NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings was featured in the "Empowering Our Truckers" campaign, distributed in a recent issue of USA Today, in which industry leaders highlighted the critical role that the nation’s truck drivers play in keeping the nation’s economy moving.
Specifically, Mullings addressed how truckstops and travel centers have been keeping truck drivers safe and well fed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mullings said that travel centers and truck stops have taken a number of precautions to keep employees and guests safe. Like others, the industry has been following the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization, including their recommendations on health hygiene and the use of masks.
“Wearing a mask is something simple that most people can do to help stop the spread of this virus and to help keep businesses open,” Mullings said. “Because the virus can be spread by those who do not have symptoms and do not know they are infected, it is important for everyone to wear masks. For professional drivers and other travelers traveling through multiple states or localities, the differing mask requirements has created confusion.”
Mullings also highlighted changes the industry has made to ensure that truck driver have access to meals. Locations across the United States made adjustments to ensure that drivers had access to food as state and local governments restricted sit-down dining.
NATSO members quickly transitioned their food operations to curbside delivery and take-out dining options Others enhanced their grab-and-go meal options and convenience foods or extended the hours of their quick-serve restaurant operations.
“Truck stops never stopped offering food,” Mullings said. “They are certainly eager to get back to normal, but they also are prepared to maintain all of these food options for drivers if they were required to temporarily close sit-down dining again. Our members have kept these modifications in place.”
The interview with Lisa Mullings, which was published by MediaPlanet, was distributed USA Today, and projected to reach millions of readers. It also is published online.
To read the interview with Lisa Mullings, click here.
To read the full campaign, Empowering Our Truckers, click here.
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