As yet another trucker is murdered in Houston, TRUCKER LIVES MATTER declares September 5th, 2017 is "DAY WITHOUT A TRUCKER"
Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) March 08, 2017 -- Traditionally, the day after Labor Day represents the first day back to work after the holiday weekend, and an unofficial end to Summer vacations. But this year, that may be different for many members of the trucking industry...
Just as the rest of America will be returning to work on Tuesday, September 5th, 2017, including members of Congress-- who return from Summer recess and formally go back into session that day, interstate truckers who have joined and support the TRUCKER LIVES MATTER (TLM) movement, which is sponsored by the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC), a 501(c)(6) industry trade group, are planning to take that day off and drive instead to Washington, D.C. to publicize the need for them to be able to carry firearms nationwide to protect themselves while living and working on the road.
Dubbed by TLM as a "DAY WITHOUT A TRUCKER" --an obvious pun on today's "Day Without a Woman" celebration, this TLM event is being billed by TLM leaders as a "memorial procession" to honor and remember the 500 workers in interstate transportation slain over the past decade, a statistic cited by U.S. Department of Labor, like over-the-road, interstate trucker Michael Boeglin, who was killed and burned in his truck in Detroit in June of 2014, an incident that sparked the beginnings of the TLM movement.
"We are today establishing a planning committee and will seek the assistance of law enforcement so that the memorial procession, which will have a religious component to it in furtherance of truckers' First Amendment rights, does not unreasonably impede traffic, create havoc for people trying to enter or exit the interstate, or encourage tail-gaiting. We would encourage residents of Washington, D.C. to consider taking public rail transportation to get to work on September 5th as we do not know how many truckers will respond to the call to join our national memorial procession," SBTC President and TLM Spokesman James Lamb said today.
A TLM poll conducted over the past few days shows overwhelming support for the event and suggests that hundreds of truckers are already planning on making the trip to Washington, D.C. More than 80% of 850 trucker respondents have indicated they would likely attend.
Currently, the patchwork of state laws and lack of nationwide reciprocity for firearms permits puts truckers in precarious if not dangerous life threatening-situations. Lamb has therefore sent requested legislation to Senator Marco Rubio's (R-FL) office as SBTC is based in Fort Lauderdale, FL. According to this SBTC document, which was sent to all members of Congress on Monday, March 6th, 2017, Rubio's staff members are currently drafting a bill for introduction into the Senate and have asked SBTC to help them find a sponsor for a companion bill in the House of Representatives. With respect to interstate travel among the states, the bill seeks to endorse the Second Amendment as a matter of "Constitutional Carry" for all Americans and pre-empt the states from regulating firearms carried into, out of, or through their states. Lamb said more than 6,000 members of his group have petitioned the NRA to support his bill but the NRA-ILA remains silent to date.
LATEST TRUCKER MURDER
Today's announcement comes on the heels of the latest murder of a Houston-based trucker named Wilmer Erazo who was found shot to death in a truck yard earlier this week. Sadly, Erazo, the latest victim of gun violence directed against truckers, leaves behind three children.
PRESS CONFERENCE
TLM has scheduled a dial-in press conference to discuss the event for 10:00 AM Eastern time on Friday, March 24th, 2017 to coincide with the industry's largest annual truck show event being held in Louisville, KY. The conference call number is (712) 775-7031 and the access code is 495-071-244.
Truckers and other interested parties can connect with TLM on Facebook or through the group's website http://www.TruckerLivesMatter.com.
ABOUT SBTC
The SBTC is a network of transportation professionals, associations, and industry suppliers that is on the front lines when it comes to issues that affect transportation professionals in small business. We seek to promote and protect the interests of small businesses in the transportation industry. We support teamwork, cooperation, transparency, and partnerships among truckers, carriers, brokers, and shippers and seek to promote ethical business practices and do business with the utmost integrity.
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James Lamb, TRUCKER LIVES MATTER, http://www.TruckerLivesMatter.com, +1 (800) 215-6704, [email protected]
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