WASHINGTON, DC – California truck driver Kyle Franklin pledged to comply with all Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations while joining the “Trucker Convoy” that is headed to DC to protest against complying with government COVID safety regulations at next week’s Freedom Rally.
“The government cannot restrain me by forcing me to wear a piece of cloth,” said Franklin as he made sure his seatbelt was properly fastened. “That’s why I’m joining fellow truck drivers in DC to stand up against anti-freedom safety regulations…just as soon as I finish my mandatory 34 hour break after 70 hours on duty in 8 consecutive days.”
The journey for Franklin and other truckers in the convoy has been a long one. Starting in San Diego, Franklin carefully planned his 11-day journey to make sure there were plenty of government-funded rest stops for his mandated sleep breaks. Franklin also plotted the locations of required weigh stations and bought a fresh driver’s log to track his hours for necessary record keeping.
“It takes a lot of training to be a truck driver. If you don’t know what you’re doing and don’t carefully follow the rules of the road, you could really hurt yourself and others,” said Franklin. “That’s why I’m taking no chances when it comes to safety as I drive cross-country to demand that the government stop telling me that I need to be considerate of other people’s safety.”
When asked if risking his entire career over refusing a simple safe vaccination is worth it, Franklin was clear. “It’s my body, my choice, and there’s no way I’m putting something in my body when nobody knows what’s in it,” he said right before taking a final gulp from a Monster Energy can that he then threw on the floor of his cab already covered with McDonald’s wrappers.
