As businesses and public services nationwide close down due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, life is changing for most Americans – and truckers are no different. But people still need food, fuel, and other essentials, so trucks need to keep rolling. Unfortunately, truck rest areas are among those locations closing down in response to the pandemic.
States are closing down rest areas nationwide. According to Business Insider Michigan has closed all 14 welcome centers, Nebraska is closing down rest areas while attendants aren’t present, and Texas has closed its 12 rest areas as well. But in those areas at least, truck parking is still available. That wasn’t the case in Pennsylvania until very recently.
On Tuesday, PennDOT closed down 30 rest stops across the state in order to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The uproar from trucking companies, drivers, and groups like OOIDA and ATA was immediate and effective. On Thursday, 13 rest areas reopened for service, but PennDOT officials said that restaurants and public bathrooms would remain closed. Instead, drivers would be expected to use portable toilets in the parking lot.
A short time later however, PennDOT officials relented and announced that restaurants would allow carry-out service and restrooms would be re-opened.
“Every decision made has been in the interest of mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and we are constantly reevaluating our response,” a PennDOT spokesperson told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “That said, we also recognize that drivers need and deserve access to rest areas.”
“We encouraged [Gov. Tom Wolf and PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian] to open all the state’s rest areas the moment we learned of the closures ordered and so we certainly welcome this latest decision,” OOIDA spokeswoman Norita Taylor told the Post-Gazette. “Hopefully other states will refrain from implementing similar, short-sighted policies. And we’ll continue to call out those who propose policies that jeopardize the safety of truckers and the motoring public.”
Private truck stops meanwhile are largely remaining open. Love’s, TA, and Pilot Flying J for example are all still open as of March 19th. Most areas say they have increased cleaning and disinfecting efforts in bathroom and shower facilities. Restaurants are remaining open with drive-thru and carryout options only. Common dining areas have been closed by government mandate.
That said, the situation has been changing so quickly that there’s no telling what areas will be open and what services will be available on any given day.
For guidance on how to manage your risk of contracting the virus, visit the CDC website.
Source: truckinginfo, overdrive, ttnews, ttnews, freightwaves, freightwaves, fleetowner, overdrive, businessinsider, postgazette, who, truckinginfo
I say we are tired of it. I say park anywhere you want to. They can’t lock us all up it costs to much. They’re scared of the cargo liability if they tow us in. Where they gonna tow you. They hardly have room to tow and park cars. Maybe I’m venting…but it’s time for a trucker’s revolution. Anybody?
Sweet dream never going to happen they is no loyalty in trucking anymore they would stab you in the back for two cents more a mile.
Yea I agree, time for a change
There should be plenty of empty parking lots now for ad long as they let this overreaction go on.we the people have to end this tyranny soon! Watch out for the vaccines and microchips coming next8
With being a woman I’m finding it’s hard to find bathrooms open because “management said we can’t let you use them.” I can’t just whip out my junk and pee wherever. This one place the girl as she sipped on her coffee rolled her eyes with a smirk said Wow that must suck.
Now is the time to stop hauling. This is the opportunity that will never come again, to stand up and realise the power we have. Stay home, or park for two weeks and have a list of demands agreed on and ready.
Brilliant! unions should lead the way.
For 30+ years I have been saying….EVERYONE hates truck drivers. Now do you all understand?
The chickens have finally come home to roost. The rubber has finally met the road.
The solution is simple. Now “they” are realizing its time to give us the respect we have NEVER received.
Simply boycott those state that continue to break the DOT laws by not leaving their REST areas open.
Until they comply with the federal law set by the DOT.
Those states won’t eat.
yeah no doubt plus no it’s all cool to break hours of service now cause it benefit them, I totally understand the folks with the virus, I totally understand freight needs to get moved to the low low freight areas that are running low but now is the time to stop and demand a few things, compromise n make a deal and stick with it but I’m pretty sure i texted all that wasting my time lmao
but they love them in these times
Tom Wolfe needs to move out of politics or on to a new state. The past 2 winters he has closed the highways down to truck drivers & allowed the public to travel freely but the drivers were not permitted to use them, in Pennsylvania. My husband is milk hauler. Picks up from the farms & takes it to one of several dairies anywhere from Vermont to North Carolina (whoever needs the milk at the time). Cows do not hold off on needing milked because of the latest crisis. Every time Ol gov Wolfe closed the highways, the truck stops were filled with local residents of the area in their cars & pick up trucks, ordering food & buying cigarettes at the truck stops. Meanwhile, drivers are trying to get their loads delivered on any road that is deemed not a hazard to the local public, that are screaming for the products & driving around looking for a quick meal so they don’t have to cook at home?!?!? I love our governor’s priorities. Anyway, the rest areas are no different. We went to New York yesterday on I 81 from south central Pa. The truck stops are finally open for parking (Trucker drivers only) but the car parking was filled up just as much as the truck parking. Thankfully we did not have trouble finding a parking spot to sleep at but if we would have traveled any distance the days before, im sure it was a nightmare! Driver’s, you are appreciated, just not by Pa’s gov, Tom Wolfe or any politicians in Indiana or those in Rhode Island. But you are appreciated by us! Thank you for EVERYTHING. Stay safe & healthy.
Wolf should be in a truck when he makes these decisions keep the cars off the roads and let the trucks run
Please update the article!
Texas has closed the lobbies, not the outside restrooms or parking.
“TxDOT has closed the lobbies of its 12 Travel Information Centers until further notice to help combat the threat of COVID-19. Outside restrooms will remain available at all times and will be regularly cleaned between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The safety rest areas on highways throughout the state remain open. These provide important rest stops for drivers”
I agree with u..l have been driving 42 year’s.we driver’s have put up with alot of abuses.we give up our lives to live in a truck..but shutting down at this time is not good..people need stuff and stuff is what we do.. Maybe hopefully they will treat us better as this omg time moves forward..as we need to shower .and eat as well.. Stay safe from another old trucker
I appreciate every trucker and respect those big rigs when I’m on the road driving. You gals and guys are the best, that’s why I will be joining you as a driver soon. Stay safe, do the best you can, continue to do you job to the best of your ability and don’t let anyone make you feel less than appreciated. You gals and guys are the best!
Thanks for keeping the hammer down doing all this.
If Gov officials appreciate us so much why dont they tell the highway patrol and cops to stop stopping us for random roadside inspections and stop charging ridiculously high tolls from trucks. At least for the time of crisis. But all that is just lies and BS. Rates are still low and tolls are still high. I wouldn’t be surprised if state of PA for example rises its tolls to cover the holes in their budget created by Covid-19.
You don’t have to worry about that Pa is raising tolls every year no matter what because Pa is a tax crazy state , state income tax , local earned income tax , property tax , unlimited school tax sales tax and on and on tax tax tax they will tax the air you breath if they could meter it
Our governor isn’t known as Taxin Tommy Wolf for nothing.
Oh well If there is no place to shut down. I guess we shouldn’t shut down.
They only have power over us because we let them.
I’m upset that there is no place to get anything to eat. The world caters to people who work the day shift. When I am driving the restaurants are closed, the stores are closed. I haven’t been able to get to a store in week.
This whole thing has been blown out of proportion anyway. More people die each year from the flu, and pneumonia.
Everyone needs to take a chill pill. and put it all in perspective.
I’m PERM. DISABLED now, but I put my time in for over 28+ yrs, 2 million miles accident free, Thank God! I just want to say, with all that’s going on,
Put JESUS FIRST, have FAITH instead of FEAR, and JOHN 3:3, says unless a man is Born again, he cannot see the kingdom of HEAVEN! all that means is asking CHRIST to forgive you if your sins, Making him Lord if your life, putting him first, above everything and everyone! Please don’t delay, he is coming very soon! AMERICA MOVES BY TRUCKS! Keep up the great work brothers N sisters, I’ll see y’all, here, there, or In the AIR. my handle use to be COLORADO, buy awhile it was MESHACKSMOM. Now I go by MS. EAGLE 40:31. 🦅🙏✝️👋
I’ve been on the road for 5 weeks now. I am scheduled to be home next week. I asked dispatch if the next load could route me home just a few days early. I was told “no, we’re short on drivers at the moment “.
Meanwhile, not a peep from our spineless company president except to say we should all carry plenty of food in our trucks because restaurants will be closing. He’s always MIA when it comes to the drivers needs.
I’ll do my hometime as scheduled but things are not going to be the same when I return. I want incentive pay. I’m going on the road at great risk and discomfort to myself. Not to mention leaving my home and property unattended during some crazy times. SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Russell, they are taxing the air you breathe. It’s called carbon tax in the guise of man-made global warming!
If every time I go to the store to buy food for my wife and child and the shelves are empty because of people hoarding everything and only looking out for themselves. I’ll park the truck and let them suffer until they realize how stupid they are being. I’ve got a freezer full of venison and plenty of fishing tackle and gettin to plant my garden.
This is the same moron governor, last February 2019 shut down i80 cmv traffic during a rain storm for16 hours finding cmv driver 426.00 fines. Next morning free to go while the road now way a sheet of ice.
They want the products your hauling but, they don’t want you! That big old heavy truck is damaging the roads and taking up lots of room! Hopefully now, they’ll see just how important transportation of goods is to this country, and the timely manner it’s delivered. Just maybe, it won’t be soo rough after this on the trucking ( don’t hold your breath). If I had a van , I would offer to transport medical supplies for” no charge ” as the best I could to help ( that’s just what you do in these cases) . On a lighter note, I thought I saw a Charmin truck with a tail gunner !
We should park for 7 days at least
They say they want to check the spread of the virus by closing the rest areas, or restrooms at rest areas. That makes NO sense to me at all! What that does is force even more drivers into already crowded truck stops, with even less places to WASH OUR HANDS!
My son’s a trucker he is in Pennsylvania they made him move the rest areas are closed some body better wake up the loser governor
If forced to get a small trash can and bags, use that. Dispose of it in the dumpster not the grass like men. Not right but an option, I have to do it.
It’s getting to be impossible to find a place to get a good meal, with everything shut down or limited service. I’m thinking about heading home and parking till this blows over. Considering they think we are essential, they have a funny way of showing it. They’ve made our stressful job, just plain unbearable.