As truckers navigate the endless ribbons of highway, the unexplained disappearance of one of our own sends shockwaves through our tight-knit community. This episode shines a light on the haunting case of Brian Lush, last seen at a truck stop in Cornwall, Ontario, and the collective effort needed from all of us to bring him home. We discuss the importance of awareness and cooperation within the trucking industry—not just in Brian's case but in safeguarding all drivers whose fates hang in a delicate balance on the open road. It's more than a call to action; it's a plea for vigilance, a reminder that being alert could be the key to reuniting a family with their missing loved one.
The road can be a demanding place, and in our conversation with Spencer, an owner-operator, we confront the daily challenges faced by truckers and explore tangible solutions. From the critical shortage of truck parking to the necessity of proper restrooms and support systems, we uncover the initiatives at play, like Iowa's commitment to providing additional parking spaces and the bipartisan Trucking Bathroom Access Act aiming to ensure dignity for drivers. This episode goes beyond airing grievances—it's about fostering unity among truckers and demanding the respect that those who keep America moving deserve, one mile at a time. Join us as we navigate these complex issues and fight for the changes that not only improve the lives of truckers but also ensure the efficiency and safety of the industry as a whole.
Text me anytime with news, suggestions, and stories at (641) 990-5641. God bless, be safe, and keep it between the lines drivers.
As truckers navigate the endless ribbons of highway, the unexplained disappearance of one of our own sends shockwaves through our tight-knit community. This episode shines a light on the haunting case of Brian Lush, last seen at a truck stop in Cornwall, Ontario, and the collective effort needed from all of us to bring him home. We discuss the importance of awareness and cooperation within the trucking industry—not just in Brian's case but in safeguarding all drivers whose fates hang in a delicate balance on the open road. It's more than a call to action; it's a plea for vigilance, a reminder that being alert could be the key to reuniting a family with their missing loved one.
The road can be a demanding place, and in our conversation with Spencer, an owner-operator, we confront the daily challenges faced by truckers and explore tangible solutions. From the critical shortage of truck parking to the necessity of proper restrooms and support systems, we uncover the initiatives at play, like Iowa's commitment to providing additional parking spaces and the bipartisan Trucking Bathroom Access Act aiming to ensure dignity for drivers. This episode goes beyond airing grievances—it's about fostering unity among truckers and demanding the respect that those who keep America moving deserve, one mile at a time. Join us as we navigate these complex issues and fight for the changes that not only improve the lives of truckers but also ensure the efficiency and safety of the industry as a whole.
Text me anytime with news, suggestions, and stories at (641) 990-5641. God bless, be safe, and keep it between the lines drivers.
Speaker 1:
Hello drivers and welcome to Roland 18 podcast. This is going to be a somber show because here lately think weird things have been happening to truck drivers. There's been several missing truck drivers and the two stories that got me was the one I reported on Monday in my podcast and now we have another one I just spotted. He ended up missing on the 24th of April and right after he parked his big rig. The trucker left his big rig at a truck stop and then went missing. Family members and local police are looking for a trucker who went missing out of Ontario this week Over the road.
Speaker 1:
Truck driver Brian Lush was last seen on Wednesday, april 24th at the Petro Pass truck stop near Cornwall. April 24th at the Petro Pass truck stop near Cornwall, ontario, lush reportedly parked at the store, went inside, purchased items and then vanished. His truck with his cell phone inside were found abandoned at the Petro Pass. Now Lush is 5'11", weighs about 200 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes and was last seen wearing jeans, a blue hooded sweatshirt and a dark colored baseball cap. The company Lush drives for is Down Home Movers. They put out a post, I believe it was on Friday, saying hello friends, this is Brian Lush's missing person's truck and it shows a picture of his bed bug, which we call bed bug. It's a furniture moving van picture of his bed bug, which we call bed bug. It's a furniture moving van located at a petrol pass gas station in summertime near cornwall, ontario. Please share, share, share anyone with information. Please reach out to your local rcmp. I'm not sure what that is. It's probably police or state patrol out there in canada. I'm not very familiar with Canada, but if you guys go to CDL Life and then look at the trucker missing ad and please look at the photo His daughter posted on Facebook, she is very brokenhearted, very brokenhearted. We all need to be looking out for this driver. So please do your due diligence. Go to CDL Life. I will put the link down below on this podcast in the description over here at Roland18podcastcom. Click on this podcast and then click on the story down below and you will see a link. Please look at that picture, Look at that face, look at that man and that way, if you happen to see him anywhere, please call the number that is listed on the story. I will give the number out myself. You can call 709-649-8010. That's 709-649-8010.
Speaker 1:
Described as 5'11", 200 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, last spoke to his family around two o'clock on Wednesday. He was last seen entering a Petro Pass on Country Road in Summertown, near Cornwell, ontario, on Wednesday April 24th. He was last seen entering a Petro Pass on Country Road in Summertown, near Cornwell, ontario, on Wednesday April 24th. He was wearing blue jeans and a dark blue hoodie and a black-gray ball cap. His family says he went into the store, made a purchase but hasn't been seen since. His truck, along with cell phone inside, was left at the truck stop.
Speaker 1:
Ontario RCMP are investigating his disappearance and photos of brian can be found just about everywhere. Look up brian lush b-r-i-a-n-l-u-s-h. We need to find this man. I don't care if you're listening in canada and america. Keep your eyes open, even copy a picture of that to your phone. That way, if you see somebody that looks familiar, you can reach out to somebody.
Speaker 1:
His daughter's name is Chloe White and she's very brokenhearted. She said please, please, share missing person in Cornwell, ontario, summerstown. And then she gives out his name Brian Lush. 5'11", 200 pounds, brown eyes, brown hair. Please pray and share this post. I love you, dad. Please come home as I need you here with me. She said please call rcmp of cornwell with any information. She gave out a number or you can call 888-310-1122. That's 888-310-1122.
Speaker 1:
Last seen at the Petropath County Road. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a dad's girl. This is heartbreaking and I never in my lifetime thought I would have to make this post. This has got to be extremely, extremely scary for this young lady. Folks, please go to CDLLifecom, look up the story about Brian Lush's disappearance. Click on the actual post. Please take a copy of that gentleman's face, his body, whatever, be sure and put that on your phone and if you see anybody that comes close to fitting that description, find out that gentleman's name, find out anything you can and report it right away.
Speaker 1:
You can call 911 in America to let them know he is missing in Canada and they will help you out any way they can. I know they will. This poor woman. I am going to keep very close tabs with the RCMP. I'm sorry. I will contact them personally tomorrow morning and find out what we can do here in America. Find out if there's any updates. If there is, on Friday's podcast I will release it to you. God bless this little girl. God bless her daddy. We pray here at Roland18 Podcast for his safe return. God knows what could happen, but, ladies and gentlemen, there are people missing left and right in America and in Canada, all over the world. Actually, I don't understand the logistics of any of that.
Speaker 1:
The story I did on Monday about the missing driver that was hauling hogs was found a mile and a half away. His body, his remains, were found a mile and a half away, where he disappeared in November, found a mile and a half away where he disappeared in November, and we do not have a clue so far. The coroner says preliminary results show there was no violence, but we still don't know why he was a mile and a half away from his truck, with all of his personal belongings in the truck, and why he expired in that location a mile and a half away, especially when the search teams looked everywhere and couldn't find him. So we don't know. We don't know if his body was even there when they were looking. More questions than answers. This is disheartening and we really need to get to the bottom of this stuff.
Speaker 1:
Now there's a story I want to read from FreightWaves at FreightWavescom, and it really gets to the point of what elections do politicians do to the trucking business, and the title of this story is Election Year Politics Cuts Into Small Trucker Priorities. Regulatory Challenges Facing Owner-Operators. Now legislation and regulation affecting trucking is downshifting as the election year moves into full swing. But the most prominent lobby representing truck owner-operators is keeping the pressure on lawmakers and the administration to do right by its members. The unfortunate reality is that this particular Congress is totally engaged in election season and, rather than focusing on some of the issues we would like to see them focus on, they're pretty much engaged in doing what they think they need to do to retain or gain seats. Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, made this quote, but we also know the world goes on after November and it doesn't really matter who gets elected. We're going to do our best to work with whoever is in office and pursue those things that we think are in the interest of our members is what he said.
Speaker 1:
Speaking at the keynote open for FreightWaves Small Fleet and Owner Operators Summit on Wednesday. Spencer said that at the top of the list is maintaining momentum in Congress on expanding truck parking across the country, and that's something that we here at Rolling 18 Podcast are working with the state of Iowa to do. We have plenty of land stretching across Interstate 80 and up and down 35 to do exactly that. And we need to use some of that land in order to put parking spots. But what we also need is drivers using their responsibility, their level-headedness, to utilize those parking spots in a manner that is not disgusting and you guys know what I'm talking about. Out there, when a driver pulls in there, you need to put your trash in the receptacles, you need not crap in the parking lot and you need to use the facilities. Now it goes on to say manufacturers have saved millions of dollars because of reliable and efficient transportation by trucks and because of the people behind the wheel. But drivers have to have a support system and we think having a place to sleep safely and securely isn't really a big price to pay. And I don't think it is. And that's why I think all states should give up some land and build some reasonable areas that most truckers congregate in. And I can give an example Before you get to Des Moines, there are two rest areas between exit 182 and 142.
Speaker 1:
Okay, and those rest areas at night are plumb full. They are jam-packed. These are where drivers obviously run out of time for the most part and need to get some sleep. Sometimes those drivers are parked on the shoulder all the way out to the interstate most part and need to get some sleep. Sometimes those drivers are parked on the shoulder all the way out to the interstate and we know that's not safe because the parking shortage for truckers has been an issue for 25 years and it's only getting worse.
Speaker 1:
There are some truck stops that are expanding what they have to offer and are thrilled to see that. I'm thrilled to see that we even had a Casey's build an entire truck stop across from mile marker 168 on Interstate 80 in Iowa simply to help reduce the congestion. Unfortunately, when Love's built there years ago they made the parking lot so small that a lot of the trucks expanded down the street, down the highway and onto the on-ramps and off-ramps, banded down the street, down the highway and onto the on-ramps and off-ramps. That didn't do anybody any good and Casey's General Stores saw an opportunity and jumped on it and built a really big facility with probably twice the parking that Love has over there at 168 on Interstate 80. So it does help, but we need Iowa a lot of these states that have a lot of truck traffic to understand. You guys want your stuff, you guys want to order stuff. I've never seen so much stuff ordered in my life, but this is why we need to get. We have rules and regulations and this is why we need places to stop and park, and it's not always about pulling money out of your pocket and paying for a spot. We don't need that all the time. A lot of truck stops are taking advantage of that and really ripping off the industry by turning half of their parking lot, if not all of their parking lot, into paid parking. That is such a scam. Come on, folks. They're buying your product. They're only going to be there a few hours. Let them do their thing.
Speaker 1:
Other legislation high on Spencer's list would ensure drivers have access to bathrooms on the sites of the shippers and receivers that they serve. I have been complaining about this for years. You go into a shipper and receiver and they treat you. They're real cocky with you. They treat you poorly and the next thing you know they're setting up outhouses for you to use and will not let you into the facility. They don't care how cold it is, how hot it is. The Trucking Bathroom Access Act introduced in 2022 and again in 2023 by Rep Troy Nels, republican of Texas has bipartisan support would require companies to extend any accommodation they make for their own workers to truck drivers who deliver to their facilities.
Speaker 1:
And this is what companies need to know. They need to have compassion for these drivers. Without these trucks they are not getting their product too bad for you, and I have tried to get drivers before to sit there and boycott these companies. It's not an easy thing to do. Everybody's so afraid of losing their job. But let me tell you something, folks Would you rather continually be treated like garbage? Would you rather just keep your mouth shut and scream and yell on the CB about insignificant stuff? Or would you, folks, rather work together so that we can get things done? And I wish these companies would do more too. I understand they need the freight and I understand they love it when they get paid to move the freight, even though some of these truck companies are getting ripped off by these shippers and receivers. But they have to keep going, otherwise they're going to go out of business.
Speaker 1:
It's a touchy situation, but it can be solved if we rise up together. These shippers and receivers have no choice if the truckers and the truck companies and the owner operators stick together, stick to their guns and say enough is enough. We're not delivering to you or picking up from you if you don't extend the same courtesy to our drivers as you do your employees. It's that simple. And if everybody came up with the same solution and worked together instead of trying to undercut each other? That's the sad part about trucking today. I think the number one problem with trucking today is the fact that companies are undercutting each other, and we have so many small companies out there that are actually committing fraud. They're making it hard for the rest of the legitimate companies. It's shocking that we have to pursue legislation to address such a basic issue, but they do, and it doesn't make any sense Now. Spencer used to be an owner-operator himself, so he knows what is going on. He knows what he's talking about. Covid was probably a big factor in the shippers and receivers deciding that they no longer wanted to allow drivers to use their restroom facilities. We think that's totally unacceptable. He said the legislation doesn't require anything over the top, such as that.
Speaker 1:
Now, while election year politics can stall regulatory timelines, it can also serve to expedite administrative priorities. Getting a handle on truck crashes has been one of those priorities, and the rule to mandate speeds on trucks has been seen by some as a concrete way to address the problem. But if they don't pick the right speed, I'm going to tell you right now it's going to be dangerous and it's going to be worthless because it's going to frustrate drivers, they're going to quit and they're going to go down the road unless you want to pay them by the hour. And they're going to go down the road unless you want to pay them by the hour. You want to give them $26, $27, $28 an hour, $30 an hour fine, go ahead and limit the truck at 45 miles an hour for all I care. But if you're going to pay them by the mile and then you're going to cut their throat and let them bleed out in their own truck, I don't think they're going to work with you. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Rulemaking that would set top speeds for trucks is due out in May and by God they better get it right the first time, because if they cause a big problem and they set these trucks at 55 nationwide, you better shut the cars down at 55 as well.
Speaker 1:
I want to see some limiters put on these cars that are doing 80, 90, 110 miles an hour, especially out here in Iowa. How about that, ladies and gentlemen? How about that, mr DOT? You think that would be fair? I think it would be, but you're sitting here calling the truck the problem, and the truck accidents are not. They are a problem, but they're because you're training the wrong people to be truck drivers, because you're getting desperate. You have to know who is a truck driver and who isn't, and you should know within the first three to five days of training somebody, and patience is the number one key. So, if you want, I'll do a podcast on that. Then maybe you training facilities can listen to that and realize that you may be hiring some people that shouldn't be behind the wheel of a truck to begin with, even though they pass all your tests.
Speaker 1:
I'm sorry, I get angry over stuff like that. There are people in trucks that do not belong and they need to be removed immediately. If the big carrier fleets want speed limiters on their own trucks, they're certainly free to do that, but they want to mandate to apply to everyone, and that is going to be a problem. The reality is that, regardless of the kind of truck you drive, there are going to be times when you're going to need to pick up the pace just a little bit to get out of someone's way or to avoid an unsafe situation. I believe well-trained, professional drivers are in the better position to make those decisions and you can only start from the well-trained, better driver and part of that has to be the psychological effect of that person. And if they're not made to be a truck driver, I don't care how much you train them, they're not made to be a truck driver and they shouldn't be behind the wheel of a truck. We see it all the time in truck stops when they try and back up. They were trained completely on how to back up and the minute they go to do it themselves without a trainer, they're screwed and it's so horrific. Some of them are so horrific that if that trainer was looking at them they would pull their license.
Speaker 1:
Anyway, thank you guys for listening to Roland 18. We have a podcast out every Monday, wednesday and Friday. Check out the website at wwwroland18podcastcom. Have a great day, god bless, be safe and, as always, keep it between the lines, driver. Thank you for listening to Roland 18 Podcast. Visit our website at wwwroland18podcastcom. Remember we have a new episode every Monday, wednesday and Friday. Be safe out there, driver. We love all of you.