It wasn’t supposed to happen. A truck driver from rural Washington state, concerned about the results of this year’s presidential election and the policies a new administration might bring, wanted to generate some discussion among friends.
“I decided to create a Facebook page where me and my buddies could gather to shoot the s**t about the policies that will be implemented if Trump is no longer the president,” said StoptheTires2020 founder Jeremy Rewoldt. He wasn’t ready for what happened next.
“I woke up the next morning and 10,000 people had joined,” he said. In the week following its Nov. 6 founding, the group accumulated more than 67,500 members. It’s still growing.
Thrust into a leadership role, Rewoldt said he struggled to learn the ropes of guiding a movement. He enlisted the help of additional administrators for the Facebook page, and has tried to clarify the purpose and positions of the group to the public. In a policy statement posted yesterday, he stated that the group’s mission, “was and still remains to be, our concern in reference to the negative affects (sic), that a green new deal or any ban on fracking, would have on our country.”
Rewoldt has been interviewed on FOX News and several networks that tend to lean conservative, which were attracted by the group’s opposition to president-elect Joe Biden’s stance on fracking and the Green New Deal.
“At one point, I had been up for 36 straight hours,” Rewoldt told The Trucker in an exclusive interview. “I told my fiancée, ‘I need a break.’ It’s been crazy ever since.”
He was on the job as he spoke, driving a shift that began at 4 a.m. in his home state of Washington. Concerned about harassment, he declined to provide details of the carrier he works for or the route he runs.
Because of its explosive growth, Rewoldt’s StoptheTires2020 group has struggled for clarity in its goals. The group called for a work stoppage on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, to protest the policies it believes Biden will implement upon taking office. A second work stoppage is scheduled for Nov. 26-29, which includes the Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday, which is the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season.
Group members posted photos from the Veterans Day stoppage, some showing trucks parked at truck stops or empty store shelves, reportedly caused by the shutdown. Many posted comments in support of the movement, while others observed that there seemed to be as many trucks on the highways as on any other day.
Rewoldt addressed criticism he’s received for scheduling shutdowns to coincide with holidays.
“Think about it. A lot of drivers are shutting down for the holiday anyway. That means we get 50% participation in a shutdown, without even asking,” he said. With that many shut down, he said, the group doesn’t need to persuade many of the remaining drivers.
“If we can get another 25% to shut down for the cause, that’s 75% of the truckers not running. That’s enough to get attention for our cause,” he continued.
Other protest groups, such as the Facebook group The Disrespected Trucker have been in communication with Rewoldt and other leaders of StoptheTires2020, but no agreement has been reached on combining forces at the time of this writing.
“I’m not going to take a chance on changing our purpose,” Rewoldt explained. “If another group wants to hold an event in support (of StoptheTires2020), that’s fine, as long as they aren’t blocking highways.”
Rewoldt says the group is opposed to actions that impede traffic.
“I am 100% against blocking or slowing traffic,” he said. “I think those sorts of actions harm our image in the eyes of the public. It just makes us look worse.”
The group also opposes any interference with the shipment of medical supplies. “At this time, with COVID and everything, we can’t risk lives,” Rewoldt noted.
Asked what success for his group would look like, Rewoldt had few specifics, stating he didn’t know who he could trust if someone offered a settlement.
“My main focus would be for senators to actually contact me,” he said. “If FOX News can get my phone number, so can a senator.”
Rewoldt described a scenario in which at least one senator from each state contacted a carrier and arranged to ride along with a driver “so they could see what’s actually going on and take it back to the president and to Congress.” At that point, “I will end the shutdown if senators will contact me,” he stated.
Plans for any actions beyond the Thanksgiving weekend shutdown, or whether the group will become “Stop the Tires 2021,” have not yet been finalized.
“We’re hoping that we’ll see results from the Thanksgiving weekend stoppage,” Rewoldt said. “We’ll reevaluate then for future plans.”
In the meantime, Rewoldt wants anyone interested in the Stop the Tires movement to understand one thing: “This is not about me; it’s not about you. It’s about every hard-working person.”
UPDATE: Since this article was published, the group has called canceled the planned work stoppage. Click here to read the story.
Cliff Abbott is an experienced commercial vehicle driver and owner-operator who still holds a CDL in his home state of Alabama. In nearly 40 years in trucking, he’s been an instructor and trainer and has managed safety and recruiting operations for several carriers. Having never lost his love of the road, Cliff has written a book and hundreds of songs and has been writing for The Trucker for more than a decade.
http://stopthetires2020.com/
I am very happy to see hard working people standing up for all workers. we need more people to stand up. if biden is confirmed as the next president,Our country is headed for some dark times. if everyone would stop work until all votes are confirmed true, we could take our country back. if we don’t, higher taxes, shutting down our economy, going after our guns, and rigged elections will just be the start of bad things to come
Lies lies lies
Are you stuck on stupid? Without us truckers you wouldn’t have shit no food no gas nothing to set your fat ass on
I sincerely hope every driver has the b____ to get behind this fantastic show of support of the truckers!!! No one realizes the fact that Biden’s blunders will ruin our democracy-our lives-our freedom. It is people like you who make this country GREAT!!!! With President Trump at the lead, no one can stop the American spirit–just watch us. I hope more such patriotic events are in the works. All that is needed is a push from people that are not going to sit on the sidelines in fear-but actively stand up and promote the American dream. A big THANKS to you all!!!!
President trump is a failure one term that’s all the American people can take these companies should do you like trump said about the NFL players your fired now get your ass out my truck
I think this is a very low move with the pandemic and all that’s going on. I’ve always had a deep respect for truck drivers. Not any more. Bunch of whiners like their dear leader. Makes me sick.
Do you do what they do? Drivers are so disrespected by shippers, and government etc. lack of safe parking, health,wages,no pay for waiting for loads ect. I could go on. But if you don’t do it you wouldn’t understand it. No disrespect intended, but many people just have no idea what goes on out there in this industry. For example spend 168 hrs on the road for less than a thousand dollars in pay. That’s below minimum wage. The responsibility that they have is big considering the worth of the product they haul. Then the legal aspect if they’re involved in a accident. Lawyers will sue the carrier and the driver which can wipe out a driver and his family. Unfortunately truckers have little leverage in Washington. 3 million men and women out of 350 million. No one cares to hear them until the store doesn’t have product on the shelf. Now it gets attention. Hopefully it’s resolved in a short time. If there was another way to do it, that would be great but…..
Debu, You are misinformed. Truck drivers have been keeping America alive since this pandemic began. When everyone else went home to work, these guys and gals have done out every single day delivering more than ever before as a result of the surge in online shipping. So as people stayed home and enjoyed their free time, stimulus and unemployment booster, these folks carried the mail. They deserve more than your respect, they deserve your appreciation and your support in having their voice heard regardless of the impact. As a country, we should be looking for ways to take care of our drivers proactively. I read the article, my estimation is that this has more to do with how drivers are feeling about society and their oversized burden then it does policy. These people truly are heroes and we would all do well to remember that.
Being a retired driver myself since 2014, I am 100% in agreement with the drivers and their cause. I just hope they ban together this time and not cave into pressure from others like they always have in the past, and get the job done this time. The trucking industry is the most important industry in the country and the world. Without trucks the crops will rot in the fields. The cars would not have gas, and hospitals would not have their soffisticated equipment to save lives without trucks delivering them. YES I AM WITH THE TRUCKERS 100%.
Right on I’m in Nov 29 stop all trucking
.40 yr driver. Now in the gas industry north east
T pa
Stand together brothers and sisters.they will listen.nov 29 stop all trucking.excecpt medical supplys
C.B. politics are horseshit. Drivers need to stick to driving and shut the hell up. They could” in theory” stir things up but potentially do more harm than good.
Bikers for Trump seems to be a pretty cool organization you might reach out to them
Get a legal fund started to help you hire good negotiators and trucker assistance funds manager. The truckers are very hard to organize and keep in step so do this right as you already have a good base of hard working grind it out team players. Get the word out.
I voted for Trump and I support you and your cause. Yes my family May go without but what people fail to realize you truckers have families also. I’m in 100% of support of you all. Be safe
Lol, oh nooo watch out a group of %1.5 of the active CDL holders are going to try to do something useless as per usual. Fracking should be banned it is toxic for our water reserves already infected, Ohio, Pennsylvania(confirmed earthquake caused from it here), Colorado and several other states and over all cause way to many problems not to mention there has been nearly a 20 times increase in tremors the east USA has been having because of it. You self absorbed fools. Look at the objective picture and quit being selfish fight for things that are fully messing up the industry. ELD’S, to expensive of over head, def system enforcement, the greedy brokers /companys, the big mega companys who keep the over all rates at a low due to there contracts to make there overhead running costs cheaper, the roads (Michigan still under construction since 25 years ago on i75 still and is still under construction till this day! Forcing us to go in to areas where 53 ft trailers with sleepers aren’t able to go, the lack of parking (all rest area and truck stop parking spots combined only make up for 300,000 spots in all of the us to accommodate 3mil truckers” realistically half of them are actively on the road but even then thats 1. 5 million drivers and only 300k spots lol. Not the mention the worst thing of all where when a bad accident involving a semi happens new regulations or insurance policys( recent 1 million minimum insurance bumped to 3 million literally doubled now for next year) break are kneecaps even though %18 yes…18% of the time its the truck drivers fault and the 260 million car drives arent thrown any stricter enforcement or restrictions. Are you joking me???!! There’s a reason why you only see billboards giving lawyers for car drivers involved in semi accidents not the other way around. They don’t give a flying $%@! about us because who cares about your silly %1 groups making no real objective change to benefit the industry as a whole so it just becomes a big polarized cluster !@#$ of you willys being separated and never coordinated. QUIT BEING SHEEP SO WE CAN MAKE CHANGE YOU IGNORANT TAIL CHASING TRUCKERS. LEARN WHAT TO FIGHT FOR TO OBJECTIVLY BENEFIT US? OH BOOHOO YOU CANT HAUL FRACK SAND NO MORE?? THERE IS AN UNGODLY AMOUNT OF OTHER THINGS YOU CAN HAUL!!!!! I don’t support either of the candidates because just like every year they don’t do anything for the trucking industry aside for have a chat with 4 truckers picked up from the local truck stop shake there hands and say “good job truckers” instead of fixing or trying to fix the problems of the industry. Literally what Trump did during the protests of the time rate gouging was the worse third month of covid.
The only ignorant talking person I see here is the guy running off at the mouth with all the liberal talking points and hoax reporting on the fracking industry! When I read your miss lead statement the one thing that stands out loud and clear is the pure hate you carry around and are ready to lash out on people that believe in a different direction of your forced upon us bigotry! Have a continued miserable outlook on life pal! The one thing that has become clear is that despite the low IQ you spew out here and the direct attack on the truckers, that people like you love to display is that even tho you lash out at the very people that allow you to buy your food, buy your clothes, buy your medications, buy your cars, etc… will continue to make sure you have those items available! Keep living the misinformed lie pal! I truly feel sorry for people like you.
I might add as well, that My wife and I are OTR drivers and have been for many, many years. This angry driver is just the typical attitude we have seen across this county over and over spewing their BS at every Truckstop round table of hate. They are the very people that give the trucking industry a bad name and believe they own the roads across this great country. We have witnessed this all out attack for well over a decade by the small few of self indulgent bigots that believe they are more intelligent then any other professional drivers on the road.
I agree this people give truck drivers a bad name, why they don’t just quit and get another job so they can stop crying and complaining!!!
I’m proud of you drivers for standing strong and for standing up for what is right you are the true American patriots. Stop the tires from rolling
We the people of this country are not going to let the lazy politicians that sit on their hands and coward to the lefts continued ruination of this country,. We have spoken and the people we elected have turned their backs on us. They promote lawlessness and do not let the police do their job. It is time now for action. We have to let the media know that we will not stand for their communist oppression of the facts. When has the media had more power than the President of the United States. We must rally behind him and take back our free country before China erases it. No more masks that the left wants us to think is keeping us safe. They DON’T CARE about our safety, only the power to control our freedom. Truckers, bikers, hunters, republicans, patriots, anyone who has the backbone to come together and stand up to the demands of the lying politicians that just run their mouths off. STOP THE TIRES is a great start to letting the people of this country know that we mean to keep our jobs and our freedom alive. This whole election is a fraud and should be thrown out. The criminals that have done this are not in jail. WE HAVE NO LAW AND ORDER! We have to get someone that is not afraid to arrest these people-especially Ihan Omar who had paid workers to illegally gather over 300 ballots-on a video-where is the law???? Everyone who wants to join to take back our freedom should get out on twitter and facebook and let politicians know that WE WILL NOT STAND FOR OPPRESSION ANY MORE. It’s time for action-starting with is election. It should be thrown out. It was all fixed. Everyone -take a stand – show everyone that this country cannot and will not be broken. Unite.
I’m an owner operator .I feel the hardship just like the rest of the independent truckers out there. My opinion shutting down trucking isn’t going to be enough , people already hate us truckers. There are two many big companies that will pickup the slack and wit prosper from this. Look at the trickle down at the end of this we as consumer’s end up paying for it. We need to get someone who will start up for small guy . NASTC ,OOIDA get behind these guys it will go alot further and be more effective in the long run.
All this TRUMPIES always talking thru their a$$ nothing but shit about Biden!!!
Anyone who supports this should be ashamed of themselves. You all sound like a bunch of children pouting bc they didn’t get their way. Act like adults and be an example of real Christians, not petulant bullies
I guess truckers hate democracy. You dont like the results of the election….too bad. go ahead and strike, it will not change anything. Do you honestly think 80 million people will agree to overturn the results of the election because you are having a temper tantrum. Boo Hoo.
Job well done for standing up I support you all you work hard and without you we would all have nothing at the stores strike as long as you need to be heard I am proud of you all
I am a third generation driver my brother sister and cousins are also drivers the way drivers are being treated drives me crazy the roads are a mess and lack of respect in general is terrible amen to a strike
It would be easier to organize an effective strike if we had unions. Oh wait, the Republicans chipped away at them, so that they’re practically non-existent.
Way to shoot yourself in the foot guys!
My truck will be parked, but it would be anyway since I don’t work in a sweat shop.
you that want the drivers not to stop are the ones that help Biden get in. go drivers
I’m all in for the shutdown, lets show a big force from all of us who keep this country moving, we have already been risking our lives thru this virus, why stop now? Its time the government takes takes notice, especially an idiot like Biden, Godspeed to all of us, yes i am a 100% Trump supporter
How can us non-truckers support you? Thank you for standing up and doing what you are doing.
God Bless this movement 🙏🙏 Thank You all truckers we stand for all y’all. Stand for Trump, Biden/Harris get lost. President Trump/ Pence we stand for y’all you will win. Make America great again , again. Go truckers 👍👍
God Bless this movement 🙏🙏 Thank You all truckers we stand for all y’all.
I’m parking my truck as well!!
These Truckers are going to do something big! Something the conservation american people can’t do! This is awesome!
I think you should now continue the strike until this election fraud has been stopped!
I support your cause as well! This clown cheated like crazy so he and that crazy Harris bitch could finish what Obama started! And that’s destroy our economy!
#4
So they are protesting something that hasn’t happened yet and the strategy to gain widespread support is to ruin American consumers’ ability to get Christmas gifts on time?
Seems well thought out!
Way to accelerate the shift to autonomous-only trucking you dummies.
What a bunch of whiny little fragile b*tches and man babies. Y’all can’t even tell us what your pissed at. Gas prices? Yeah join the club. Your entire platform is based around crying “Waaaa we want Trump back waaaaaaaa.” Elon Musk is literally, as we speak, building self driving trucks and remote control drones to replace your useless, ignorant asses but here you all are instead sniveling like infants about masks and Biden. Trump did absolutely NOTHING to help truckers or carting unions. Get a f*cking clue you brainwashed yokels.
Right on boys..!!
👍
And girls..!!
👍
What a bunch of whiny little fragile b*tches and man babies. Y’all can’t even tell us what your pissed at. Gas prices? Yeah join the club. Your entire platform is based around crying “Waaaa we want Trump back waaaaaaaa.” Elon Musk is literally, as we speak, building self driving trucks and remote control drones to replace your useless, ignorant asses but here you all are instead sniveling like infants about masks and Biden. Trump did absolutely NOTHING to help truckers or carting unions. Get a f*cking clue you brainwashed yokels.