Owner-Operators Bring Protest Back to Washington

November 15, 2000 10:26 AM, EST

WASHINGTON — For a second time, the National Owner-Operator Trucking Association summoned truckers to the nation’s capital to protest high fuel costs, but the turnout was smaller than the first, staged in March.

Although the Nov. 2 convoy did not bring hundreds of truckers onto the streets of Washington, D.C., as NOOTA Executive Director Charles Hentz envisioned, he still feels those that were there sent out a strong message.

Hampered by several problems along the way, including traffic citations and non-existent police escorts, 50 to 60 trucks made it into the streets of the nation’s capital, Hentz said.

That compares with 150 truckers who drove their rigs to Washington March 16 to ask lawmakers to suspend the federal fuel tax and investigate the causes of skyrocketing prices (3-20, p. 5).

For the full story, see the Nov. 13 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.