As states around the U.S. restrict restaurants from staying open except for drive-thru and curbside pickup orders, the trucking industry is urging travel plazas and truckstops to continue to stay open for truck drivers that are working to transport goods and medical supplies throughout the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic.

The National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO) confirmed that its members will remain open and continue to service the trucking industry. NATSO travel center and truckstop members will continue to offer drivers food, fuel, and other essentials, including showers, the association said.

“Truck drivers are depending on truckstops and travel centers as they deliver food and life-saving supplies,” NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings said in a statement. “Our members are committed to doing their part during the nation’s response to this emergency.

“As the nation confronts the coronavirus outbreak, the country's travel centers and truckstops are committed to remaining open and serving America's drivers. Fuel retailers are ‘essential’ businesses that must remain open even if other ‘nonessential’ businesses are forced to close.”

According to NATSO, its travel center and truckstop members are well-positioned to serve the needs of truck drivers, offering quick-serve food and grab-and-go options or take-out service at its restaurants with many of them remaining open 24/7.

The support of the trucking industry comes at a pivotal time for the sector, which has seen mass layoffs and bankruptcies over stricter government regulations.

Trucking
Semi trucks sit at a highway oasis along I94 on June 21, 2019 near Lake forest, Illinois. The trucking industry in 2019 has experienced a drop in demand from 2018 and freight rates have fallen year over year for six months straight. Getty Images/Scott Olson
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