Truckers exempt from Utah’s travel declaration

April 10, 2020

Tyson Fisher

|

Just two days after Utah Gov. Gary Herbert signed an executive order requiring all motorists coming into the state to complete a travel declaration, an amendment was made to exempt truckers.

On Friday, April 10, Herbert signed Executive Order No. 2020-16, which amends and replaces the previous executive order requiring a travel declaration from those entering the state. The amended order is essentially the same but with exceptions included for certain workers. Those exemptions include:

  • Commercial vehicle drivers.
  • Commercial airline employees.
  • Law enforcement officers.
  • Firefighters.
  • Paramedics.
  • EMTs.
  • Member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
  • Healthcare providers.

The exemptions apply to the above occupations under the condition that travel was in their capacity as an employee at the time.

On Thursday, April 9, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to Herbert expressing its concerns over the travel declaration.

“We appreciate your efforts to protect Utahans from this dangerous virus, but imposing this extraordinary requirement on commercial motor vehicle drivers is not only a major intrusion of their personal privacy, but will hamper their ability to quickly and efficiently deliver emergency supplies to your state and many others,” OOIDA President and CEO Todd Spencer states in the letter. “We are also deeply concerned by the lack clarity about how the information contained in a travel declaration form will be used and what steps are being taken to ensure its security. In fact, we believe these factors will ultimately discourage truckers from entering Utah entirely, which will affect your state’s ability to continue receiving critical freight, including medical supplies, food and other vital materials.”

To read the full letter, click here.

On Wednesday, April 8, Herbert signed the initial order requiring people ages 18 and over entering Utah to complete a travel declaration form. When entering the state, either via highways or airport, travelers will fill out an electronic form asking for the following information:

  • Full name.
  • Date of birth.
  • Point of entry into Utah.
  • COVID-19 related health information.
  • Whether the individual is a Utah resident or a non-resident visitor or worker.
  • Home address.
  • Phone number.
  • Email address.
  • Final destination in Utah if the individual is a non-resident visitor or worker.
  • Places the individual has traveled to or from in the previous 14 days.
  • Names of individuals traveling with the individual completing the form who are younger than 18 years old.

The Utah Department of Transportation has identified nine locations, primarily interstates, where geofencing has been put in place to send a text message to all vehicles entering the state. Those locations include: Interstate 15 in St. George, Interstate 80 (westbound and eastbound), I-15 from Idaho, Interstate 84 from Idaho, Interstate 70 from Colorado, Interstate 491 from Monticello and Interstate 89.

The Utah Department of Public Safety will send a Wireless Emergency Alert through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System to each person driving into the state who is capable of receiving the alert. The alert will notify the person of the requirement to complete a travel declaration form.

According to Utah DOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, the state will measure how many people comply with the order. However, there does not appear to be a way to determine if anyone specifically is ignoring the travel declaration. For now, the travel declaration is based on the honor system.