Truckers and other drivers made their way to a large lot off of Exit 72 on the west side of I-5 in Chehalis on Friday to protest high fuel prices that organizers say are affecting everyone.
Vehicles began pulling into the lot at about 5 a.m., organizer Sherrie Bond, owner of Bond Trucking in Chehalis said.
The first truck to arrive came from Toledo and was driven by a man who used to operate three log trucks, she said. “He’s down to one because he can’t afford the fuel costs,” she said. “He had to lay off two drivers.”
By early Friday, she reported that about eight highway trucks and just over a dozen other vehicles, including a motor home, were parked in the protest area. Eight lumber trucks from Woodland were expected to stop by later in the day before moving on to deliver their loads, she said.
“We got a lot of guys who picked up a load this morning and came by to park,” Bond said. “The response has been extremely positive from a lot of people. People are waving, honking their horns and giving us thumbs up when they drive by.”
Organizers expected more vehicles to be in and out all day, she said.
On site, participants can sign petitions that will go to President Bush and members of Congress, asking for hearings that will give owners and operators a chance to testify about their hardships amidst the high fuel prices, Bond said.
The petitions also ask lawmakers to release fuel reserves so prices can begin to drop, she said.
“Many southwest Washington families were devastated by the December floods, and now those same families are struggling to stay in business,” Bond said in a press release this week. “It’s not just the truckers that are on the cusp of bankruptcy. The fuel surge impacts the tire shops, parts stores, grocers, feed stores … Everything that is transported is rising in price and out of the reach of consumers.”
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