Getting Covid-19 / Coronavirus while on the road - what to do.

hauling_ass

Active Member
Mar 15, 2010
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I copied this from Facebook. If this is already on here somewhere, Admin. please remove it. If not, everyone should read this.

Stay safe out there
Image may contain: people sitting, indoor and food
Nicole Ashley Marie Folz
April 11 at 10:13 AM
Wellllll..
It happened. I have a sore throat, fever of 102.2, painful dry cough, shortness of breath, and my body feels like I've been hit by a train.
One word of advice I can give any of my fellow truck drivers. Have a plan! I made and received about 70 phone calls trying to figure out what I am supposed to do and where I am supposed to stay. I haven't gone home for over a month because I didn't wanna risk getting my Family sick as I was in hotspots like Detroit and Chicago. The stuff I read online had told me public health would provide me a place to stay if I didn't have a safe place to do so.
I reached out to four different regional public health units. Each one had tried to find me information but it ended up resulting in several more calls that ended in dead ends. I tried calling hotels and paying out of my pocket but I didn't have a credit card to do so.
So here I was on my way home, sick, emotional, frustrated, alone, scared, and in full panic mode after waiting 21 hours for a back haul (without a layover pay at that) I kept repeating in my head what am I going to do.
I reached out to Shelley from Woman's Trucking Federation of Canada as a last resort to see if she had heard of any drivers falling ill while on the road and what they did to keep their family safe, this move turned out to be a life saver. The amount of support I received from this woman will never be forgotten.
She contacted Transportation Canada, who contacted CBSA, who reached out to me. CBSA was able to clear my load the day before I got there, I emailed a copy of my ACI they stamped it and emailed it back. I was told what booth to go to, when I rolled up to the booth they just waved me thru.
When I explained to Shelley I was getting no where with public health or the hospital She said let me reach out to a few of my contacts and I will see what I can do, don't worry we will figure something out.
She called Doug Ford on his cell phone... He took time out of his Good Friday during these trying times to help out a sick truck driver that couldn't find any support and got things done within minutes. He had the Ministry of Health call Shelley and they called me directly. They provided me with a place to stay, food, medication, and a nurse on site to monitor my symptoms.
When I walked into the makeshift plywood entrance It felt like I was in a movie. The nurses were in full PPE. Every inch of the walls Ceilings and floors were covered in white plastic and white tape. The tables and doors were all wrapped in this plastic as well. Even every single inch of the elevator was wrapped in white plastic.
So please if any of you truck drivers out there fall ill and aren't getting support please don't go thru the emotional battle I went thru, reach out to me and I will give you the direct numbers of the people in charge of this quarantine hotel.
Once again a huge thank you Shelley at Woman's Trucking Federation of Canada, I don't know what I would have done without you. If you have read this far please go like the WTFC Facebook page and support this phenomenal lady doing phenomenal things! 
Please stay safe out there drivers ❤️
 
Her company is taking a beating on Facebook in a couple different posts over this. Would not have believed they just let her sit etc when she was telling them she was sick. Drivers are are most important asset and we are not there for them during a time like this we should be ashamed. Shame on you _________ I always thought you where a stand up company but a load is worth risking this ladies life. Not around here atleast.
 
Wow with you Rob, I certainly hope there is another side of this story


Other than making her sit to wait to get a load in all honesty there is nothing her company could of done to get her back faster. Plane = nope grounded Rent a car= nope so there hands where tied other than maybe helping her get a place to stay as Shelly and Doug did.
 
I wasn't trying to start something. I'm in operations and if one of our drivers needed help, at least I now know who to contact for some quick solutions. I just wanted to let other people know as well. Does it really matter who she works for?