The trucking industry’s tensions over adequate parking can be seen as a backdrop to an incident Friday in Oklahoma that left a truck driver in the hospital after being shot by a security guard at a truck stop.
According to several local news reports, the incident took place at a TA Truck Center in Oklahoma City, near the intersection of South Council Road and Interstate 40. The shooting occurred in a section of the truck stop with reserved truck parking.
Sgt. Brad Gilmore of the Oklahoma City Police Department, quoted by local news outlets, described the incident as occurring when the security guard for the truck stop was checking the reserved spots. “Apparently the security guard was out there checking that when a disagreement happened,” Gilmore was quoted as saying. “A physical altercation took place. The security guard discharged his firearm.”
The driver, who was not identified in the news stories, was taken to a local hospital. Charges were not filed against the security guard, though Gilmore indicated evidence could be presented to the local district attorney, who could pursue further action.
The report on the shooting from local television station KWTV quoted a truck driver on the scene named Jimmy Combs. His comments seem to sum up the issue with parking that truck drivers face every day.
“That’s pretty severe force when you’re taking somebody down for parking in somebody’s parking spot,” Combs was quoted as saying. “Most of the time long-haul truck drivers are tired. They run eight, 10, 12 hours and when they want to go to sleep, they go to sleep. You wake them up, I mean if I get woke up, I’m kind of in a bad mood.”
In last year’s annual survey of the biggest issues facing trucking from ATRI, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, drivers put parking as the No. 3 issue. A year earlier, it was second. In the 2018 survey, management listed parking as the ninth biggest concern. In the most recent survey, it didn’t place in the top 10 in the view of management.
Chris
This is so sad, a truck driver trying to make a living, working til he is tired to the bone, shot because he didn’t pay for a parking spot. This is unbelievable. What next? A firing squad for parking on a get off ramp? Truck drivers have so much stress in their day, people just don’t understand.
Mohamed adam
TA should be boycotted vigorously, they are unethical and greedy.
When you spend $400 in fuel, $380 in pm service, eat and buy your personal things from the store no way you should worry about paying stupid parking spot. End of story.
Beth Campion
First of all, that driver did NOT pay for that spot. Another driver did. And don’t lay that crap about the driver did not know it was a reserved space because as the rest of you know, he knew where he was parking. Deadly force? The driver physically attacked the security guard first. He was defending himself. Yes, we are all under a great deal of stress, and dead tired after a 14 hour day, but common courtesy and decency and consideration of others should be our (drivers) first priority. If you know you didn’t pay…..then the damn spot belongs to someone else!
Shannon Cooper
Was at the first rest area entering the state of Florida on interstate 10 east bound. 5 minutes into the state. Stopped around 900 to use a picnic area to eat . The rest area was completely dead. Was in the middle of eating and a security guard approached me , not liking the eay i parked.long story short i asked if he had anything better to do, we got into an argument. I had to leave. Thought he was gonna shoot me. These rent a cops need to be handled. Complete assholes.
Allen
I use to do private patrol and its how you approach someone. If you act bad ass then there is going to be an issues. Lot of the problem is truckers think their bad ass and so does some of these security people. I had one yelled across the parking lot at a loves and there was no sign stated no parking. So he was taught manners. Because i went and talk to manager and gotto take my break. So badge heavy security is a major problem.
David Sharp
This is one of the biggest problems out here today because there are more trucks on the road today. I don’t know what the answer is but the freight shippers and receivers could help out some. There are some states that will not let you take a 10 hour reset at the scale areas. We have to stop it is a simple fact and it’s the law.
G
For a $15 parking spot smh
Jason erickson
That should read rent a cop sorry
Jason erickson
There was no mention of any signs of deadly force against the tents cop. He should be prosecuted to the fullest the law allows for malicious wounding and dangerous discharge of a weapon causing bodily harm. I know if he shot me cause I parked for rest I would be taken care of for life I would be calling a attorney and filing suit on the truck stop and security company. May God comfort your pain and heal you. Good luck driver!!