Florida Trucker Protests Cause Major Traffic Backups
Hundreds of truckers participated in a protests in Florida last night, shutting down traffic and sending a message about low pay rates and increasing regulations.
Planned Convoy Turns Into Traffic Shut Downs
The protests began yesterday afternoon with planned convoy from Miami to Tallahassee designed to protest stifling regulations, cheap freight, e-logs, and low salaries, among other issues. Said one driver: “We’re not getting paid fairly. They are stealing from us, the brokers. That is all they are doing. All we are trying to do is pretty much do a peaceful protest.”
Truckers Arrested During Tallahassee Protests
According to reports, the protesters brought traffic in downtown Tallahassee near the Florida State Capitol to a halt for at least 15 minutes. There, two people were arrested — Javier Figueroa for blocking an intersection and resisting arrest and Magdiel Millar for impeding Figueroa’s arrest and resisting arrest. At last report, these two truckers are still in jail.
Protesters Shut Down Okeechobee Road During Evening Commute
After these arrests came a major demonstration on Okeechobee Road in Hialeah Gardens last night. Police say that dozens of truckers parked their rigs and hundreds of people stood in the streets, effectively shutting down the roadway during the evening commute. The protesters carried signs and sounded their horns. Traffic was backed up in some areas for miles.
Florida Highway Patrol officers attempted to move the protesters, but they refused to leave the scene. Eventually, FHP convinced them to stand in the median, but Okeechobee Road remained closed last night.
The protesters vowed to keep fighting until pay is increased.
Traffic appears to be back to normal this morning.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stMi_36rvbk” width=”700″ height=”500″ responsive=”no”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjCXnnE_aPA[/su_youtube]
#RIGHT #NOW Truckers protest has shutdown Okeechobee RD, upset over low wages, increase in insurance & regulations. pic.twitter.com/JhU7FN54Rt
— Carlos Suarez (@CarlosWPLG) June 7, 2016
ALERT: Truck drivers protest impacts traffic on Okeechobee Road: https://t.co/KdJMD8WHVP #NBC6 pic.twitter.com/QFb4v8e6Mb
— NBC 6 South Florida (@nbc6) June 7, 2016
Sources:
CBS Miami
NBC Miami
WSVN
Miami Herald
The Tallahassee Democrat
Local 10