Big rigs lined up and slowed down on Interstate 10 in the Los Angeles area Friday to express drivers’ frustration with the Payroll Protection Program and lack of protective supplies.
Two dozen big rigs slowed down traffic on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway near downtown Los Angeles, and others were spotted doing the same on the San Bernardino (10) Freeway in Baldwin Park, according to a KCAL9 report.
One witness said the leading truck in Baldwin Park was going about 10 mph.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to Congress last week to express members frustration with the performance of the Payroll Protection Program and other efforts to help small businesses survive the pandemic, according to KCAL9.
“We are currently receiving several hundred calls daily from drivers who are unable to buy essential supplies to protect themselves from COVID-19,” the letter read, KCAL9 says.
“Basic items like paper towels, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are nearly impossible to find right now. The irony is that truckers are hauling these supplies but they are unable to actually buy them.”
The group has warned that the U.S. supply chain could be at risk if large numbers of truck drivers become ill.