Truckers on Strike

Its the question on everyones mind. Are the truckers on strike or arent they? Many truckers nationwide did move forward with the planned strike, but whats going on here in the Ark-La-Miss? It may have been hard to tell by looking at the roads in our area Tuesday, but independent drivers are staging a strike. Truckers passing through are just as confused as some of you may be as to whether the strike will gain as much momentum as they hope. There are 350,000 independent drivers in the US. Dozens of those truckers in Florida, New Jersey and Chicago parked their rigs, in protest of high diesel fuel prices. But those who stopped here in the Ark-La-Miss Tuesday say theres no way to tell how many will strike. Tyrone Cowans, a trucker from Las Vegas, NV says, “we were told we were going to shut down at midnight, so we shutdown at midnight, woke up this morning and people was pumping gas and fuel and we were still trying to figure out whats going on. Are we striking or are we going to let this go." Michael Riley says he would shutdown his truck in a heartbeat but cant because he drives for a large company. He says a massive shutdown of all the trucks from companies large and small is the only way a strike like this would have an impact and changes made. “Its making a stink sure enough. Somebodys going to notice it, but Riley says, “on the same token whats that going to do." Many of these truckers remember a similar strike over high dollar fuel prices back in the 70s. They say if truckers didnt pull of the road they were harshly harassed by other truck drivers. Cowans says, “When they shut it down, they shut it down. If you got caught pumping fuel they cut your airlines on you trailers. It was real." The average trucker is paying at least $4.00 per gallon for diesel fuel, so one who travels all over the country spends about $3,000 a week on fuel alone. But riley says this strike isnt just for the truck drivers. Its for every working man and woman. “Its not about the truckers. Its about the price of fuel. Its needs to come down." There are many truckers who support this strike while others are in limbo because they cant afford to stop working or theyre waiting to see what other truckers are going to do before they make a final move. (Copyright 2008, NBC 10/Fox 14 News, Written by Casey Ferrand)