Trucks for Arnold Transportation were ready to deploy Sunday from Louisiana with water and ready-made meals. (Photo courtesy of FEMA)The trucking industry began preparing for the Sandy before the hurricane slammed into the East Coast by staging essential cargo in strategic locations and is now working to get relief supplies to areas most impacted by the storm.
Dawn McAreavey reported on an Overdrive community Facebook page Tuesday that she was “hauling rations from Camp Minden to Westover AFB. A lot of downed trees, no power from Pa. to Ma. Turned over semi’s.”
Driver Robert Vivod wrote he was “hauling Rite Aid supplies and meds” in the affected area. He urged other truckers to be careful, “just remember appointment times can be changed not our lives.”
An official with Lincoln, Neb.-based Crete Carrier Corp. reported the company “started working with customers such as Lowe’s and Walmart even before the storm to stage equipment and supplies in the right places. For example, last week we moved generators from the Southeast to the Northeast for Lowe’s,” says Andrew R. Brabec, director of communications for Crete.
On Monday, U.S. Xpress announced many of its drivers in the area were transporting regular freight as well as relief supplies ahead of the storm.
“Freight flows continue to move and of course we are responding with emergency relief loads both for the government and for our customers,” said Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing John White. “I estimate we have at least 200-plus loads moving currently with water, generators and other relief merchandise.”
The loads are being moved from the southeast and Midwest to areas that will be easily accessed or redistributed after the effects of the storm are known, the company says.
Editor’s note: As more information on how truckers are helping relief becomes available, it will be added to this article.
