In a matter of hours the issue at hand went viral, overnight parking bans on commercial motor vehicles within the city of Coon Rapids created an uproar among truck driver across the country. Just on this site alone for the last two days we were seeing over one hundred page hits per hour so it obviously caught the attention of the trucking industry as a whole.
The actual warning letter issued to those who violate the new parking ordinance.
In the frenzy created, hundreds of comments were left by frustrated drivers on Coon Rapids’ public government Facebook page, some were very well structured and were tempered with professionalism and a genuine concern for addressing the issue and showed a willingness to work with the city to find an alternative in order to allow drivers to effectively comply with both federal Hours of Service regulations and local ordinances at the same time.
Unfortunately others only added more fuel to the fire and incensed local residents with vulgar language and assumptions that the actions of the city council in approving this ordinance were the wishes of all of the residents of Coon Rapids. One driver who posted a comment went so far as to say “Coon Rapids can suck a bag of [male genitalia]”. Now let us keep in mind that it is a page that is publicly displayed to and engaged by families with children as they often use it for reference material for upcoming events. Ask yourself “is that something I would want my kid seeing?” Then ask yourself as a citizen of Coon Rapids or even as a human being in general “Is that the behavior of a so called professional that I want frequenting my city?”.
Everyone has tossed around the words “people are just very passionate about this” but does it really give people an open ticket to disrespect the other professional drivers out there who are willing to provide insightful and usable comments and viable solutions instead of spewing comments that are commonplace on a bathroom stall. Coon Rapids is not some small town in the middle of nowhere with all kinds of unused acreage to build a truck stop on to solve the problem, it is a suburb very close to Minneapolis with a population of over 60,000 people spread out in only a 20 square mile area. Much of that area is regional parks and residential areas the rest is allocated to businesses. We can’t just throw a truck stop at the problem to solve it and we surely cannot get anywhere by arguing amongst ourselves as drivers on a public forum or by carrying on with comments that you would want your kids to see. There is most certainly a way to handle the matter and come to a solution that is appreciated in form and function by all affected parties but it starts with the drivers out there presenting themselves in a professional manner if they want to be treated as such, until that happens the image and the seriousness with which people treat our requests will never improve.
Haggardon18 
As a professional truck driver I can see both sides of this issue. I for one am sickened by the actions of some of these “professional” (useing the term loosely) drivers out here these days. I’ve driven trucks for 12 years and have been in some of these “communities” (again loosely) which have bans on truck parking. Over the years I’ve found some have lost touch with reality on both sides. Everything you own or want (unless its hand made with a few exceptions) came by a truck. Can’t get to a ship or train without being on a truck. My point is this, then I will close if it wernt for a truck you wouldn’t even be able to drink tap water. We bring chemicals to the treatment plant to help purify it, not to mention the pumps, pipe,the fauset even, materials to build homes, sod for your lawn, the list is endless.all we ask is for a safe haven to park when we run out of time. Thank you for your time and I hope I opened a few eyes, minds, and hearts. Im not asking you to fully understand what we do, just that theres a lot of hard working ppl trying to provide not just your family or communitybut there’s as well. Again thank you.
Posted by bruce chojnacki | June 11, 2013, 5:46 pmI TOO LIVE IN THE AREA. BUT I CAN NOT MAKE IT HOME FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING. MY MOTHER IN LAW WORKS AT THE WALMART IN COON RAPIDS ON 10 AND ROUND LAKE. I AND MY HUSBAND, WE ARE SOLO DRIVERS NOT A TEAM, WOULD BOTH PARK TO GO HOME GRAB A SHOWER THE MAIL WHATEVER. THEN LEAVE THE NEXT DAY. NOW NEITHER OF US CAN GO HOME BECAUSE OF THIS ORDINANCE. I WAS THERE ABOUT A MONTH AGO UNAWARE OF THIS ORDINANCE PARKED AT THE WALMART. I WENT IN DID MY SHOPPING THEN RAN THE 2 BLOCKS HOME TO GRAB A SHOWER, EAT WITH MOM AND TAKE A NAP. THE NEXT MORNING THAT NOTE WAS TAPED ON ALL FOUR SIDES WITH CLEAR PACKING TAPE TO MY DRIVERS WINDOW. COON RAPIDS WANTS TO KEEP THE “EYESORES” OUT OF PUBLIC VIEW. WHAT THEY DO NOT REALIZE IS THAT THESE “EYESORES” ARE BRING THAT TOILET PAPER THEY ARE WIPING THEIR ASSES WITH. SO MAYBE WE ALL NEED TO STOP BRINGING IN THE NECESSARY STOCK FOR THE SHELVES AND LET THEM SUFFER. I WAS APPAULED OF THE AUDACITY OF CERTAIN COUNCIL TO SAY JUST GO PARK IN ANOTHER CITY…… WHERE WOULD THAT BE? ANOKA? NOPE NO PARKING THERE EITHER.
THIS IS NOT ONLY A JOB FOR US DRIVERS BUT A LIFE STYLE. WE ARE AWAY FROM HOME FOR WEEKS ON END AND WHEN WE DO MAKE IT CLOSE TO HOME WE WANT TO PARK AND GET OUT FOR A NIGHT WITHOUT BEING HASSLED. HOW ABOUT THESE SO CALLED COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKE A WEEK TO GO WITH US TO WATCH WHAT OUR JOBS REALLY ARE? I BET YOU NOT A ONE COULD HANDLE EVEN BEING A RIDER.
WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG BUT HAVING A BIG TRUCK IN THE PRESENCE OF SOME HOITY TOITY PRIM AND PROPER JERK THAT NEVER REALLY GOT THEIR HANDS DIRTY FOR A LIVING. WE ARE THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA BRINGING THEIR PRECIOUS PRODUCTS TO THEIR HIGH PRICED STORES. AND INSTEAD OF A SIMPLE THANK YOU FROM THEM FOR MAKING SURE THEIR PRODUCT WAS ON THE SHELF WHEN THEY WANT IT, WE GET A “GET YOUR ASS OUT OF OUR CITY”
Posted by SARAH L SALLEE-KURRY | June 16, 2013, 10:53 pmgood article by Jason and a good response by Bruce–I have 4 CDL holders in my family and also live in Coon Rapids–it is a wonderful city that has just gotten a little off track and needs someone to guide them back on the right track when it comes to CMV which I think Jason is going in the correct direction with his contacts with the officials at Coon Rapids City hall and the Coon Rapids Police Chief. Hopefully we can keep going in the correct direction in a peaceful manor
Posted by Sharon | June 13, 2013, 12:08 am