April 15, 2021
In the past year, as the cities and states all rushed to close schools and establishments and shut down businesses to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, the city roads and interstate highways have gone unusually quieter. As a sort of homage to the trucker's heroism and sacrifices, we compiled trucker stories and responses on what it was like to haul critical supplies, especially at the onset of the pandemic, when everyone was required to stay at home, save for the people on the front lines, including the truck drivers.
An article published on WIRED.com in March 2020 said that the truck drivers they have spoken to were not yet worried about getting sick. A Kansas City truck driver who drives a different vehicle every day said that he just stays alert and strived to preserve his health on the road. "I haven't really changed a lot of my daily routine. I wash my hands a lot anyway, and I wipe down every truck. I learned a long time ago that sickness goes around so easily when you're working with other people," he added.
But as the coronavirus spread and turned most countries around the world upside down, the life of most truckers has changed too. The pandemic scare has prompted even America's biggest travel center operators, TA-Petro, to close its driver lounges, buffets, soup and salad bars, and fitness centers. Thankfully, it still allowed drivers to purchase take-out food and have quick showers at the company's facilities.
In Global News' interview, Frank Friesen, a trucker who transports dry goods across North America, described driving to various places during the pandemic as a scary thing. Since restaurants and rest areas have shut down, Friesen makes sure to bring a cooler with food and water on his trips and learn to fend for himself. Since they face different people and move from one place to another, truckers must also try their best to prevent or slow down virus transmission. "You're in different states and provinces, so you try not to get into close contact with people. I keep hand sanitizer and stuff like that in my truck and just try and keep healthy," Friesen added.
As he embarked on a six-week trip to the provinces hardly hit by the Covid-19 crisis, Joe Sears, a big rigger from Sydney, N.S., told CBC News that he felt like he's driving into the unknown. He packed everything he needs to survive on the road—food, water, vitamins, toilet papers, gloves, clothes, emergency kits, and many others. The hardships he encountered on the road, such as lack of truck stops with clean showers and good meals, encouraged him to call on governments to address truckers' difficulties. Sears added that if they cannot do their job properly, there will be one heck of a mess in America.
Many truckers said that the coronavirus is making things a lot more difficult for them. Angel Brawner, a Georgia trucker, told WANE 15 that most of the places they go to are closed at the height of the pandemic and that it has gotten really bad out there. While there are fast-food locations that remain open, most of them serve customers only at drive-thrus, which semi-trucks and big rigs cannot go through due to their size.
Another trucker, Branden Hall, stated that "Lawmakers should keep the rest areas open. Without that, we have nowhere to go." Despite the struggles, these truckers stressed that safety is still their priority, whether pandemic or not. Even if the world has come to a halt, deliveries of essential goods won't. "If we can't make our deliveries, stores won't get their freight, and that's the most important thing," Brawner said.
In CNN Business's write-up, several drivers expressed how proud and happy they are for having the chance to serve every family across the country by making sure stores get their freight and hospitals receive medical supplies without delay. Jorge Chavez, a truck driver from Houston, Texas said that "Right now I feel proud, I feel good because somehow we're helping the community to make sure that they get whatever they need in their homes." He also stated that he doesn't feel tired at all; he instead feels excited."
Another driver, Allen Boyd, appreciates being thanked. "I hope that it's not just during this time, and when it goes away, we're back to just being in everybody's way again," said Boyd.
William and Dee Sova, a trucker couple from Greenville, Missouri, shared a story of human kindness during the pandemic. According to Dee, they went up to Walmart with only $70. When everything has been rung up, it totaled $78. To their surprise, the lady behind them gave them extra money to cover the amount they needed to compensate.
