freight delivery

How is COVID-19 affecting trucking?

The trucking world is not immune to any type of shift in the sands, especially one of this magnitude. While the last two weeks have been stable in terms of volume, we are starting to see fluctuations in freight shipments. Essential services are mostly stocked at this time, with the exception of N95 masks, medical equipment and hand sanitizer. Due to COVID-19, we are seeing more and more requests for expedited shipments as well.

Meanwhile, some trucking companies have decided to stop sending their trucks across the border altogether due to the pandemic, lack of freight in certain regions, decreasing services for drivers on the road and/or immigration issues. Unfortunately, this is putting a strain on the supply chain which will most likely lead to price increases in the near future.

Reports from our highway drivers state that there are at least 50% less Canadian truckers on the road in the United States at the moment. A worrying sign for our supply chains in North America that need the trucking capacity to be available, but it may be good news for the social distancing initiative. Most truck drivers have also started taking verbal proof of deliveries to avoid transferring paperwork between shippers and consignees.

Moto’s trucks are still running at 100% capacity and drivers are not getting a ton of time at home. Please make sure to keep your supply chain loading and unloading times efficient by catering to the drivers when they are picking up and dropping off freight at your facilities. Your help will be appreciated by everyone at this time.

If you have any LTL shipments moving between Canada and the US please know we are here to help you even during uncertain times like these. We are also still moving freight domestically within Canada. If you have any additional questions regarding the situation or would like us to provide a quote for your essential goods please call us at 604.757.2441 or email info@shipmoto.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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