American Truck Drivers: Unsung Hero’s of COVID-19 Crisis

I want to thank the million+ truck drivers that deliver raw materials so manufacturers can keep producing the much needed goods we depend on. The truck drivers that deliver the finished goods to warehouses & ultimately to the stores.

These people are what is preventing a major meltdown in the US economy. Trucks are rolling on the roads non-stop so shelves in your local stores can be restocked.

This is what is best about America ... some unknown people working their butts off during this time of crisis because so much depends on them. They are professional drivers who go above and beyond their job descriptions. It would have be too easy for many of them and say, I need to be selfish and look out for my needs so I’m not driving in states or counties where there are “lock downs”.

The next time you pick up something in a supermarket, just remember a truck driver had to deliver that.

I think most people would continue to work if they could, tbh.

Really the folks you have to thank are those on the front lines. The cashiers in the grocery stores who are constantly coming in contact with the public, and they get paid very low wages. One thing about being a truck driver is most of the time you are sitting in the truck away from anybody else.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smurgerburger

I think most people would continue to work if they could, tbh.

---

IMO, you don’t get it. You want as many people off the highways as possible.

If I was your boss, I would assign you a project to use 6-sigma or Theory of Constraints to make recommendations on how to protect truck drivers AND efficiently get supplies to manufacturers AND finished goods to their end destinations.

For starters, you wouldn’t close rest stops like they did in Pennsylvania; instead you would close all rest stops near Major highways to everyone except truck drivers and designated people.

You wouldn’t close restaurants in Major Truck Stops in most states because truckers won’t be able to eat (e.g. they can’t use the drive thru). I would get these truck stops to limit business to truckers and designated people. I would also donate MRE’s at truck stops so truckers have free food (and water).

For special deliveries like masks, ventilators, medical supplies, etc you might want police or military escorts and let the truckers drive 75+ mph, weather permitting.

It’s madness that people don’t understand how fragile our commerce system is right now. You get a mass infection at one truck stop, and it will spread. N. Taleb writes about the consequences of fragile systems.

In summary, you want to elevate and put in place safeguards to protect the bottlenecks to our commerce system. People can always get money to buy goods and services (US gov’t will send out checks), but those goods better be in the supermarkets or we will have riots.

So first things first ... get over the 1st to 4th of the month hurdle of food stamp & other welfare check food buying spike, get people to STOP hoarding, get people to realize the food & supplies will be there, then we can worry about jobs and other issues. Since my March 6th posts, the food situation HAS NOT IMPROVED in my neck of the woods. The closing of “dining in” in restaurants only EXASPERATES the need for individuals & family needing to stock up on food (e.g. law of unintended consequences).

In conclusion, if people work but there’s no food, so smurgerburger what is your point? The system of getting food to the supermarket is very frail right now. The system is massively stressed and will be tested on April 1st to the 4th.

My point was, and no offense to truck drivers, that they're not heroic for doing what most employed people would like to be doing.

Yea, trucks get less traffic on the roads. The worst part is having to deal with a lesser amount of bathrooms and food options. They for the most part avoid people to an extent not seen in most jobs.

Cashiers have a crappy job. Probably very little savings.

Medical staff will be the biggest heroes by far. Once this thing starts really grab ahold of places.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by smurgerburger

My point was, and no offense to truck drivers, that they're not heroic for doing what most employed people would like to be doing.

---

We can disagree on this but the FACTS remain as a general comment, the truck drivers TODAY are going ABOVE AND BEYOND what they normally go through.

Food (like a fresh, hot meal) is hard to come by; truck drivers can’t sleep when the rest stops are closed, etc. The long haul drivers are really having a difficult time. If I was a truck driver, I wouldn’t put up the sh*t that is happening right now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by accountinquestion

Yea, trucks get less traffic on the roads. The worst part is having to deal with a lesser amount of bathrooms and food options. They for the most part avoid people to an extent not seen in most jobs.

Cashiers have a crappy job. Probably very little savings.

Medical staff will be the biggest heroes by far. Once this thing starts really grab ahold of places.

---

The truck drivers are feeding all 330+ million Americans. That easily dwarfs the critically sick patients with COVID-19.

Without stuff on the shelves, the cashiers won’t ring up customers because the customers don’t have anything to buy.

People. Please think!