OTA Dispatch Issue 2 2019

23 www.ortrucking.org Issue 2 | 2019 Christie Marshall with Riverside Transport (RTI) has been driving for the event for seven years, where she leads her team of truckers who deliver baggage and volunteer lunches. There’s a reason she keeps coming back. “It’s amazing how organized the event is. The planning team has it down so well that it’s almost like a huge moving circus! It’s fun, exciting, and community-oriented. You get to meet a lot of people.” She explains how groups like the high school football teams or search and rescue crews in each town will come together to help out. Driving for these types of events also comes with challenges, though. Drivers sometimes travel on roads that trucks typically don’t need to go through (permits are required), so they’ll bring experienced drivers who may be more familiar with this type of driving. Christie recalls one fairly undertraveled mountain road in particular. “It was a weekend ride, and I had to drive on a service road to bypass cyclists. I was basically on a narrow path on the edge of a cliff. I was experienced with roads like this, but other drivers may have been a little concerned. The event is not for the timid driver!” On two-way highways, truckers will work with local law enforcement for escorts. Each driver needs to constantly watch for cyclists on the road and at rest areas. Trucks stick close together and use the CB radio to communicate about approaching lines of cyclists and when to slow down or stop. “They need to be very aware of their surroundings. Even when the driver is in the camp and backing up, people may walk behind the trailer because they’re not used to being around us. We have to be extra careful.” They no longer use doubles at the event, but the 53-footers can be difficult to maneuver. Some of the drivers at her company have participated in other events for the DOT officer instruction school and road roadeos (now named the Truck Driving Championships) in neighboring states. In addition to the Classic, the organization typically hosts three additional events per year: Weekender, a weekend road cycling event; Gravel, an off pavement event, and Joyride, an event for female cyclists. Weekender typically only requires one tractor and trailer for lunch supplies. There’s not a lot of hauling because people stay in one location and utilize the local college or university showers. For Gravel, where cyclists ride on mostly gravel roads, Cycle Oregon will usually rent 3–8 box trucks and have a volunteer drive the truck to the location. Events like Cycle Oregon show how symbiotic all modes of transportation can be and puts a different spin on “sharing the road.” Our industry often promotes the importance of trucks for the goods we rely on each day, but sometimes we overlook some of the fun we deliver, too. From concerts to large-scale conventions, trade shows, museum exhibits, sporting events, and more, trucking is a large player in our lives and in our economy. Cycle Oregon is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming individuals and communities through bicycling. Steve Schulz is the Executive Director for Cycle Oregon and joined the team after participating in the event in 2001. Steve is a cyclist, and though he doesn’t ride during the event, he and his team pre-ride the course prior to the Classic event. This year it will take place September 7–14, 2019 and will cover a 428.5+ mile loop around Tumalo, Crater Lake, and Dorena Lake. Learn more at www.cycleoregon.com .