Page 19 - ATR 2 2020 digital

Lending a Helping Hand

(Sanitizer) and Trucking Food

to Truckers

By ATR Staff cial vendors are forbidden on state prop-
erty like rest areas, but truck drivers are
As truck drivers across America bearing extraordinary burdens to keep
continue to deliver critical supplies to citizens safe and communities supplied
communities affected by the new virus, with all they need to fight the virus.
it’s important that drivers take precau- One particular burden is fewer places to
tions to protect their own health. find healthy meals as restaurants and
In early March, many Americans truck stops around the country close
cleared store shelves of items like toilet their dining rooms.
paper, soap, hand sanitizer and medi- “The men and women who are
cal masks in preparation for the need working hard to help deliver our nation
to quarantine. Hand sanitizer has been back to health need places to rest and
especially hard to find for drivers who eat a hot meal,” said Shannon Newton,
aren’t able to wash their hands with president of the Arkansas Trucking
soap and water after every interaction Association. “We can’t shake their
like the Center for Disease Control and hands or hug their necks right now,
Prevention (CDC) advises. but the next best way to show people
Several alcohol producers in the you love and appreciate them is to feed
state have stepped in to manufacture them, to break bread and meet needs. I
hand sanitizer using spirits. Fox Trail hope we can continue to communicate
Distillery and Pernot Ricard provided how grateful we are for their service.” ATR
bottles of hand sanitizer to Arkansas
Trucking Association for distribution at
truck stops.
On March 26–27, Arkansas
Trucking Association’s Mike Brust vis-
ited Pilot Travel Center in Springdale
and Workman’s Travel Center in Lowell
to deliver the hand sanitizers and thank
drivers for their dedication.
Then in April, ATA partnered with
Arkansas Department of Transportation
to bring greater food options to truck
drivers at state rest areas to ensure addi-
tional safe places to eat and rest.
ARDOT issued temporary permits to
certify 10 food truck operators to serve
truck drivers primarily at Social Hill rest
area on I-30 just west of Malvern.
Normally, these types of commer-

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 2 2020 19