In addition to the heroes we commonly think about–doctors and nurses, police and firefighters–there is another true hero in our nation: the truck 
drivers.
Drivers are the ones taking food, medical supplies, and raw material for needed manufacturing out on the roads. In spite of closed truck stops and fewer places to get food and other needs, the drivers continue to move freight.
And they may be driving in spite of hardships at home. Some have children home from school, there is potential exposure to the disease on the road and other hazards.
There has been an unrivaled surge in demand for good across the country, from medical supplies to food to personal items. Nationally, demand for goods is up 16.5 percent over last year due to the increased need.
Truck Drivers are the Lifeblood of our Economy
Even before the coronavirus pandemic, trucking companies were stretched to supply the nation’s needs Now, with volumes even higher, the truck drivers have become the lifeblood of the American economy. Without our truckers, the economy of the United States would come to a halt.
And while truck drivers could protect themselves and stay home, they have chosen to continue to deliver the needed supplies and food that helps others to heal the sick, take care of a family, and continue on in daily life.
“If we slow down, the world stops,” said a truck driver based in Florida recently. “Before all this, it was just a job to me.” Now, he explains, it’s a mission.
Truck drivers are working around the clock to move America’s freight. I n fact, truckers move nearly 75 percent by weight of the nation’s freight. And, compared to this time last year, the volume is up more than 16 percent.
As a result of a national emergency declaration, the “hours of service” rules were suspended. These rules limit how long a truck driver can work without a break. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that those who are moving goods “in support of emergency relief efforts related to the COVID-19 outbreaks” will temporarily not have to follow the hours-of-service laws.
This is the first time these rules have been suspended since they were created in 1938. It shows how very much truckers’ services are needed to get supplies and food to the places they need to go.
Veltri Says Thank You to the Nation’s Drivers
At Veltri, we are doing everything in our power to ensure our drivers are safe while delivering much-needed goods.
We appreciate the efforts of our drivers. All of those brave men and women put their safety and livelihood on the line every day to help their fellow Americans.