Keeping sanitized while on the road tougher than backing up an 18-wheeler

Life on the road for a trucker is always a grind, but it's gotten tougher with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Especially when it comes to keeping everything clean and sanitized.

"It's wonderful to be out here doing this job," said Ken Olson while travelling through southern Saskatchewan.

"We appreciate all the support we're getting, the words of encouragement and everything else. But at the end of the day it'd be nice if somebody could at least leave behind some hand sanitizers so we could do our jobs effectively and not be spreading this coronavirus around."

Olson, who's been a truck driver for the past 35 years, is hoping to get back home to Saskatoon this weekend after three weeks straight on the road.

He said it has been next to impossible for him to find hand sanitizer to take with him, and he isn't finding any of the stuff at truck stops, stores or restaurants.

And that worries him.

Olson said truckers are crossing the Canada-U.S. border, having to get food on the go, sign documents and meet with customers.

"It'd be nice to have hand sanitizer so that the person could at least disinfect themselves," he said.

Olson said he has some cleaning supplies in the truck, but not hand sanitizer.

"Primarily my best defence is I keep my left door shut," he said.

Susan Ewart, executive director with the Saskatchewan Trucking Association, said she hopes help is around the next bend in the road.

Ewart said they have contacted a number of sources trying to get supplies.

Lucky Bastard Distillers has sent some bottles of sanitizer they have produced to the association to distribute, but more is needed, Ewart said.

"If we can get more Saskatchewan distillers to help us out — it doesn't have to be a huge supply — but anything would be helpful."

Olson said with restaurants closing their dining facilities it's also become a chore for truckers to get something to eat on the road.

But Ewart said in recent days a number of eateries have stepped up to help truckers get a meal.

"(Some are) allowing them to go walk through the drive-thru because you can't take your truck and trailer through there," she said.

Several hotels in Saskatchewan have also reached out to see how they could help.

The association is also trying to find new ways to get food and sanitizer to the drivers.

One idea is to organize pickup spots for truckers in places like weigh stations or tourist information stops where they could get hand sanitizer and maybe even a hot meal.

Ewart said she has also heard about shippers not allowing drivers to use washing facilities.

"I recognize people are scared of each other," said Ewart, but added, "We have to have a little bit of compassion around some of this. Just because the person is a truck driver doesn't mean they've come in contact with the COVID-19 virus.

"All of our members are doing everything that they can, following all of the protocols that the government of Saskatchewan have laid out for us."

Olson, who is hauling organic grains to various pulse mills, said it is a frustrating situation.

"The worst thing is not being able to do anything to counteract whatever you know we might pick up. That might be even just the common flu or whatever but especially with this virus," he said. "I don't want to spread it and don't want it to inadvertently spread it."