The President and COO of International Truckload Services of Belleville says they are running at full capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rob Haggarty tells Quinte News their 460 drivers, 625 staff, 400 tractors, and 1,400 trailers are constantly going.
He says they made 5,000 trips in March, with much of their deliveries being pharmacare/health care items, and food/drink deliveries. Much of what ITS delivers is along the 401 corridor, but Haggarty says they also go throughout the United States. He believes April will also finish very busy.
Haggarty says one of the challenges has been the limited COVID-19 testing in the province. He says if his drivers feel ill, they have to quarantine for 14 days, taking them off the road. They are also not able to get access to a test to mark them negative, allowing them back on the road.
He adds his drivers are not getting access to restaurants or stores on the road where they can clean up or get food and drinks so they must bring their own. Some places Haggarty says have portable toilets outside.
For those driving through the United States, normal log books and hours driven are not going through the same scrutiny, allowing essential items to get delivered
Haggarty says drivers are making better time on their commutes, as there are only about half as many vehicles on the roads.
They are constantly looking for drivers, and he says this was the case before the pandemic hit the world.
