Truckers react to plan to close rest stops
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Truckers react to plan to close rest stops
The parking lot of the Ironto rest stop was full of big rigs Thursday evening. Most of the truck drivers were asleep in the back of their rigs.VDOT’s plan to cover the $2.6 billion shortfall includes closing 25 of 42 rest stops.
Along Interstate 81, 11 of 14 rest stops will close. The only three that will stay open are Winchester, Bristol and a trucks only stop in Abingdon.
All of the stops in VDOT’s Salem District will close.
The parking lot of the Ironto rest stop was full of big rigs Thursday evening. Most of the truck drivers were asleep in the back of their rigs.
“I’m sure they’re be more tired truckers on the road.“, says Richard Hicks, a trucker from Tennessee.
Closing rest areas would save $12 million.
It is just a recommendation at this point.
The Commonwealth Transportation Board will vote at its June meeting. If the board votes to close the rest stops, they will close in July.
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Reader Reactions
THIS IS THE MOST CRAZIEST THING YOU PEOPLE HAVE DONE YET!THESE TRUCK DRIVERS NEED PLACES TO STOP,PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES,HOW WOULD YOUR FAMILIES FEEL IF IT WAS ONE OF YOUR OWN?THE WORLD IS NOT WHAT MAKES EVERYTHING COMPLICATED ITS THESE RIDICLOUS DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE!THEY GOT US IN ALL THIS MESS AND WANT TO MAKE IT AS HARD ON TRAVELERS ANYWAY THEY KNOW HOW!IT WILL END UP CAUSING MORE SEVERE PROBLEMS AND SEEMS LIKE TO ME THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID! DO SOMETHING WITH ALL THESE HIGH PAY SCALES IN WASHINGTON AND STOP PICKING ON US AND TAKING AWAY WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT,THIS WORLD IS GOING TO H*** IN A HAND BASKET AND ALL UP YOU IN D.C. NEED TO GET YOUR HEADS ON STRAIGHT! YOU CAN BAIL OUT THESE BANKS AND SO ON BUT WHAT ABOUT WHATS TRULY IMPORTANT?OUR JOBS, OUR HOMES,OUR PAYCHECKS AND NOW THE REST AREAS FOR THE TRUCKERS AND TRAVELERS THAT NEED MUCH NEEDED REST!YOU PEOPLE NEED TO GET YOUR PRIORITES STRAIGHT!NOTHING GOOD CAN EVER BECOME OF YOU RICH PEOPLE IN DC THAT COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THOSE LESS FORTUNATE.
closing rest stops would save $12 million….
who cares?
those rest stops were put there for a REASON - for tired drivers - and truckers - to REST. people driving long distances generally need to do this occasionally… and taking away the few opportunities they have to be responsible and rest when they need to is utterly, irrevocably, idiotic. there is NO excuse for such idiocy and lack of common sense - and such massive selfishness - as this.
saving $12 million won’t change a damn thing if someone out there gets hurt or killed by a tired trucker and/or driver - you can’t put a cash value on life.
As a truck driver’s daughter as well as a truck driver’s wife I think the commonwealth is so full of bull. I grew up traveling on 81 and the driver’s need the rest areas to sleep or use the restroom. You can’t just pull into a fastfood joint or a gas station to sleep. There isn’t enough room. The truck stops along 81 get filled up to quickly. Now if the commonwealth wants to put in more truck stop knock yourself out but getting rid of the rest areas you are crazy. A lot of trucker’s have their pets with them and the rest areas here in Virginia have places where they can walk them, if you close the rest areas, the driver’s will be walking them everywhere they will stop. The animals need a place to do there business too.
Communist Wealth oh I mean Commonwealth. Another swell ideal from the leaders of this great state. Let’s fire all the guys in Richmond. I’m sure we can coast for a few years without them.
I agree with Motor02!!! What a joke! When all the angry DMV patrons started raising he## with their state representatives, all of the sudden there were additional funds found and the DMV offices magically reopenned!!! Wonder what it will take for the rest areas to re open, how many people will have to loose their lives or limbs before Governor Kaine realizes that toilet bowl cleaner & paper towels as well as personel to maintain the rest areas are an essential part of the 81 corridor. It’s NOT ONLY ABOUT THE BUDGET!!! It is ABOUT SAFETY as well. Truckers can’t just pull over anywhere and sleep. The truck stops fill up very quickly. Truckers who drive this route have routine stopping places & it is important for their safety as well as the safety of other motorists. There has got to be another way!!! It’s not only about the truckers, it is stressful to have to look for a safe place to stop in a different area than you are use to. My family travels up & down the interstate. It’s good to be able to zip off & back on without looking for a store/gas station to go to all the time. From Bristol to Winchester with NOTHING in between, come on, at least leave some well spaced resting areas open for the weary traveler / truckers out therr. Maybe the state can “find” some money in other places (like perhaps pay cuts in the upper government - like the house & senate). Spread the wealth guys!!!
This seems like a really bad idea to me. Not only will the travelling citizens of Virginia miss out on a chance to “rest” but the Truckers will really suffer. Are there other forces here that we don’t know about…maybe the local enconomies near the rest areas need a boost? It makes sense to me that an already dangerous Interstate… I-81..will become more so because of tired drivers or truckers who may have to exit onto old, unsafe ramps to find a place to rest. I have often heard about the waste, misuse of funds and underemployement of VDOT workers. It is legendary among other state employees. Why not cut the fat from VDOT upper management and use the money saved to keep the rest stops? They are, after all, a well used, well-maintained, well- managed and very appreciated part of VDOT.
As it is right now, there are not enough truck stops to house all the trucks. Truckers are required by law to drive only so long on the roads. And I don’t know about anyone else but I would rather see them at rest areas then pushing it to get to another truck stop. My dad drives truck and it scares me when they are pushed to drive hard to get to their destinations but to also be expected to get to a truck stop by 5pm (they fill up quickly) to get a spot. Please. Our state has to have some of their intelligent decisions re-evaluated by common citizens with brains.
The last political stunt of this magnitude was a few years back when another newly elected democratic govenor chose to close State DMV offices. He wanted to inconvenience the greatest number of people over a relatively small amount of money in order to get his way with the legislature.
Now we have to close rest stops to save about $12 million. I didn’t realize toilet paper and toilet bowle cleaner costs so much. But here again we get the most people affected and a public up-roar over such a small amount.
I would think we could find several new bridges somewhere on secondary roads which are set for replacement and delay their replacement to save money.
How about we shut down a government housing complex somewhere to save money? That would affect only a couple of hundred persons instead to thousands of travelers through the state.
Hey govena, remember to change the welcome to VA signs to read “Welcome to Virginia, the state without toilets, hope you can hold your water!“
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