LONDON, Ont. – None of the truck drivers showed a Covid-19 signal when they approached the DriverCheck store at the Flying J truck stop. The nurse’s thermometer records any fevers. No one reports pain, cough or the many other symptoms that may accompany the coronavirus.
But preventing is more important than curing. They sit in the chair, recline and sit still while Desmond Nanassy puts a tampon on his nose to take a sample. The procedure ends in five seconds. The effects will occur in 48 hours.
All of this is a component of an eight-week pilot assignment designed to manage up to a hundred loose tests according to the day.
DriverCheck has tested around 35 truck drivers per day so far, but expects to get a higher number at this high-volume location, where the Thank-a-Trucker initiative also distributes loose pizzas, caps and protective masks.
“We’re optimistic,” says program representative Tom Wilson. Approximately one-third of drivers approach the lunch rush hour for testing. Others largely spend the opportunity because they are too busy. A handful of conspiracy theories about whether Covid-19 is really a threat.
“Some of the answers are a little colorful,” he admits. “But a lot of kids just appreciate that we’re here to provide access, whether they’ve been tested or not.”
Many of the clinic’s drivers feel sufficient, given the self-insulating nature of trucks, but are ahead due to the stress of their homes. After all, it’s free. Including the registration procedure, the entire procedure takes about five minutes. The only charge is a little discomfort.
“I’ve heard a lot of other people say that when you dive into the water and water your nose, that’s the feeling,” Wilson says of the test.
Drivers who get up from the chair tell a story with their facial expressions. Wrinkles on the nose. Faces twist. The eyes have water.
“I felt like there were two ants climbing inside my nose,” says Bruce Locke, a driving force from Westcan Bulk Transport. It was the first time he tried it, but he had a few minutes to spare and, frankly, a little curious.
He’s involved with Covid-19, but not because of the job-related dangers. The veteran driving force does not interact with many other people on the day of the paintings and is responsible for cleaning his truck every time he returns to the cab.
“Because of the nature of the work, you isolate yourself,” he says. “Customers have developed a contactless delivery system. There is a contactless collection system.”
He is more involved in the potential epidemics that can occur when young people return to school.
“I’m close to my grandchildren. I have five and I am involved in the consequences of their return to school and my ability for them.”
“I think he’s going to rip my head off,” jokes Sonny Bosak, a DRIVING force at TAKY Express, wiping his eyes after a test.
Like others who practice the tent, it feels great. But there is a doubt whether it’s asymptomatic.
“I don’t need to hurt any of my friends or family,” he says. “Everyone wants to get tested until this vaccine arrives.”
Truck drivers crossing the border appear to be heavily involved in possible exposure to the Covid-19.
“I’m so concerned about myself, but about my family, my parents, my wife’s parents,” says Tom Gee, owner and operator of International Carriers Inc. (ICI). “I have young people at home. I’m more worried about them than I am about them.”
It supports your own concerns, there is a new trailer to pay for and it has American specifications. There are bills to be made.
“It’s for peace of the brain, the peace of my wife’s brain,” says Linamar Chris Campbell’s driving force, who had already done two tests before arriving in London. The first time he tickled. The time of time, it hurts a little.
“Maybe I’ll give you dollars, ” he laughs, pointing to the nurse who does the tests. Maybe the third time is the charm.
Fleets also inspire drivers to take credit for testing when they become available. That’s why Pirmax Energy pilot Barry Clarke made the decision to move into the tent. It makes sense to him, too. “Truckers cross the border. You never know. A hand on a door can hold two hundred fingers.”
The importance of testing is also reinforced by the fatal nature of the virus. Losses are more than statistics. Meet other people who died for Covid-19.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Mahad of Hagar Logistics queuing for his fourth test.
“It’s better to be safe and check as much as possible,” he says.
Although Mahad is confident about the fitness and protection practices that follow near his home, the scenario is another when he crosses the border. When he dropped a fare in Indiana the day before, he was surprised at the freedom with which other drivers and receivers walked and mingled with each other.
“When you deal with those kinds of people and you go from home, you have doubts. Do you go from home or stay in your truck to be sure?”
DriverCheck’s own Wilson undergoes the review every week or every 10 days, given the nature of the work. “I have older in-laws that I will have to be sensitive to. Everyone in the house is healthy, but I have to take the necessary precautions,” he says.
Some members of the family circle are also involved in the paintings he makes. Your children wonder if it’s too close to the front of the pandemic.
“That’s just one component,” Wilson says. “We are and got rid of society.”
And he’s going to keep testing to be sure.
For more information on upcoming DriverCheck tests, https://www.drivercheck.ca/ontario-trucker-covid19-testing-pilot.
John G. Smith is the editorial director of Newcom Media’s chain and truck publications, adding Today’s Trucking, trucknews.com, TruckTech, Road Transport, Canadian Shipper, Inside Logistics, Solid Waste – Recycling and Road Today. The award-winning journalist has covered the road transport industry since 1995.
We will publish or outsource your data
Stay up-to-date on technology and truck life