Demand for medicine, groceries and other vital supplies has put an unprecedented number of truckers on the road, but restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic are also making it difficult for those truckers to get services while on their routes.
Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) is working in partnership with the Utah Trucking Association, Utah Office of Tourism, Visit Salt Lake, and the Utah Restaurant Association to coordinate non-traditional resources to support the movement of goods around the State of Utah:
- Utah Restaurant Association is working with restaurants to provide a list of trucker-specific ordering and delivery options;
- Utah Office of Tourism and Utah Association of Destination Marketers are helping to identify hotels with truck parking available and/or discounted rooms for truckers;
- Utah Inland Port Authority is identifying landowners within its jurisdictional boundaries that have temporary truck parking availability;
- Utah Trucking Association is serving as the conduit to disseminate partner information to truckers.
“Right now, the middle mile of the logistics network is doing all it can to get the goods and products needed to restock shelves and deliver the medicines and equipment needed by our healthcare providers,” said Jack Hedge, Executive Director of the Utah Inland Port Authority. “UIPA has the industry connections and the geographic placement to help support those workers, in particular truckers, that are vital to the nation’s emergency relief efforts.”
UIPA is also talking to similar organizations in California and elsewhere to help identify resources like fuel, food, showers, repair services, and opportunities for truck drivers to rest along routes from various logistics gateways and distribution centers.