(** Originally posted on “Real Women in Trucking” )

Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN) , the Chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has sunk to a new low by using a female truck driver in his new television ad campaign called “Joyce“, without addressing the national truck parking issue.

The ad features female dump truck driver Joyce Fisk of Knife River Corporation, Fisk testified (SEE TESTIMONY) before the Federal Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the need for long-term federal highway funding in March 2010, and made valid points about the dire need of prioritizing infrastructure projects.

What is not addressed in her testimony is the need for safe parking, which is not an issue for Joyce Fisk, as she is a local driver. Safe parking is a critical topic for “Over the Road” truck drivers who support “Jason’s Law” HR 2156 and companion bill S971 which was introduced by Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY)

Hope Rivenburg, the young widow who has in addition to giving birth days later to twins after the murder of her husband, has worked tirelessly attending trucking conventions, fairs and personally making phone calls to get our elected officials to address the truck parking crisis. Mrs. Rivenburg has made a series of trips to Washington D.C and while many trucking publications and organizations have used her husband’s murder to sell their memberships and magazines.  Very few have put forth the effort to pick up the phone themselves to call legislators on behalf of this bill to make it a priority in the way ordinary individuals have done over the past year.

Still, despite our efforts Hope Rivenburg has received little more than a blow off from many of our public servants involved in transportation and infrastructure funding. In the past few months numerous calls have been made to Congressman Oberstar’s offices for information regarding why “Jason’s Law” is being ignored while other infrastructure projects are being funded.  Addressing truck parking creates jobs yet we are facing truck parking closures in many states and Congressman Oberstar seems oblivious to this.

Named after slain trucker Jason Rivenburg, “Jason’s Law” was introduced by Paul Tonko (D-NY) after the senseless murder for a measly $7 which was visible on Jason’s dashboard.  Jason was early for his appointment to deliver milk but could not be unloaded until the following morning. He parked in an abandoned gas station where he was shot and killed, leaving his young pregnant wife to deliver twins days later, leaving her with their three fatherless children.

The murder of Jason Rivenburg has grown to be a symbol of the neglect and disrespect truck drivers experience while trying to maintain federal driving regulations in order to keep America’s store shelves stocked. Crimes against truckers continue to grow, rest area closures and increased criminal activity in truck stops have created an atmosphere where truck drivers are sitting ducks because they have few safe places to park and rest.

We have asked Congressman James Oberstar staffers for a clear understanding on numerous occasions why this bill is being ignored and the truck parking issue is not being addressed while other roads projects are moving formard.  NATSO, The National Association of Truck Stop Owners has failed to sufficiently recognize the problems that exist on their properties.  A recent story about serial killers on the front page on USA Today seemed to infer that the rest areas were less safe than the travel plazas, which is not the case.

To add insult to injury, censorship on the Facebook page of Congressman James Oberstar began this week when comments were removed repeatedly that asked why truck parking and specifically, “Jason’s Law”, were not addressed in the “Joyce” television ad campaign. Comments have also been censored from YouTube where the ”Joyce” television ad is being featured. Let me remind the Oberstar campaign that censorship is a social media no-no and there are a good deal of truck drivers who participate rather effectively in social media.

Congressman James Oberstar is the Chairman of the House Committee for Transportation and Infrastructure, yet safe trucker parking is not on his agenda. We do not support James Oberstar as he appears to use tactics which will gain him votes, without addressing our concerns for safe parking or acknowledging the problem of increased crime targeted at truck drivers who move America’s freight.