None of us know the full story yet – only what we’ve read in the local paper. A Tulsa trucking company, Arrow Trucking, SHUT DOWN yesterday and sent office employees home with a cardboard box holding their belongings.
The real tragedy is that they left approximately 1,500 truck drivers out on the road with no way to return home. They cut off the driver’s credit cards which would allow them to re-fuel, so they can not make it to their destination to drop off their load or make it home for the holidays. Few had the $600+ needed to personally fuel their trucks.
I “heard” about this travesty yesterday early morning and read about it in the newspaper today.
When I got home this afternoon, I posted on FB, inquiring what was done to get the drivers home, and someone sent me a link – sure enough, a FaceBook page had been set up to help the stranded drivers. I immediately went to TweetDeck and found messages coming in from across the country. People were offering their homes, meals and cash – posting their travel schedules (for their personal holiday trips) and offered to assist getting drivers closer to their destination.
The response has been overwhelming and it has been heartwarming to read the responses and genuine offers of assistance.
It looks like the majority of truck drivers have received assistance — and another trucking company, Swift Trucking, has given their drivers permission to assist the distressed drivers home – HUGE blessing.
The power of community is awesome and particularly appreciated in this horrible circumstance – men and women suddenly unemployed and stranded away from home two days before Christmas. And thank God for the power of Facebook and Twitter to organize their safe return.
I am truly speechless over this out-pouring of kindness.
Lori Cain is a residential Realtor with Chinowth & Cohen Realtors serving the greater Tulsa Oklahoma area, including midtown Tulsa, Owasso, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sand Springs and Jenks. Please visit Lori’s web site, LoriCain.com or call 918-852-5036.
