a “Phone Call” that ended with “or else.”
thoughts and prayers with you all. Thank you for what you do for our Country!!
The most time on 18 wheels was spent hich hiking in the 80s when I ran away. You truckers have always been good hard working people and have always been good to each other and to me. When I started driving the 1st thing I bought was a cb and you still treated me with respect even laughing at me in my little Geo Storm with an antenna bigger than the car, lol. I-80 through Iowa and Nebraska into Denver or Cheyenne coming from Milwaukee was less than a 24 hour drive straight through thanks to you guys. I am sorry that this strike was called off. You people can effectively shut this country down and expose the corruption. You have more than truckers behind you. There’s blue collar workers like me behind you. I have 30+years loading your trucks and I am old enough to remember your strike back in the 70s. But I am disappointed with you for giving in. We need people like you to make this country listen.
BTW, the next time you come through Wisconsin and you see a pickup giving you a truck length room before merging in front of you think about me. Some old time truckers taught me proper road educate, I will always have your back and I owe you guys more than I can repay. Just telling you on the cb your tail light was out got me a few meals
Sooo, did you get paid off or just intimidated ? Seriously.
You can thank the freaking ata for ALL of this crap.
So while I have respect for this man’s right to change his mind and determine his own course of action…This very type of acquiescence is why we find ourselves, where we are today.
Good, honest, patriotic people reach a point where they are fed up with the America hating, entitled, elitist, thumb sucking leftists. They reach a breaking point and are moved to act.
Then with the passage of time and gentle/veiled coercion they either lose their nerve, become fearful or are duped by yet another seemingly plausible call to “sit back down”…”now is not the time to take action…think of all the harm you will do….those that will suffer because of your actions…actions based on YOUR emotions…”
Its’s a typical leftist dialogue, that has been used for decades to silence and derail the actions of those conservatives, that would hurt their liberal agenda.
I ask all of you…if NOW IS NOT THE TIME, then when is….is it when ALL conflict, trouble, problems and dissatisfaction is gone???
How often do any of us act when things are perfect???
Now is exactly the time for these Truckers and US to act. Now is when the message would have the most impact.
This type of turning back, is exactly how and why America fell asleep for the last 60-80+ years.
I hope another trucker takes up this banner of patriotism and re-organizes this movement.
Ask yourselves, if the American Revolution had been fought under the premise of ” NOW IS NOT THE TIME” where would we be today??!!