What Makes Truck Driving an Essential Service?

Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that hit the nation full-force, all jobs have now been divided into two categories–essential services and nonessential services. Most recognize the important role doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals play in this medical catastrophe; however, other industries are just as essential when it comes to keeping the country moving.

Most Important Items

For example, without the transportation industry, there would be no way to transport the various vital items that enable other industries and professionals to do their jobs. In fact, trucking underpins nearly all other crucial industries by carrying the following:

• Groceries: Food, milk, drinks, etc.
• Cleaning Supplies: The way individuals, both in a residential and commercial setting, prevent the spread of the virus through deep and regular cleaning.
• Medical Supplies and/or Medicines: What could be more critical when it comes to sustaining life than medicines and medical supplies getting from where they are to where they need to go?
• Electronics: This includes but is not limited to virtualization technology.
• Construction Material: In both commercial and residential capacities.
• Fuel: To keep essential workers moving from home to their jobs and to ensure trucks have the fuel needed to continue transporting vital goods.

Trucking, the Most Essential Service

Trucking is an essential service, necessary to get all the above items from one location to another. There is no way for this country to maintain order and civility without the trucking industry. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an agency that was tasked with defining essential jobs, among other crucial duties, truckers were described as “critical infrastructure workers.” The following is a segment from the official report published by Homeland Security:

“Functioning critical infrastructure is imperative during the response to the COVID-19 emergency for both public health and safety as well as community well-being. Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to continue operations.”

Obviously, the trucking industry is considered one of the “critical infrastructure industries” mentioned in this statement.

Changes in Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently reduced regulations on commercial drivers, allowing them to drive more extended hours than was previously allowed if they are hauling essential items, such as fuel, groceries, and/or medical supplies. This means that while other industries are reducing hours, laying employees off, or are grinding to a halt altogether, truck driving jobs are still available and even in higher demand.

Thank a Truck Driver

Truckers, the unsung heroes of this pandemic, deserve a big pat on the back and a hearty “thank you”! As outlined above, the country requires the transportation industry to remain robust and active to prevent complete chaos and risk the lives of many individuals if needed medical supplies or other vital items are not transported. Therefore, truckers deserve just as much praise as other essential professionals as they are literally keeping the wheels spinning on American’s critical infrastructure.

How to Become Part of an Essential Service Team

The current increased demand for transported goods will probably dwindle somewhat as the COVID-19 pandemic passes. However, the role truckers are playing in the whole scenario highlights the immense need for truckers, defining them as essential workers.

Therefore, truck driving jobs are now and will remain plentiful for the foreseeable future, mainly to restock depleted goods across the nation. Anyone who has at least one year of recent OTR experience within the industry can reenter a field that is always considered essential and will never become obsolete, even in the middle of a crisis.

Truckers with CDL who are currently working as truckers and who have a year of OTR experience should consider driving with us at Barr Nunn Trucking to become part of our fantastic team of essential workers. Also, if a person’s current employment is deemed to be nonessential, now is a great time to consider completing a quality training program to become certified as a professional truck driver.

Looking for a truck driving job? Apply Now or Search Driving Positions.