Let's set the record straight here, while CB is dead for the most part it's alive and well here and there so you just have to be in the right place at the right time and on the right channel.
A brief synopsis; 40 odd years ago all was well when it was coming into it's own. Truckers started on channel 10 but since channel 9 was still a viable calling and emergency channel the interference raised a storm of complaints so they moved to 19. Still all was well for a time but along came the movies, TV shows and C&W CB related trucking songs and everybody thought it was WAY COOL, next thing you know it was utter chaos. All that "hash, mash and trash" drove even the idiots off the band leaving it as it is today, to borrow a line from Squonk (Genesis) alive at both ends but dead in the middle, red rag hanging from an open mouth.
So now you have it back where it all started, it has come full circle, dead air for the most part with a few hot spots here and there. Yeah, it was like that when I was active back in the 60s and it's that way now so the bottom line here is if you expect to hear anything it is as it was, you need a good antenna to get out of your own back yard.
Oh and BTW brother trucker, when you mentioned truck stops you forgot to warn him of the lot lizards and baba booies. (;->) Keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down and above all make sure Smoky isn't around when you put the hammer down.