‘Slow roll’ coming to I-465 protests federal rules for truckers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tony Smith has driven his semitractor-trailer more than 1.5 million miles in the past 20 years.

Smith is an independent driver and gets paid by the mile. The new federal restrictions for truck drivers is pinching his pocketbook.

“You have a certain amount of time to finish your run. You know, if you plan from Point A to Point B, you have a time frame that you have to get there,” Smith said.

Truckers are planning a “slow roll” Thursday on Interstate 465 as a way to protest the federal rules.

Under those rules, truckers can drive 11 hours of every 14 and must take 10 hours off before getting back behind the wheel. Smith said this rule forces drivers to rack up more miles in a shorter period of time.

“But, it is very unsafe to put all of these drivers out here and say you have a time frame to get from here to here. You can’t stop whenever you get tired,” Smith said.

Mike Gillenwate is a company driver and paid by the hour, which is rare. He told News 8 the current rules are working; however, not all drivers are following the rules.

“You need to have a little flexibility. Where, with electronic logs, you don’t have any the reason. I like it right now. I don’t have to work 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 hours like we used. To be honest, we used to run two days, three days,” Gillenwate said.

Drivers log in every time they get behind the wheel. Violations of the federal rules are serious, and there is no cheating the electronic log. 

The “slow roll” is expected to start around 11 am Thursday. Organizers told News 8 that truckers will allow traffic to pass and get on and off the interstate.

Indiana State Police leaders said they will have extra patrols out and will intervene if necessary.