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MAY/JUNE | TCA 2020
Tracking The Trends
Heeding the call
Truck drivers re-emerge as ‘Knights of the
Highway’ in response to COVID-19 pandemic
By Linda Garner-Bunch
Since the first cases of COVID-19 were discovered in Wuhan,
China, in late December, the disease has spread across the globe,
quickly achieving the status of “pandemic.” In mid-April there were
nearly 650,000 cases in the U.S. and more than 30,000 resulting
deaths; worldwide cases numbered more than 2 million with more
than 140,000 deaths.
In early March, as the Trump Administration and state and local
governments began to institute social-distancing and hygiene protocols
as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the public reacted to regional shutdowns and restrictions
by descending on retailers en masse in search of necessities. The
result was a rapid depletion of retailers’ and distributors’ stock of
household supplies, such as toilet paper and sanitizing agents, as well
as a critical shortage of personal protective equipment, such as face
masks and sterile gloves.
At first the situation was a bit humorous, and several memes circulated
on social media, including one showing a single package of toilet
paper being transported on a flatbed trailer. “Where’s the armed guard
to protect this valuable shipment?” one truck driver asked jokingly on
Facebook. All too quickly, however, the need for such seemingly drastic
measures became clear as “toilet-paper bandits” began looting public
restrooms and scattered reports of commercial drivers being robbed of
their cargo began to surface.
It seems the world has gone crazy, and many wonder when – or
even if – life will return to normal.
Enter a new breed of hero: the professional truck driver. Once known
as the “Knights of the Highway” because of their reputation for helping
motorists in distress, this segment of the American workforce has finally
gained recognition as a vital link in the supply chain.
“If you bought it, a truck brought it” has become the mantra of a nation.
One driver even reported being greeted with cheers by both customers
and staff when delivering a load of toilet paper to a Costco retailer. The
public has also taken notice of the needs of commercial drivers. Realizing
that tractor-trailers do not enjoy easy access to prepared food, especially
with eateries limited to drive-thru and take-out service, countless businesses,
organizations, and individuals have stepped up to meet drivers’
basic needs with free meals, special drive-thru lanes for large trucks, and
other services.
“It’s really nice to be recognized as the knights of the road again, and
hopefully we’re going to be able to maintain that image as we come out
of this challenge,” remarked D.M. Bowman, Inc., President and CEO
Jim Ward. “The essentiality of our business is certainly being recognized
on a national level in a positive light.”
In spite of the risk of exposure to the new coronavirus and an increased
threat of robberies, drivers across the continent have responded
to calls for help in the best possible way: They simply do their job,
even in the midst of uncertain times.
“Our drivers have totally stepped up,” stated Knight Transportation
President and CEO Dave Jackson. “Our people have stepped up. They’re
working hard and they’re overcoming any kind of challenges.”
Meeting the nation’s need for everyday necessities and critical supplies
offers new challenges for carriers and drivers during the COVID-19
crisis, ranging from minor inconveniences to more serious situations,
such as the inability to renew commercial driver’s licenses because of
the closure of state licensing agencies.
EVENTS CANCELED
While the Truckload Carriers Association’s Truckload 2020: Orlando
convention was held before gatherings were restricted due to concerns
of the spread of COVID-19, numerous other trade shows and events,
12 TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY | www.Truckload.org TCA 2020