Truckers coming from Newfoundland are now being tested for COVID-19 when they arrive at the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal in North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
The Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA) is trying to determine if there will be any impacts such as backups or delays.
APTA executive director Jean-Marc Picard admits he was blind-sided by this change noting how it’s unusual the province didn’t consult the industry.
“We’ve been in direct communication with all levels of government throughout this. We are an essential industry with essential workers so it’s important that we stay current with all the communications by province.”
Picard wants to ensure that drivers don’t have their trips interrupted too much.
“If they sit there for two hours waiting for a test, it has huge impacts on their day because obviously they can only drive a certain amount of hours and if they have a sensitive load whether it’s temperature or things like that, they need to plan.”
Picard says most truckers won’t be coming home when they reach Nova Scotia but will be travelling to other areas such as New Brunswick, elsewhere in Canada or the U.S.
Nova Scotia Public Health says COVID testing will include rapid tests and PCR swabs at the ferry terminal in North Sydney and essential travellers don’t need to self-isolate while waiting for test results.
