Truckers push for expanded gun rights amid pandemic, protests

Truck drivers have started to become concerned about their safety – and the vulnerability of their cargo – throughout the coronavirus pandemic and recent protests, renewing calls among Second Amendment proponents to allow them to carry licensed firearms.

Due to these recent challenges, legislation introduced in 2019 by North Carolina Republican Rep. Richard Hudson, known as The Concealed Carry Act, is getting renewed attention from the industry.

The bill allows a qualified individual to lawfully carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate by Texas Republican John Cornyn.

“Truck drivers are the backbone of our economy and are facing increased pressures due to COVID-19 and social unrest," Hudson said in a statement to FOX Business. "I am committed to supporting their safety and vital role in our economy.”

Hudson noted that truck drivers, who are often driving alone with valuable merchandise, understand the issue at stake more than most.

“Currently, criminals only need to look for an out-of-state license plate to know who to target at a truck stop,” Hudson told industry publication FreightWaves. “The Concealed Carry Act of 2019 would address this threat by ensuring law-abiding citizens, including truck drivers, can carry across state lines as long as they have a concealed carry permit or a valid license from a constitutional carry state.”

Currently, there are a patchwork of state laws regulating firearms possession.

TRUCK DRIVERS WORRY ABOUT DELIVERING TO AREAS WITH DEFUNDED POLICE DEPARTMENTS

Many truck drivers operating in critical industries have continued to haul freight throughout the coronavirus pandemic – transporting coveted supplies and necessary equipment.

That has led some in the industry to warn that the supply chain could be at increased risk for theft, as criminals may operate under the assumption that security may not be a top priority.

In March, an industry trade group – the Small Business in Transportation Coalition – wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation asking the government to lift restrictions on gun possession among truck drivers citing “life-threatening dangers” in “desolate” cities.

KEY TRUCKING INDUSTRY INDICATORS POINT TO SIGNS OF RECOVERY

On top of that, some may have additional concerns about protests that have sprung up across the U.S. over the death of George Floyd, which have turned violent and led to looting in some instances throughout recent weeks.

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Some drivers have expressed concern about delivering and picking up freight from areas where police departments may be defunded. Drivers reported being worried about not only their own safety, but about the hauls they were transporting. Those concerns led some workers to say they would considering refusing work in cities where police forces had been defunded – a policy that is being debated nationwide.

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