Truck drivers have been declared essential workers in the fight against COVID-19. They are hauling not only the medical supplies and personal protective equipment healthcare workers use, but also the food, materials, and basic necessities people need to keep themselves and their families safe and healthy during this time. Some businesses, individuals, and government services are going above and beyond to help truckers do the work they need to do.
If you know of any other programs, discounts, or support for truckers that aren’t listed below, let us know in the comments! Keep the rubber on the road and the shiny side up!
Government Assistance
- The Paycheck Protection Program through the CARES Act is available to business owners, sole proprietors, and independent contractors.
- Express Bridge Loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
- Firehouses, police stations, local governments and even 911 dispatchers across the nation have been handing out free bottled water and sack lunches to truckers. There are too many instances to count!
- HOS requirements have been waived for truckers hauling relief goods.
Restaurants and Convenience Stores
- Many McDonalds, Long John Silver’s, Nathan’s Famous, Ruby Tuesday, Shoney’s and Sonic locations are offering drive-thru service or are bringing meals out to truckers. Some franchise locations are even allowing trucks to park in their lots overnight.
- Over 200 Long John Silver’s locations are offering truckers a 10% discount every day and a 25% discount on Thursdays.
- Ruby Tuesday is offering truckers 25% off any to-go order between noon and 8pm. If you order online enter “25” where prompted.
- Cracker Barrel is offering free coffee or fountain drinks to truckers.
- Denny’s is offering 15% online orders through May 25th using code Driver15 online.
- Starbucks locations are offering free coffee to “frontline responders.” Some locations have been including truckers delivering essential supplies in that designation.
- Texas Roadhouse is bringing to-go orders straight to trucks wherever possible – though asks drivers to call ahead to make sure there is room to park their rig.
- Tim Hortons is in the midst of rolling out take-out and washroom access for truckers.
- Irving Oil has committed their Circle K stores to offering free coffee to truckers, health-care professionals and first responders.
Truck Parking
- Sapp Bros. has announced that all paid parking spots will be free for now.
- Several truck stop chains along the I-80 corridor have partnered with the Nebraska Trucking Association to offer vouchers for free meals and parking for truckers. This includes some Bosselman Enterprises, Sapp Bros., and Shoemaker’s Travel Center locations.
- Many restaurants, malls, and businesses of all kinds are allowing trucks to park in their parking lots overnight and for rest breaks – even ones that normally wouldn’t. Just remember to ask first!
Source: fleetowner, overdrive, overdrive, ttnews, franchise, ttnews, ttnews, ttnews, freightwaves, sba
They should have been doing this for years with out the American Trucker this country comes.To a complete stop nothing moves and it’s a shame the government and big companies and shareholders.Only notice this now but wait big business been trying for years.To put the trucker out of business let that automated truck out there now.See if can move around and do what we do.
What?
Just read as if the punctuation isn’t there 🙃
LOL
Personally i never felt bad about being unable to park in a businesses parking lot since too many of my fellow truckers always make me feel bad and embarass by leaving their trash in places other than the trash bin or dumping their bodily waste wherever they feel fit.
I got u buddy. We are our worst enemy. Pick up after yourself. Ask permission to park. B careful of overhead lines, fences or trees. I am glad some corp attitudes r changing.
Right on!! Jarexx couldn’t agree more!! If the pigs out there wouldn’t be so damn lazy we might have more places to park all the time
TRUE True!!!
Exactly!
That’s what I was thinking. Let’s see how they act when we get back to normal operations.
We should all shut down for 2wks after all this ends.if we make thru it..
I agree.it needs to b done.ive been out here almost 40.ill quit when iam dead
Some of our fellow drivers are pigs. Thus is the reason no one wants us on their lots anymore. Alot of shippers and receivers have closed their restrooms to us prior to all this for that same reason. Do you really blame them? Some of our drivers need to grow up and clean up after them selves. Because they are the reason we are looked at as disgusting pigs.
So true, a few ignorant steering wheel holders ruin it for everyone else…
Absolutely true.
We are all steering wheel holders. Can’t drive the truck without holding the steering wheel.
This is something I totally agree with Its all about respect and self respect.
Agreed
Reason most places stopped trucker parking is do to the amount of trash drivers leave behind
Only takes a few lazy,slobs to ruin it for responsible drivers
You know who the bums are, they have dashboard covered with crap,smoke,overweight and never leave truck unless to eat fast food or go to bathroom
What the hell does smoking and being overweight have to do with leaving trash around? SMFH
He just wanted to add his 2 cents worth in.
Ditto
Kind of what I was thinking.
Agreed
There is been a totally wrong prospective about the hard working truckers in this great country. they been trying to put us out of business, especially In California.
At San Diego ca, a assembly lady invent a bill, demanding no more owner operators, in California, not only ignoring the damages of their families, but also the economy of the whole country.
Wonder which BIG companies paid her how much to submit that bill…
If truckers Strike and block roads, truckers will get whatever they want.
You must be new. We’ve tried that at least twice in the last 20 years… didn’t work.
No they will get their trucks towed out of the way and held for towing bill.
UNION
Been there, done that too. The increased rates didn’t do enough to offset the loss of loads.
Now is the time to organize!
Dude be thankful for what they are doing now. It would be a lot worse if they had not stepped up .Look forward not behind you. Thanks to all the folks that are stepping up to help us and first responders out. I for one appreciate everything.
I noticed that cracker barrel certainly didn’t offer a truck or a place to park… Oh that’s right I forgot, they don’t have a place for a truck to park because all of their restaurants have their parking lots configured in such a manner that truckers can’t hardly even get there to unload cracker barrels supplies. I swore off of doing business personally with cracker barrel just because of their attitude toward truckers.
Should have refused to do business with Cracker Barrel because the food sucks. Nothing but another chain with a bunch of gimmicks
I have only had good meals there
Thank goodness for the insight I will remember that in the future.
I agree. In the past Cracker Barrel wanted nothing to do with truckers. They are probably offering free drinks hoping you will place a takeout order
They are not Trucker friendly for sure.
Those offers are bs..they are just trying to sell there product..
I was refused service at the MacDonald’s in Daleville, Indiana. The one that has truck parking, but couldn’t get anything to eat. Sure as heck didn’t bring no meal out to me, or the other driver that was behind me. I called and ask if we could walk through the drive thru, nope.
McDonald’s has said that if you order on their mobile app, they’ll bring the food out to you at a designated spot. Great.
Except ……
The reviews on the iOS App Store are HORRIBLE. Glitchy, crashes regularly, some never got their order even though they paid for it through the app because the order went to different stores, it would log you out in the middle of making an order, and on and on.
Yeah, these places dont care. Was in dodge city trying to eat at Burger King then taco bell. Lobby closed and couldn’t walk through the drive thru. Thanks guys.
They don’t provide you a meal if you don’t have a car after certain hours. I was refused at Taco Bell in Ohio. They simply answered we don’t provide service to walk ins. I gave money to a guy who was buying food for himself and they still refused me. Shame on these chain restaurants.
Spent my whole life on the road, retired now, no thanks to the federal government and General Public they ruined the industry, but don’t worry folks the driverless semis will Supply the whole country and don’t even have to worry about the drivers getting the virus…. congratulations
Like I always say, A doctor can be in surgery 16hrs straight be on call 24 hrs then do another surgery. Or factory worker can put in 16 shift then drive 1-2 home but that’s not a problem. Doctors my pop pills to stay focused but they don’t then give every doctor the drug test, or test every factory worker when he clocks out the job after 16 hrs. We are professionals to do this and just because some of us act like fools why punish all of us. I haven’t had a job in 43yrs, as my father once told me “If you have a job you love…you’ll never have a job” And now as a business owner the government is taking all the personal life and business out of the profession. In 4 more years I’m
retiring, selling my trucks and or business to my drivers if they want. Because there is no more personal freedom in this Business.
Doctors are being replaced by robots and software is doing a better job of diagnosing illness.
In all reality, truckers are treated like trash, by all the stores out there of every kind. And truck stops charge outrageously high prices for everything. No one has really been looking out for truckers for a long time. And the other reply is right, the coffee offers and bringing out your food is just the companies trying to look good and to drum up a little extra money from an industry they treat like trash on a daily basis.
It doesn’t matter, truckers will do their jobs regardless of how they are treated.
Yes sir you are correct
You are right we will because if we don’t…..we all know what happens and it be like this virus, it would affect all of us
They should not have been doing this for years. Wake up. We the truckers have ruined parking and other options by having horrible attitudes, disrespecting the properties, and trashing everywhere we park or eat. Your paycheck is all that you are owed. Without clerks, attendants, waitresses, highway workers, public servants, etc etc we wouldn’t be able to haul freight. Therefore we all are important to making society successful and are owed nothing more than a paycheck.
You are so right driver….respect is something that is earned not given, and some of us don’t deserve it because some of us didn’t give it, and now a lot of us don’t get respect.
I my self have noticed that loves is not really doing anything for the drivers but causing more problems than good I can go to pilot flying j and get treated better.
REALLY???
How does Pilot/Flying treat you better?
They let me get my own coffee.
Why is it that pilot flying j, Petro , ta, etc , the big ones that make a fortune of trucks, haven’t done a thing for us? Ta and Petro even increased their parking fees to $ 25.00 in a lot of their locations
I’m not calling this article false,but I haven’t seen anybody come up to me to help me or any other truck drivers been out here all my life l’m 60 years old been driving for 44 years some of the blame is on truck drivers not standing up for each other and not stopping the rest of truckers from being such pigs the other go to government & consumers who cannot stand us just look at the truck stops they were out in the open by themselves then they build houses around them and malls and then kick the truck stops out. I still have not had anybody come up to me and say thank you for putting your life on the line. And I’m not waiting for them to do it cuz it’s not going to happen. I’m not trucking for the consumer or the government I’m doing it because this is where God put me in life. I just hope & pray I don’t get this crap and I’ve got underlying issues I don’t see anybody setting up a safe haven for truck drivers to get help when they get it pay their bills help them financially help them with the health care they don’t have, typical humans me,me,me I,I,I,first everybody else kiss my butt, I have Humana insurance I can only go to one hospital in Tulsa where I live and there’s several hospitals but Humana doesn’t pay for any of the rest of them so when I get sick who’s going to accept me and help pay my medical bills, and I don’t have enough saved away to stay at home for 3 months or 4 months so once again who’s going to help us truck drivers when we need it we don’t even help ourselves it’s a shame and we are the BackBone of this great country, and we are treated like the red-headed stepchild God bless us truck drivers God help us
I agreed, they just advertising for themselves, so they can looks good, later they will claim in taxes, they use truckers for everything, later will back and blame us for everything that is happening, now they need us, but they not help us for real, all we have is stupid words, no action.
They don’t even bother to Supply us cleanings supplies, all is bla bla bla, No masks either, what they talking about?
Just bunch of lies and Jokes. If we get sick they will not remember our names.
We done.
Preach that Brother !! Amen , agree 100%
Rite on driver. 62 years old, and 33 years out here. I treat all people respectfully. Hope i dont get sick. Would have to quit.
Driver you are so right about some of us truckers. I started in this business 43yrs ago with a 1966 Freightliner COE 238DD 10speed, and back then the most helpful trucker I met ask me if he could give me some advice….because when I parked my rig I was parked next to an identical white 66 freightliner. He said to me if your in the union that’s fine, but as a O/O put your own money away. So I started putting away $50.00 per week into a regular savings account for retirement, and every additional truck I bought I’d increase it another $50 because my personal income got bigger. And would tell my drivers the same use it alone with a retirement account. But I never had a traditional retirement account. And unlike traditional retirement account I won’t have to pay income on that retirement ck ….I would just take it out of that savings account as I need to for living expenses and not as income. Driver I wish all of us (Deserving) truckers to do well in this business but as in reality we all don’t and that’s why we should help each other. And these ELD logs no I don’t like them, I don’t want to sleep when I could be driving or driving when I’d rather be sleeping
Pretty much all of these places have made it impossible to get a truck in their parking lot. I have to ask if I can drop at the truck stop then bt to eat at any of these places. Then you got employees not even aware of these supposed ‘trucker deals’ going on. We know when we’re being used by companies so they can look good in the public eye, and rn is one of those times. I dont buy any of it. Only place that goes the extra mile for me is sunnyside diner on the south side of OKC. They did before this crap though. They just shut down the other day though.
It’s time to put a end to ELD’S! Get it on paper now and when things get back to normal we will be able to get back trucking like back in the days!
The ELD’s aren’t the problem, take off your blinders. If the HOS was properly adjusted it would be much easier.
Bashing ELD is saying you want to run illegal, but if the HOS worked properly we wouldn’t have to be stressed about that little computer.
Your right driver but the issue I have with ELDs is that new $125k to $200k truck you just bought your paying for it, but the people who know nothing about trucking CONTROL it. Because as you said that little computer is dictating your drive time to you. Your home on the weekend you want to drop your truck at the shop for PM it’s like asking for permission to move your own $ from one account to another. Driver I would rather drive relaxed and not rushed, then worried about time, 43 yrs never worried about getting to my next drop. Now you can’t take down time as off duty time it’s own duty not driving and it eats up your hours, that’s not fair to us.
All this so called “help” is nothing more than hype, smoke and mirrors if you will. Any of us that truly have a clue, know damn well that when it’s over, it’s back on the hate train for most people. Also when the “free” anything goes back to 2x-3x retail, and friendly waves to middle fingers!
We are self quarantined day in day out and idiot truck stop try getting us sick for touching all their germs and everyone else’s germs by not allowing trucker use own personal cups that no one else touches and I agree loves across the country gone shitty try like hell to avoid now
Glad to see there are many helping. But not all are compassionate. I have been denied a meal walking up to the drive thru at Arby’s/South Tucson and McDonalds/Jerome Idaho. According to the manager she would not serve me for my SAFETY! Been with left without a warm meal several times. Doesn’t make me feel like a hero.
Again Bert, the country doesn’t care about you, me or any other damned trucker. It feels like we are damned, we brought what they needed before, now we do it a virus laden country and nobody has changed their mind about us or our function. We are not heroes but should we be treated like scum ?
Grown men/women crying like someone didn’t give them a at-a-boy award because they “chose” to be truck drivers. Go do the job you chose to do for the pay you agreed to or quit and good home!!!!!Crybaby truck drivers are like 2 year old kids not getting their way. Gezzz
I agree , This is my job and this is my country, I will do as I’m paid to do and do my part.
Sound like my old boss. “Be quiet and do your job.” Adults shouldnt speak that way to each other. I got away from that mentality 2 years ago. It was an extremely unhealthy and volatile environment.
Preach.
I think you are one of the people who are the reason why truckers can’t unite for better conditions and pay. Thanks buddy boy !! You are helping the rich keep their money !
Hay fellow truckers, We need to be better too, each other,Very Little help out here for us, just keep in mind why we do what we do for our Family’s. Be Safe, Take a Break. Your Family needs You. Wash your Hands!.
What a joke fj ta pilot loves pilot still charging for parking what a joke they really care about truck drivers gready
Those specials are for the benifit of the merchant. They are trying to hang on but most won’t make it. Driverless trucks are the future and don’t eat at dennys.
I stopped at KFC and ordered A Famous Bowl and two chicken little sandwiches. They met me at the door and looking at the receipt, the chicken littles were free and they even threw in some cookies. Thanks.
If those crybaby truck drivers stop bring you toilet paper and medicine to your local stores i bet your rude as…… Wouldn’t be saying this rude shi…….
Without truck drivers this hole country would shut down . Now that some people can actually see just how important truck drivers are they act like their doing something good for a truck driver . So i save $2.00. On my dinner , REALLY ?
This ain’t crying. This is real talk. I’m not one to sit back and take the abuse the public, the government, and big carriers have shown for decades. That’s why I got my own rig. Call it complaining or crying or whatever you want but I’d rather speak up than than sit back and take it like a kid hiding under the covers at night. Changes are made from so called ‘complainers’ as well.
Clean up our own backyard first, then tackle the rest of the public.
Thanks for posting what I was thinking.
I’m not preaching, I’m posting what is on/in my heart for whoever needs to hear what I’m sharing. God hears and knows all, including what’s in every heart and mind. There is no respect shown to anyone anymore. Not by big business down through little business. Not by person to person. Not by Dr. to patient nor patient to Dr. Not by young to elder nor elder to young. Color to color nor to white, nor white to color. What happened to loving one another as we love ourselves?? What happened to doing unto others as we would have others to do unto ourselves????? When you care about others, it shows and you feel good in your heart and soul. When you don’t, it manifests in bad ways, even unto yourself. Let love grow for yourself by letting it grow for others. God bless everyone and may God help those in need of help and be a beacon for all to remember and reach out to. God help us all!!!!! Amen and Amen
Lynn all I can say is hate is NOT BORN It’s created. When I was a little boy my sister and I were with our parents a this store something like a big lots…she was looking at clothes I was playing with toy trucks while our parents shopped.This little boy came over we played with the trucks then as our backs were turned he suddenly let out a hurtful scream because his mother had snatched him up by his arm….then she shouted “Didn’t your father tell you not to talk to those people” And as we were heading home I ask my parent’s “What are those people” And after I told them what happened my parents were very sad that I had to experience racism but even more so that the little was being taught that.
Wow I been reading comment after comment no the problem is you improvise if one place don’t treat you right or you don’t feel they treat you right then go somewhere else everywhere I’ve been I had got help from people during this time from normal everyday people to other drivers and kids too have helped me during this time of crisis if you want a thank you for what you do thank yourself and far as driverless trucks good luck with that only out West is suited for it and owner ops don’t go that way much because the hills and mountains kill your truck engine from the wear and tear of climbing up and down mountain terrain and the truck will always have a driver because some of the driverless cars have been hacked and taken over by a hacker in various places across the world do you think they going to take a chance with a semi truck that’s 80000 pounds well if they do don’t say I never warned you about the multiple chaos that will happen when the enemies of America use the driverless trucks to do attacks at random
There’s an idea… displaced drivers (by automated trucks) should become hackers!
I drive for C R England in one of their dedicated fleets. In response to the coronavirus, they gave us Lysol wipes and a candy bar. If they care so little for their drivers, why should we expect anything from the restaurants and truck stops. It would seem that we should, at the least, get hazardous pay. We put not only us but our families at greater risk.
They can keep their hazzard pay, just get me some masks, Lysol spray, and some Purell. Can’t find it anywhere! We need it just as bad as the doctors, nurses, EMT’s, etc.
Problem is
1 your in trucking.
2 cr england
I just hope we get this beast under control and start to recover..This country needs every driver out here. I know some drivers make it hard to stay positive but that is the only way we will make it. Let’s try to take it back to the good ol days. Driver helping driver. Now we just cut others down. I am ready to step up and do my part. Will you do yours??
If I could find a load of PPE, I’d be passing it out at the truck stops!
The American public loves us when needed, hates us when they feel they don’t.
Just like trucking companies. Truth hurts.
Well. I’ll tell you one thing from all these comments. It is idiotic to turn down a paying customer because his truck is too big to go through your drive through! Corona or Not! I was starving in the middle of nowhere at a McDonald’s. I finally got the manager. With the help of the people outside. I got FOOD. I didn’t take it sitting down for the job I chose for the pay I accepted BS. I stood up for myself. Like a man. We need to call people out on their mistreatments. RESPECT!! Equally for everyone doing a job.
I agree with all on the restaurants being self serving, their parking lots are empty so now they look at us, never before did they give a sh&t about us , I emailed Texas Roadhouse about what was on Facebook, drive that big rig into any Texas Roadhouse lot and we”ll bring u out food, I got an e-mail back saying sorry that was just one location and it got out of hand, publicity? I told them they have never been there for us before— Y the hell would I support them now… And Jeff I do agree with your sediment sir.
What we really need is face masks, hand sanitizer, and hazard pay. The ATA is nowhere to be found when we need someone to speak up for us.
I enjoy sending my husband with frozen food , veggies, fruit to cook in his road pro.
At least most of you guys know what your company policy is regarding the virus. I haven’t heard a peep from my company CEO. He’s been MIA since the beginning of this. Our DMs are telling the drivers to just make sure we have plenty of food stored in our trucks. How about installing a micro/fridge in the trucks or at least compensate the drivers that chose to do it themselves. I will keep driving regardless because I’m not scared of the FLU but when cigarettes and coffee start getting hard to find I’m going home or if the death rate from this FLU exceeds 0.1%. It still has a lot of killing to do before it comes close to last years FLU death rate. This FLU is just cover for the central banks that were going to crash eventually.
Drivers needs money!.. not assistance. Drivers needs to make between $0.80 to $1.20 a mile according to experience!..nobody will need to drive more than 2300 miles a week. Consumers have to pay the price.
i just do my job,don’t exspect any help or free-bee’s from any one ,don’t want any free-bee’s from anyone! most time’s all that crap come’s with string’s. i only want what i work for and nothing more.as far as crying about the disrespect and being treated like scum,i don’t see it with who i haul for or any shipper’s or receiver’s i deal with i get back what i give! a lot of trucker’s i run into can’t even say hello when meeting them walking across a parking lot,just put their head down so thay don’t have too! grow up ,be a man and deal with it!
You dirty nasty fools, don’t mess it up for everybody. Keep your trash and your piss bottles in the truck, or throw them in a trashcan! Don’t pee in their parking lots! It a shame grown people have to be told this.
Everything ive seen is just another app to download so they can sell your information its just another money grab. They dont care about us, loves has been a prime example. Food has gotten so bad i just bought a camping stove and a cooler and just been cooking my own meals. Its pretty bad when you get charged 3 bucks for a drink with no refill and get attitude because tgey have to come to work while all their friends are on coronavirus vacation.
What about the mega stops that make you move if parked in a pay spot. And even charge more for coffee because wont let you bring your own cup that was bought from that company. Similar to pile it up profits