Marking just over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world and North America into repeated lockdowns, the leader of the U.S’ largest trucking groups praised the commitment truck drivers have to their profession as they continue to deliver essential food and goods to citizens throughout the crisis.
As the world endured the pandemic under various lockdowns, truck drivers became leaders in taking safety precautions while keeping economies moving and ensuring businesses remained stocked and grocery store shelves filled with food and supplies.
In a statement, American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear acknowledged the adversity the industry faced during the historic year.
“Last March, we didn’t know what we didn’t know, but it became clear just what an important role we were going to play in getting the country back on its feet,” Spear told Transport Topics.
“Truck drivers became soldiers on the front lines of our response to the pandemic: delivering food, medicine, [personal protective equipment] and other essentials that made our long quarantines possible,” he said. “And now, as the tide is turning, delivering the literal shots in the arm we need to finish the fight.”
In all, he said, ATA and its stakeholders hung together. “As we begin to see the light at the end of the long tunnel, we literally couldn’t have done it without trucking.”
In Canada, the Canadian Trucking Alliance launched the #thankatrucker campaign, which was enthusiastically adopted by the industry, the shipping community, high level politicians and the public, who took to social media to praise truck drivers and even helping them get food and water at various rest areas closed or restricted during the initial months of the pandemic.
That gratitude expressed towards the industry continues today.