Prairie State Wire

When it comes to getting medical supplies to needed locations, Illinois truckers are doing much of the heavy-lifting during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Mid-West Truckers Association Executive Vice President Don Schaefer admits the chaos has greatly strained the supply chain, adding that truckers continue to get the job done with the help of the government as lawmakers have relaxed various standards such as weight limits and restrictions on drivers' hours behind the wheel.

“We’re talking [personal protective equipment], we’re talking all the pertinent things that medical personnel need around the state,” Schaefer told The Center Square. “That allows these trucks to get in, get out, make their deliveries up in the Chicago area, Carbondale, Belleville, Champaign, Peoria, Rockford, all over the state and they can do that efficiently.”

With the deadly virus showing few signs of slowing, Schaefer admits the stay at home order recently enacted by Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proved to be a godsend in helping drivers navigate far less busier roads as they make their deliveries.

“It just means there’s less traffic, especially in the Chicago area,” he said. “So the trucker who’s used to going maybe 25 miles an hour during the rush hour finds out there is no rush hour and he’s driving 55 miles an hour and that has improved efficiency.”

At a time when layoffs have hit many industries, Schaefer said trucking companies are now hiring.

“Some of the larger stores like Walmart, they are straining to get all their goods delivered,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of companies that are in the same situation.”

With all the talk of how the pandemic could lead to some level of a recession, Schaefer said he’s keeping a positive attitude when it comes to the industry’s ongoing outlook.

“You still have to get milk to the grocery store, you still have to get gasoline to the gas station, you still gotta get toilet paper to Sam’s Wholesale Club or wherever," he said. "There’s always going to be a demand for these items and it’s going to take a truck to get it there."