Canadian Press File Photo

By Shaun Penner

Thank you to Truckers

Premier Kenney salutes truckers while calling on public to offer support

Apr 1, 2020 | 7:12 PM

Premier Jason Kenney took time during Wednesday’s COVID-19 press conference to thank and salute truck drivers, while at the same time calling on businesses and individuals to make life easier by helping drivers access food and washrooms while on the road.

Kenney made the call as he sees several issues facing drivers, as many places like restaurants, hotels and rest stops have had to shut down or close their doors to the public under newly introduced public health mandates.

Of particular note for Kenney was the challenges truck drivers have faced in accessing washroom facilities. What made that challenge more daunting for drivers was the need for Alberta Transportation to close all provincially operated washrooms at rest stops across Alberta earlier in March, because people were stealing sanitary items such as toilet paper and soap from those facilities.

“Early on in the pandemic, we saw people going in multiple times a day, raiding the sanitary supplies in those washrooms.”

Kenney announced that Alberta Transporation has re-opened nearly all washroom facilities and rest stops, but he did have a stern message for everyone to do their part to keep those facilities clean and accessible to drivers.

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“So, I ask people: Please show some basic decency and some basic consideration. Don’t do stupid things like that, that just makes life harder for our truckers to keep us supplied all across Alberta’s society,” said Kenney. “So, we’re trusting people just to show some decency in re-opening those rest stops.”

As for helping drivers access food along the road, the premier called on restaurants to make exceptions for truckers following the shuttering of all dine-in restaurants back on Friday. He asked for restaurants that only have a drive thru option to allow truckers to walk through, as they cannot fit their trucks into the drive thru lane.

He also applauded those that offer curbside pickup and those that have made exceptions for truck drivers to access washrooms as needed.

“On behalf of the government and the people of Alberta, I want to salute and thank thsoe truck drivers for all that they are doing under trying circumstances during this pandemic,” said Kenney. “And I want to call on all Albertans: lets all find some way to acknowledge and to thank the truck drivers.”