Page 38 - ATR 5 2020 digital

“It was a real ‘come home’
moment,” said Hammonds. “We had a
lot of drivers that, when they were mak-
ing deliveries to stores in April, would
be approached by someone in the park-
“WE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE COULD ing lot, and they would just tell them,
DO, GIVEN OUR SCALE, TO REALLY HELP IN A ‘Do you know what a hero you are?’ It
SITUATION LIKE THAT AND BE MORE THAN JUST A certainly was uplifting for our drivers
RETAILER. NOW LOOK AT THE PANDEMIC. IT’S IN to hear those stories. They got to hear
firsthand from people who maybe were
EVERY COMMUNITY. IT’S WORLDWIDE. HOW DO YOU appreciating them for what they do for
BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION THAT IS HELPING the first time.”
MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR PEOPLE ON THAT SCALE? This year is a very stark reminder of
THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO IN ORDER why we should appreciate this industry’s
drivers, Hammonds said.
TO FEEL LIKE WE’RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR “I know that our drivers came
CUSTOMERS.” to us with story after story of being
approached by customers,” he said. “My
—JEFF HAMMONDS, VICE PRESIDENT hope is that this industry’s drivers felt
some of that, just the authentic out-
FOR FLEET OPERATIONS AT WALMART
reach on the part of people who wanted
to thank them for what they do.”

BEING A SOLUTION IN CRISIS
Natural disasters offer another
opportunity to see the vital role truck
and drivers,” he said, sharing numerous ensure all associates felt part of the drivers play in the recovery of hard-hit
health and safety protocols the company company’s solution. communities.
embraced early on. “That’s just part of the Walmart “We’ve always taken it on as a mis-
The company quickly and com- story that I’ve always had such an sion to make sure the customer has
prehensively adopted the “6/20/100” appreciation for,” he said, adding that, what they’re looking for,” he said. “We
standard to encourage six feet of social with two children who are frontline especially want to be part of the solu-
distancing, hand washing for 20 sec- healthcare workers (his oldest son is an tion if there’s a crisis.”
onds, and stay-in-place measures for EMT, and his daughter-in-law is an ER When Hurricane Laura hit Lake
associates with temperatures over 100 nurse) he too is “deeply interested in Charles, La., this spring, Walmart and its
degrees. Break rooms and other areas figuring out and making sure that we’re associates were once again at ground zero
across the company were retrofitted doing the right things.” of helping to restore the community.
to promote safety and provide access In addition to the many measures “We have people who live in that
to sanitizer and other needed supplies. in place for Walmart customers and community that work for us. We have
Health screening areas were incorpo- associates, the company provided stores there, and that makes us part of
rated at entrances for mandatory tem- masks and hand sanitizer for Arkansas the community,” he said. “There was
perature checks. Trucking Association member drivers. work that had to be done in front of
“Getting those things deployed “We value our relationship with and after the storm to aid the commu-
in an understandable way as fast as Arkansas Trucking Association,” he said. nity in its preparedness and recovery,
we were able to do so brought a lot of “We really think Shannon Newton does and we want to be as much a part of
comfort to our associates, our drivers, a wonderful job advocating for this state’s that as we could … I’m very proud of my
and our distribution center associates,” trucking industry. We are proud to be a organization and how well Walmart has
said Hammonds. “Seeing us act in those part of it and proud to support it.” responded.”
very intentional ways is what helped For many Americans, the pandemic Perspective on the trucking indus-
give them the assurances needed to still was the first moment they recognized try has grown with every pivotal event.
do the work they wanted to do.” that an entire industry, trucking, exists Hurricane Katrina was a defining
Hammonds credited internal mes- between them and the food, medicine, moment that broadened the company’s
saging, including inspirational videos and other products that keep them and
featuring real associates, with helping their families safe. 

38 Issue 5 2020 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT