WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. – Troy Howard may be from Georgia, but most days, the highways feel most like home.
“I take pride in the fact that I drive a truck,” said Howard.
Since 1994, he’s made regular trips back and forth from coast to coast, hauling just about anything.
But during these days of coronavirus-related closures, he and fellow truckers are hitting some unfamiliar road bumps.
“We don’t stop, we don’t stop. It’s just harder to kind of find any place open right now, so I don’t even worry about it,” said trucker Marshall Johnson.
Basic things like open restrooms are hard to come by in some places. Some rest stops are closed.
“It makes no sense. I mean, it makes no –- I understand closing them to the general public, the cars. They can go in a motel parking lot and get a room. We have nowhere to park,” Howard said.
If you work the night shift like Howard, even finding food can prove to be a challenge.
“They won’t serve you at the drive-thru window,” said Howard.
And that’s if you’re lucky enough to land a driving assignment.
Donald Stewart said he used to average three trips a week, but is now down to one.
“No money being made out here. Up and down the road, no money being made. None!” Stewart said.