Bridgeport, VA – Larry Atha, former president of Atha Trucking, passed away in an accident earlier this month and truckers wanted to pay homage to him. 36 trucks all lined up at the Home Depot in Bridgeport and they drove all together through the city. Dustin Lowdermilk, a truck driver with Gas Transport, organized the convoy on Facebook and was pleased to see so many people rally in support. “This is just what truck drivers do for each other,” said Lowdermilk. “Larry drove trucks all his adult life. This is just what we do for each other. He was a great guy, and this is how we show our respect.” Many people in the industry always speak highly of how truckers are loyal to each other and their industry. They have each other’s back and this is another way they are showing that.
Larry Atha was known as a local legend in the trucking community. They started the convoy at Larry’s funeral, headed to Home Depot, and then drove through the city. The local community heard about the convoy and lined the streets around the convoy to watch and pay their respects. They ended their convoy at Atha trucking. The family and employees were there where they received a series of honks. “The turnout today shows me that people still respected Larry, and they still hold respect for what they were taught, and for what he meant in the trucking community,” Starkey said.
Many say that Larry was known for his sense of humor. The truckers knew that Larry would appreciate this but one also said, “He’d probably think we should all be at work.” After reaching the end of the route, Lowdermilk picked up his radio and said, “God bless you, Mr. Atha. It was a pleasure knowing you. We’ll take it from here.” Click here to watch a clip of the convoy.
