Truckers Gathered In September to Honor Burt Reynolds, Participate In Convoy

by Jake Tully - Published: 10/15/2018

Earlier in September of this year, truckers from across America met up in Texarkana, Texas at the Texarkana Convention Center in order to commemorate Burt Reynolds in an even produced by the Small Business In Transportation Coalition.

According to the SBTC, the event was organized in conjunction with a memorial ceremony and film festival honoring Burt Reynolds’ career, as well as car chase re-enactment featuring a 1976 Trans Am on Saturday, September 29^th.

I wish y'all (sic) could feel the way I do right now knowing we put together a really special event for a trucking icon I am proud to call my hero,” said James Lamb, SBTC President. “So many people I know became truckers because of this man's movies. I was so happy to see so many of my fellow Americans join us in Texarkana and waving American flags along the six-state convoy route. In these tumultuous times, we really should look for more feel-good opportunities like these to bring people together over common bonds.”

The SBTC reports that on the afternoon of Sunday, September 30^th, a police-escorted trucker convoy gathered for an “Eastbound and Down Memorial Convoy” that featured more than 30 vehicles.

The convoy, which saw the vehicles travel across state lines for 13 hours was reportedly shut down in Alabama due to weather and road closures.

"We know many drivers were disappointed they had to stop so close to the end,” said Lamb. “We were equally disappointed that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency of the United States Department of Transportation, declined to process our emergency request for a waiver of the Hours of Service regulations so drivers would be exempt from the 11 hour rule for this one time memorial run.”

The event reportedly saw sponsorship from Miller-Coors as well as Travel Centers of America.

More information on the SBTC and their events may be found at the Coalition’s site.