Category: Blog

THE COWBOY AND THE TRUCKER

Two Roads, One Spirit – A Cowboy, a Trucker, and a Moment that Gave Me Chills

By Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

Somewhere out on US 30 in Wyoming today, I caught a glimpse of something that hit me deep – the kind of thing that makes you forget you’re hauling freight and remember you’re part of something sacred.

I saw a cowboy.

Not a costumed one – a real one. Probably in his 50s or 60s, riding a horse, cowboy hat, boots, blue jeans, western shirt. He was out in the open, moving cattle slow and steady – about 20 head – just doing what he does. Not rushing. Not fussing. Just living the life God gave him.

And I tooted my horn – not a blast, just a little tip of the hat from my steel horse. He raised his hand and waved. Man… that moment gave me chills.

Here I am in my rig – 1,197 miles to go from Idaho to St. Louis, clock ticking, load riding – and yet in that one second, I didn’t feel pressure. I felt freedom. Kinship. Two men, two lanes, doing what we were born to do. Not for the money. Not for the applause.

Just… because we love it. Because it’s real.

I may not sit a saddle like that cowboy, but I’ve sat in this one – the seat of a semi – long enough to know the road has a rhythm. And when you’re in it, truly in it, you realize you’re a part of something bigger. You’re not just moving freight – you’re riding through God’s creation. And that’s not a job. That’s a blessing.

I won’t be rich. I’m just like most Americans – paycheck to paycheck, trying to keep up, independent contractor by choice so I can take a day off when I want or park for a few days in Idaho just to breathe.

But today…that cowboy reminded me that we’re a dying breed. Him and me. The cowboy and the trucker. Both nearly forgotten. Both still out here. Not chasing millions. Just chasing purpose.

And it’s somber when you think about how far we’ve drifted. We traded cattle and roads for screens and algorithms. God’s creation for tech gods.

And now, we’re on the brink of driverless trucks. I’m not against technology. I believe it has a place. But it needs to serve humanity, not replace it. It needs to be stewarded by people who care about lives – not just profits.

That’s why I do street ministry when I can. That’s why I write. That’s why I speak up for truckers, for the homeless, for the forgotten – because I believe when we put people first again, when we remember the poor, the humble, the hardworking – God will bless this nation again in ways we can’t even imagine.

We won’t fix this country with corporate greed or artificial intelligence. We’ll fix it when we remember that real work still matters. Real people still matter. God still matters.

That cowboy on the trail and me on the highway – we’re not that different. Two riders. Two roads. Both of us still waving when we pass by.

And you can’t put a dollar amount on that.

 

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

The Crack in the ATA’s Media Empire

This week, something happened in trucking media that most people missed – but those paying attention felt the shift.

Craig Fuller, founder of FreightWaves, just called out Transport Topics – the long-standing media mouthpiece funded by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) – and he did it publicly, with numbers that hit like a hammer.

FreightWaves, which launched just seven years ago, is now outpacing TTNews in every major digital metric:

• 1.16 million monthly visits vs. 286,000
• 637,000 unique visitors vs. 192,000
• 2.38 million page views vs. 473,000

Fuller didn’t mince words.  After laying out the data, he dropped this:

“Must suck to lose his position as the most important…”

No names needed.  The scoreboard did the talking.

This wasn’t just a numbers fight.  It was a shot at control – and the ATA is losing its grip.

The ATA’s Narrative Machine Is Crumbling

Let’s be honest: for decades, Transport Topics has been the ATA’s shield.  It’s pushed the narratives the elites needed to maintain power – from the manufactured “driver shortage” myth to glowing press about automation, overregulation, and cheap foreign labor.

They packaged it as “news.”  But to us behind the wheel, it read more like propaganda.

Now, the cracks are showing.

FreightWaves isn’t perfect – but it’s disrupting the ATA echo chamber.  It’s asking harder questions, using real data, and refusing to regurgitate ATA press releases. And Fuller?  He just said publicly what most insiders only whisper:

The old guard is out of touch.

And their influence is fading.

Why It Matters to Drivers

This might look like a media feud – but it’s bigger than that.

For years, the ATA didn’t just shape policy.  They shaped perception.  And that’s how they got away with:

• Suppressing driver wages
• Flooding the industry with undertrained visa labor
• Selling surveillance and automation as “innovation”
• Silencing real, experienced drivers

Their media machine polished it up and sold it back to America as progress.

Now?  That machine is breaking down.

So when their flagship outlet gets buried in public – by a younger, louder, data-driven competitor – it’s not just a headline. It’s a warning shot.

Give Credit – Then Look Deeper

Craig Fuller deserves credit.

He brought receipts. He didn’t pull punches. He exposed the rift between reality and the ATA’s curated message – and he did it with confidence.

That’s rare in trucking media.  Most outlets tiptoe around the ATA. FreightWaves didn’t.

But now it’s time to take the next step.  We need to ask:

• What other ATA narratives are built on sand?
• What truths about labor, pay, and control have been buried to protect corporate power?
• And who, if anyone, is truly willing to put drivers back at the center?

Don’t Miss This Moment

This isn’t just a feud between two outlets.  It’s a moment of exposure.

It proves corporate media isn’t invincible.  That platforms built on truth, data, and courage can still break through the noise.

But most of all, it’s a reminder:

Drivers can’t afford to stay quiet.

Because when the media machine cracks – even a little – that’s our opening to speak louder, dig deeper, and tell the truth they’ve spent decades trying to control.

This is that moment.  Don’t miss it.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective

The Role and Resilience of OOIDA in the Trucking Industry Advocacy Landscape

As of July 2, 2025, the trucking industry remains a battleground for major policy debates – none more divisive right now than the fight over mandatory speed limiters.  While social media lights up with claims that “nothing is being done,” the reality paints a different picture – one that includes real dollars spent, real strategy deployed, and real work being done behind the scenes.

Take a look at the OOIDA billboard campaigns popping up across key congressional districts: “Truckers!  Fight with us.  Say NO to Mandatory Speed Limiters.”  This isn’t just a slogan.  It’s a message backed by action.

OOIDA: A Grounded Voice in a Fragmented Industry

In an industry where associations seem to appear and disappear every year, OOIDA has remained a constant.  With a physical presence in Washington, D.C., a dedicated lobbying staff, a communications team, and a nationwide member base, OOIDA isn’t just reactive – they’re strategic.  They’ve launched billboard campaigns, run radio spots, and maintained consistent pressure in congressional districts that actually move the needle.

Their strategy is not dictated by a single voice. OOIDA’s Board of Directors is composed entirely of professional truck drivers – 22 members, each with real driving experience, elected by the membership.  They don’t all agree on every issue, and that’s the point.  This isn’t an echo chamber.  It’s a working board where diverse viewpoints are debated and decisions – like what OOIDA fights for or against – are voted on collectively.

Contrary to what some online voices claim, OOIDA hasn’t been sitting on the sidelines.  They’ve been investing – in time, money, media, and policy.  When speed limiter mandates hit the docket, they didn’t just post about it online.  They fought it with targeted outreach in swing districts.  They looked ahead, not just to pull bad policy off the table, but to prevent it from coming back – especially in a post-election climate where agendas shift quickly.

And let’s be clear about something: while some are now saying “it can still come back,” they’re missing the bigger picture.  It was dangerously close to being enforced. OOIDA fought tooth and nail to push it back – and they succeeded.  Yes, it’s “on the shelf,” and yes, it can be brought back. But that’s exactly why this moment matters.  Because now we have breathing room to regroup, re-strategize, and prepare for the next administration, which could absolutely throw it right back on the table.

Those, who are quick to say “OOIDA didn’t do anything” because the fight isn’t completely over, are showing their lack of understanding of how Washington works.  No one else is still out there monitoring it day in and day out.  So, if you’re that concerned – step up.  Be part of the fight even when it’s not trending.

The Cycle of Imitation and Fragmentation

In the last five years, I’ve watched six or more “driver associations” rise and fall.  Each time, the formula is the same: a few talking heads, a new name, a burst of online noise, and the promise of real change.  But it never lasts.  These groups don’t build infrastructure.  They build personal platforms – and then disappear or implode, leaving drivers more divided and disillusioned than before.

Even more frustrating is that it’s often the same people bouncing from group to group, rebranding themselves as “for the drivers” while running the same manipulation tactics – blackball anyone who disagrees, attack OOIDA to gain attention, and demand unity while creating division.

Here’s what’s really going on: some of these so-called grassroots leaders benefited from the very system they now claim to oppose.  They weren’t speaking out when they were profiting from cheap labor, predatory lease deals, or inflated rates.  But now that their freight lanes are threatened by visa labor and the market’s dried up, they’re suddenly “for the drivers.”

It’s hard to take that seriously.

Real Advocacy Takes More Than Anger

Fighting Washington’s swamp is not a one-week effort or a livestream rant.  It takes strategy, endurance, and the ability to see more than two inches in front of your face.  Good leadership isn’t reactive – it’s proactive.  That’s what OOIDA brings to the table.  Whether you agree with them on every issue or not, the fact remains: they’ve been in the trenches for decades, while others are still figuring out how D.C. even works.

OOIDA understands that billboards placed in the right congressional districts can make more impact than a thousand Facebook posts.  They understand that defeating something like a speed limiter mandate isn’t about winning an online argument – it’s about winning legislative leverage.

They also understand that internal accountability matters.  Every issue OOIDA takes on – from opposing ELD mandates to defending truck parking legislation – must go through board approval.  That means professional drivers like you and me are the ones voting on what fights are worth fighting.  It’s grassroots – not lip service.

A Call for Unity, Not Just New Names

This isn’t a fan club.  It’s not about blindly supporting OOIDA or pretending they’re perfect.  It’s about respecting the fact that they’re still standing, still fighting, and still the best-positioned organization we’ve got on the front lines.

New groups will keep popping up, and some will promise the world.  But until they build what OOIDA has – real infrastructure, a war chest, a legislative presence, and staying power – they’ll keep repeating the same cycle: hype, fracture, fade.

If you’re frustrated, ask yourself:

“Am I contributing to a solution – or just helping split the voice of real drivers again?”

Instead of burning down what’s already built, maybe it’s time to build on top of it.  Offer your voice.  Push for change.  But do it where it can actually make an impact.

Conclusion

OOIDA may not be flashy.  They may not respond to every online accusation or follow every social media wave.  But when it comes to fighting policies like mandatory speed limiters, they’ve put their money where their mouth is.   Seven billboard campaigns.  Strategic congressional targeting.  Real political engagement.

And behind it all is a board of real truckers – voting, debating, and making sure OOIDA stays accountable to drivers, not corporate overlords.

If that doesn’t count as “doing something,” then maybe we’ve lost sight of what real advocacy looks like.

It’s time to move past the division, the talking heads, and the recycled outrage – and get back to something that works.  Because while other groups keep changing names, OOIDA is still in the fight.

To Join The Fight Visit FightingForTruckers.Com

Live Life Purposefully

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

-A Driver’s Perspective-

FMCSA’s Silence Is Deafening

While Drivers Are Getting Railroaded

While drivers are out here busting our backs to keep America moving, the FMCSA continues to bury its head in the sand. You’d think with rising highway deaths, a flood of undertrained visa holders, and drivers getting squeezed out by surveillance tech, the agency responsible for our safety might… speak up?

But no. Crickets.

Meanwhile, real American drivers are being fined, sidelined, and driven out over minor infractions — while large carriers skate by with immunity. We’ve got data breaches like the TxDOT CRIS hack, driverless trucks testing next to your kids’ school bus, and a driver base being replaced by outsourced labor.

And yet FMCSA keeps pumping out “listening sessions” and webinars while ignoring the voices that actually know the road.

The system isn’t broken. It’s rigged. And it’s time we call it what it is: negligence by leadership and willful silence in the face of corporate pressure.

It’s time the DOT and FMCSA start answering to drivers, not lobbyists.

KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD

Truck Parking

As I reflect on the months since Donald Trump returned to the White House on January 20, 2025, and appointed Sean P. Duffy as Secretary of Transportation, one question keeps hitting me like a Jake brake in rush hour: What’s actually changed for the men and women who move this nation?

Let’s look at the facts.  Regulation by regulation.  Promise by promise.  And what still hasn’t been delivered.

1. Deregulation Across the DOT
Secretary Duffy has come in hard with a broad deregulation campaign:

• 52 rules scrapped across FMCSA, FHWA, and NHTSA—eliminating over  73,000 words from the Federal Register.
• Old mandates tossed: paper manuals for ELDs, spare fuses, outdated reflectivity tape, and other red-tape nonsense that should’ve been gone years ago.
• Military-trained drivers are now exempt from civilian CDL requirements—finally some common sense when it comes to qualified personnel.

The paperwork has been shredded. But for drivers still on the road? Not much else has changed.

2. Reversing “Woke” Initiatives
On April 24, DOT issued a memo to kill off DEI, climate justice, and “equity”-based criteria in federal transportation grants. The message was clear: Focus on roads, not ideology.

Bridge and highway funding no longer requires equity statements or climate projections. Infrastructure, they say, will be built based on need—not narrative.

But if that’s true, why is the number one need in trucking—parking—still nowhere on the agenda?

3. Reviewing Biden-Era Grants
Duffy’s DOT paused and reviewed over 3,200 IIJA-era grants. Out of those, 1,000 have since been cleared, accounting for roughly $10 billion in re-approved funding. Sounds productive. But again—nothing yet focused on the daily challenges of the American truck driver.

4. Trucking-Specific Driver Issues
FMCSA reinstated English proficiency rules: drivers must now be able to read and speak English to operate in the U.S. A move long overdue, especially for safety and communication at scale.

Enforcement has also shifted. There’s been a pullback from excessive inspections, aggressive roadside tactics, and arbitrary shutdowns. That’s a win. But easing up on enforcement can’t substitute for meaningful support. Drivers are still operating without the one thing we need most: secure places to rest.

5. Driverless Trucks: The Real Priority
If you want to know where the government’s focus really is—look no further than automated vehicles.

• In June, NHTSA rolled out a new federal framework to fast-track driverless trucks.
• The Part 555 exemption program now allows 2,500 non-traditional AVs per manufacturer—annually—with shortened approval timelines.

The writing’s on the wall. The powers that be are clearing the way for robots while ignoring the men and women behind the wheel today.

6. Infrastructure and Spending Moves
DOT opened up $5.4 billion in bridge funding this summer—no DEI or climate strings attached. They also shifted Penn Station funding away from New York’s MTA to federal control, supposedly saving $120 million. Even congestion pricing in NYC was pulled back.

But let’s be clear—this isn’t about helping truckers. These are political and urban infrastructure wins. Meanwhile, truckers can’t even find a place to park at night.

Lack of Parking…
Lack of parking can cause a driver to lose up to 10 hours of driving in a five-day period—easily, if not more. And 10 hours of driving is equivalent to a full day’s wage. For a company driver, that’s $200 to $350. In a month? That’s over $1,000 gone. For an owner-operator or lease driver, that lost time can mean $1,000 to $1,500 a day—translating into $4,000 to $6,000 a month out the window.

And it’s not just money. It’s stress. It’s the toll of living on the road. It’s trying to plan your day around parking when you don’t even know how long you’ll be stuck waiting at a shipper or receiver.

Trucking jobs aren’t cookie-cutter. Every load is different. Every hour you’re delayed changes where you’ll end up—and what kind of traffic or parking crunch you’ll hit. Most drivers don’t know their schedule beyond 48 to 72 hours out. And once that 3 to 6 p.m. window hits, truck stops start filling up like clockwork. Miss it, and good luck finding legal parking that isn’t a ticket or a tow away.

This isn’t just a nuisance. It’s a crisis. It’s impacting traffic patterns, safety, health, lives—and the national economy. And yet truck parking keeps getting kicked down the road like an empty soda can.

So here’s the question: When will our elected officials quit making excuses and tell us the truth—either about what’s being done, or what they don’t intend to do?

The Truck Parking Question
Back in February or March, Duffy admitted in a congressional hearing that the parking shortage is real. He even said funding would be addressed in the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization.

But here we are—months later—with:
• No proposals on the table.
• No draft language.
• No earmarked funds.
• No established parking programs at DOT.

There’s talk, but no blueprint. No dirt turned. No signposts saying, “New Parking Coming Soon.” It’s all promise—no pavement.

What to Watch
• The 2025 reauthorization process is the next major chance for this to change.
• DOT may form a truck parking working group—but there’s been no announcement, no meeting calendar, no advisory board appointments.
• And with AV technology climbing the ladder of federal priority, it’s hard not to assume they’re simply counting on fewer drivers needing parking in the future.

Final Analysis: Truckers in the Balance
Area Status: What It Means for Drivers
Deregulation Aggressive and wide-reaching Easier compliance, but doesn’t solve big issues
Enforcement Less aggressive, English rule Safer communication, fewer shutdowns
AV Technology Full speed ahead Future-focused, sidelining today’s workforce
Truck Parking No action—just promises Lost time, lost money, growing safety crisis

Conclusion
From where I sit, it’s simple: the administration is putting resources into regulation cuts and autonomous trucks—but not into the people actually moving America right now.

They’re planning for a future without truckers, instead of fixing the crisis truckers face today. No matter what side of the political aisle you’re on, that ought to be a red flag.

Parking isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. And when it’s not prioritized like terminals, airports, or rail hubs, it tells you everything about where drivers rank in the federal agenda.

Our wheels keep this country running. But without a place to stop, rest, and reset—we’re being pushed out. Quietly. Strategically. Systematically.

If they won’t put money behind truck parking, they’ve already decided we’re not part of the future.

And that’s something every driver—and every American—ought to think hard about.

Will Cook | A Driver’s Perspective