Many Governments have publicly recognised and acknowledged the essential work being done by the women and men who operate commercial vehicles since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
US President Donald Trump is among the high-profile leaders to underline the importance of road transport. Speaking at the White House, he said that “Truck drivers form the lifeblood of our economy. My hat is off to the entire trucking industry for keeping our country and our economy moving.”
French President Macron, in his national address, spoke of truck drivers and delivery people as “a second line of defence, playing a crucial role in allowing life, as we know it, to continue”.
German Chancellor Merkel spoke of the relevance of truck drivers to Germany’s systematic pandemic response, and German President Steinmeier has thanked the country’s truck drivers specifically.
Chinese Premier Xi recently spoke during a visit to Zhejiang Province on the importance of smooth global supply chains for economic and trade activities.
Australian Prime Minister Morrison, in a national update last month, flagged as critical “the people driving trucks to get food out to supermarkets and ensure the suppliers continue to run.”
Visible and vocal support from Government leaders is boosting the motivation of our hero drivers and workers in all corners of the world keeping transport networks and supply chains running in difficult conditions.
In one of his early broadcasts on national TV, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “Our hauliers, who leave their families on a Sunday evening and travel across the continent to ensure that we have the products, medicine and equipment that we need. All who have kept our supply chain moving, we thank them, a different kind of frontline service.”