Truckers Protesting Industry Regulations Along I-44

“Look at the traffic lined up behind them! It’s absolutely insane!”

You may notice traffic moving a lot slower along I-44 throughout the day between Joplin and Springfield. News Talk KZRG’s Rob Rauch was on the scene this morning to capture the traffic.

According to the Facebook group Black Smoke Matters, area truckers are peacefully protesting the many “unfair, over-regulations” on the industry during a “slow roll” along the interstate at about 45 mph.

Today’s protest is just across the state of Missouri. A nationwide protest will occur on April 12th when about 30,000 truckers will go on strike to bring attention to the issues.

Many truckers are upset about today’s industry standards such as the use of electronic logging devices known as ELDs which records their speed, hours of service, and location. Some drivers see this as not only a distraction, but a safety issue because many drivers are trying to beat the clock in order to avoid a penalty instead of paying closer attention to the drivers on the road around them.

In addition to the regulations, there are also problems with roadway safety and drivers being properly trained.

The Highway Patrol is aware of the protest, and the truckers will be using their hazard lights while driving in the right lane.

Check out News Talk KZRG’s live video of the “slow roll” on our Facebook page.