Mainstream Media Cover SBTC aka Truckers.com's reaction to Midland's Crackdown on Illegal Truck Parking
Small Business in Transportation Coalition ("SBTC") President James Lamb announced today that Mainstream Media in Midland, Texas are bringing awareness to a serious trucking industry issue, namely safe truck parking.

Lamb points to all three major networks' online coverage of the battle between Midland City Officials and the SBTC, operating through the domain Truckers.com.




Lamb suggests, in cracking down on illegal truck parking, the city is not addressing the problem of a lack of safe truck parking.

"Illegal truck parking in Midland isn't the problem. It's a symptom of the problem. The problem is Midland fails to provide safe legal truck parking," Lamb said.

"First, it was illegal truck parking in Midland. Then that became driving on the wrong roads, then it became about the wear and tear on the roads. Now, it's just we don't like to see trucks because they are an "eye soar" and truckers are "completely disgusting." As a trucking trade group, we absolutely cannot and will not allow such derogatory and disparaging remarks and sentiments to stand unchallenged and go unaddressed. Truckers are not doormats," Lamb added.

"What Midland needs is a Truck Parking Management Plan. That's what other cities like St. Augustine in Florida issue as a routine matter of city planning. We don't think Midland has one so we put in a freedom of Information request for theirs today. If they don't have one, that would explain a lot," Lamb said.

(con't below...)

As founder of the 'Trucker Lives Matter' movement, Lamb points to how, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, more than 600 workers in interstate transportation have been murdered on-the-job over the past decade. Drivers like Jason Rivenburg and Michael Boeglin. Thousands more have been assaulted or otherwise victimized in desolate areas drivers are forced to park in when their ELD clock runs out and even at truck stops, Driver like Amos Phillips (pictured above), who was attacked at an Idaho truck stop last month, Lamb says.

"The Mayor says he is protecting his city and citizens, well, we want to talk about how the city has the responsibility to protect its visitors including truck drivers and what can happen when they don't. Truckers have a 14th Amendment Right to Equal Protection of the Law. That means the city owes them the same privileges it grants to everyone else including municipal parking. Truck drivers have the same right to a safe place to sleep when they run out of driving hours, as any other visitor who spends the night in a Midland hotel," Lamb said.

Lamb points to a crime rate so high in Midland that it ranks among the most dangerous cities in Texas and doesn't hold back in lashing out at city officials. He posted this comment in the Trucker Lives Matter Facebook group today.

Guess what, Drivers? When you deliver to @CityofMidland, they don't really care if you have a safe place to park overnight. Here's what you're up against. Apparently, the Midland Police are too busy hunting for 18 wheelers with Mr. Lacy to fight crime.


Lamb is encouraging Trucking Media to pick up the story and for Federal and State DOT officials to better promote and educate municipalities on the truck parking grants available to municipalities through Jason's Law.

As for the Mayor's recommendation that trucking companies foot the bill for truck parking, Lamb directed a "tweet" to the Mayor and city of Midland today:

Hey @CityOfMidland Mayor, bet you didn't know that 90% of the 500,000 trucking companies in the trucking industry operate 6 or fewer trucks. That includes one man owner-operators. Are they supposed to buy parking lots in your city too to survive a night in Midland?


"Insofar as truckers' lives are at stake over lack of safe truck parking in Midland and other cities around the nation, we encourage Trucking media to diligently cover this issue," Lamb said.

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Small Business in Transportation Coalition
1775 I. (Eye) Street, NW, Suite 1150
Washington, DC, US 20006