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America's attempt to replicate the Canadian trucker protest movement got off to a slow start as a modest number of trucks hit the road on their way to Washington, DC.

The Freedom Convoy, which traveled from Western Canada to the capital city ofOttawa, was a success. Hundreds of vehicles and thousands of protesters took over the downtown area for three weeks before police cleared them out.

The People's Convoy took off from Southern California in the same spirit. Ben Collins of NBC News said that there were around a dozen big rig trucks and a couple of hundred people in a parking lot in the city of Adelanto. Their plan is to travel through Texas, then north to Indiana, then east to Washington. It is not clear how many trucks are going for the full ride.

There was only one truck in the convoy, driven by Bob Bolus, and a few personal vehicles showed up. They were going to Washington regardless.

The Convoy will not make it to Washington in time for the State of the Union address by the President. Bolus said his convoy would disrupt traffic into the district, but he expected more trucks to participate.

The success of the Canadian truck drivers in capturing the attention of a G7 nation made them an international cause celebre. Major trade disruptions were caused by the protesters.

Their American counterparts may have a harder time replicating that energy. Their side has largely won. Local and state governments have bowed to pressure to reopen, and lock downs and vaccine mandates have vanished. $465,000 has been raised by The People's Convoy website. Most of the Canadian convoy's money has been returned or frozen by Canadian authorities.

The People's Convoy will not be able to enter downtown Washington and park around the Capitol building, robbing them of the dramatic images of the protesters partying in front of Parliament. Organizers say that's not their goal. The final destination is listed as the DC Beltway area.

The People's Convoy will abide by agreements with local authorities, but will not go into DC proper, according to a press release.

700 National Guard troops were approved by the Pentagon to be sent to the District of Columbia for traffic control. The Pentagon was asked by the DC Police and US Capitol police to help with convoys.

The Metropolitan Police Department of DC did not respond to questions about their experience with the convoy.

The plan for the People's Convoy is to stop in Kingman, Arizona, for the night, then wake up and head east, hoping to attract more vehicles along the way. Their demands are to end the national state of emergency that was declared in March 2020 and to restore the nation's constitution.

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