Zonar is sharing a list of practical safety tips and comprehensive resources for drivers and operators who cannot self-quarantine at this time.
This list, along with compliance and regulatory assistance and advice is located on Zonar’s COVID-19 Resource page. With an overwhelming amount of information being disseminated by various sources, it can be challenging to decipher what is useful and factual for businesses and drivers. This resource was created to provide trusted information in service to the trucking industry.
Zonar said it also is providing additional support for businesses, truck drivers and operators via a free weekly webinar hosted by the company’s safety and compliance team, including on-demand replays and Q&A sessions. The team, led by industry veteran Fred Fakkema, also committed to providing 1:1 advice for drivers and businesses around compliance and regulations through an easy-to-use form. This is in addition to Zonar’s 24/7/365 customer success team, which is at the ready to handle any customer or product specific inquiries.
“Amid this global crisis, our workforce has been divided into essential and nonessential labor, with commercial vehicle drivers becoming some of the most indispensable—and most exposed—people in the US,” says Fakkema, vice president of safety and compliance at Zonar. “Now more than ever, we want to proactively help them stay safe and healthy in any way we can by making it easy to find and ask for help and advice and factual information when they need it.”
Compiled with the help of other industry experts and authorities, the following practical tips are meant to be considered in addition to adherence to directions provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and federal and state officials. These tips were crafted with understanding of real-life situations that many drivers cannot avoid or control.
10 practical tips for truck drivers while on the road:
- Restaurants and fast food locations across the country are providing drivers with discounts and other offers. For a list of participating locations and businesses, visit the International Franchise Association.
- Stay in your vehicles as supplies are loaded and unloaded and when possible, keep your windows up when interacting with another person.
- Do not touch fuel pumps with your bare hands—they are often the dirtiest areas of a truck stop.
- When spending the night in a “hot” area, stay in hotel rooms or your sleeper cab, and continue to practice social distancing (a distance of 6 feet).
- Decrease the number of times you touch “shared” objects with your bare hands such as credit cards, pens, cups, clipboards, handles, ATM pads, etc.
- Use a face covering (a mask, scarf or bandana) and gloves when interacting with people, along with social distancing. Disinfect these objects as much as possible.
- When you can, go digital or electronic. Avoid receipts, forms or other physical objects that are passed around without protection.
- Handwashing with soap is more effective at removing certain kinds of germs but if you need to make your own hand sanitizer, make sure it contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Comprehensive news and updates can be found on Zonar’s COVID-19 Resource page.
- Because of rapidly changing regulations, Zonar uses only trusted industry and government resources for updates including: CDC, ATA, CVSA, FMCSA, FHWA, SBA.com, APTA, and the CISA.gov.
- Take advantage of grants and other financial resources if assistance is needed:
- Apply for the Paycheck Protection Program
- Apply for the Small Business Association’s Disaster Loan Assistance Program
- Zonar’s grant assistance program with Learn, Design, Apply, Inc will help users find and apply for grants that best meet their needs at this time
For additional tips, along with frequently updated information and resources during the Covid-19 crisis, please visit Zonar’s COVID-19 Resource page.
