Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO 64029
Web Site: www.www.ooida.com
Facebook: OOIDA Facebook
Contact: Norita Taylor, norita_taylor@ooida.com
Headquarters: (816) 229-5791
For Immediate Release
OOIDA sends urgent message to POTUS, COVID-19 task force
An urgent letter was sent to President Trump and the COVID-19 task force, pleading for action. The letter is linked here and copied below.
HELP – MAYDAY – 9-1-1
April 3, 2020
Dear President Trump:
Urgent and immediate action is demanded to safeguard our nation’s supply chain.
Small-business truckers and professional drivers are the vital link to it all, putting their lives on the line for the good of the nation.
Every day they are exposed to COVID-19 because of the critical service they provide for all of us. EVERY SINGLE DAY. They run in and out of the hot zones and without question they are exposed. They don’t have access to PPE or any practical means to know when they may be falling ill or any practical solution if they need treatment or self-isolation.
Access to testing must be available where they are, particularly on busy truck routes. And testing must show results in hours, not days. Along with that we need a strategy for treatment or quarantine that could take place at nearby motels.
Right now professional drivers are busting their butts to care for the nation. Their hard work and personal sacrifice should not include their health or even their lives if at all possible or preventable. Once word spreads that drivers are testing positive, we could very well see a tremendous reduction in drivers willing to risk everything for the rest of us.
We need a plan for them. We need help. Do it.
Sincerely,
Todd Spencer
President and CEO
OOIDA
Related Press Releases:
America’s truckers urge Congress to show support with action, not just words, once COVID-19 crisis is over