Selected COVID-19 news for trucking that may impact your business.
As of March 19, 2020:
Notice Regarding PA Truck Stops from the ATA
ATA and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association have been working with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in an effort to reopen the rest areas that were closed recently as a result of COVID-19.
This afternoon, PennDOT listened and made the following announcement:
Every decision made has been in the interest of mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and we are constantly reevaluating our response. That said, we also recognize that drivers need and deserve access to rest areas.
In order to address safety concerns raised, PennDOT has identified 13 of its 30 rest areas that are most utilized by truckers that will be available again by tomorrow. At these locations, PennDOT will be taking down the barricades on some facilities in critical locations and making them available for truck parking. Portable restroom facilities will be available at these locations; each location will have five portable toilets (one of which is ADA-accessible) that will be cleaned once a day. Electronic message signs will be used near the applicable centers to notify drivers near the opened areas. In order to prevent further spread of COVID-19, we will not be opening any of the indoor facilities because there is no staff to keep them clean and properly sanitized. We will continue to evaluate and will determine whether additional rest areas can be reopened.
These are the locations:
•I-81: Luzerne NB/SB, Cumberland NB/SB;
•I-80, Venango EB/WB, Centre EB/WB, Montour EB/WB
•I-79: Crawford NB/SB, Allegheny NB only
We understand that three additional rest areas have been identified and are being evaluated at this time to reopen. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is expected to be rolling back some of the restrictions they put in place yesterday to 17 of their service plazas. The proposed changes, expected to take place no later than Saturday, include indoor bathrooms being available at all hours; the convenience store open at all hours, and one restaurant at each location open from 7 am until 6 pm for a limited take-out menu.
We’d like to thank both PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for their quick action in providing facilities so that our professional truck drivers can safely and efficiently deliver our goods during this critical time.
ATA continues to work with our state trucking associations, along with our state and federal partners, to ensure the proper facilities remain open for our professional drivers.
Chris Spear
President & CEO
American Trucking Associations
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