OOIDA, ATRI team up for COVID-19 survey

The American Transportation Research Institute and the OOIDA Foundation need help from truckers to better grasp how the industry is being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

OOIDA and ATRI are teaming up on a survey that aims at understanding the industry’s response to the public health crisis – and not just in the short-term.

“You hear a lot of different reports from various articles about what (COVID-19) is doing to truck rates and freight rates,” Andrew King of the OOIDA Foundation said in an interview with Land Line Now. “But then we also hear a lot of things through our business services of what drivers are experiencing out on the road, not being able to have a place to park or to go and wash their hands or use the restroom or restaurants.”

King said the COVID-19 survey is intended to capture real-world data from drivers about how the pandemic is affecting issues like detention time and congestion as well as what the long-term effects might be.

“When you think about how they’re going to deal with something like this going forward, we also asked, ‘Is your business model going to change? Do you have a business plan already in place to deal with something like this, some type of crisis situation?’”

King said the COVID-19 survey has already generated about 2,000 responses. It’s already providing new information, including how truckers may be benefiting from a reduction in congestion as more and more people stay home.

He also said the responses so far indicate a spike in local driving – and a big drop in long-haul miles.

“(Drivers) are taking shorter routes, and more than likely that’s also affecting their pay, which will have big implications going down the road,” King said. “And that’s what we’re trying to get ahead of, to see how this is really affecting our members and truck drivers as a whole.”

Results of the survey are expected to be published later this spring. King says there’s still time for drivers to participate. You can take the survey here.

Tune into Monday night’s episode of Land Line Now for more information about the survey.

Land Line Now Senior Correspondent Scott Thompson contributed to this report.