WINDSOR, Ont. – Cross-border truck traffic in Windsor, Ont., has decreased significantly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data shared by the Logistics, Transportation and Cross-Border Committee (LTCB) of the Windsor-Essex Covid-19 Economic Task Force.

The Detroit-Windsor Truck Ferry has ceased operations for the first time in its 30-year history, truck traffic on Huron Church is down 43%, and traffic at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel has fallen 88% so far this year.

“This suspension of services has an additional impact on the region’s overall transportation sector. The LTCB sector in the Windsor-Essex region is facing serious challenges,” the task force reported this morning. “Yet, cautious optimism remains that the sector will rebound once the travel ban is lifted, people are patronizing hospitality and entertainment establishments and there is a demand once again for non-essential goods. The sector has also witnessed a wave of gratitude for continuing to work during these difficult times. Social media campaigns thanking truckers (#thankatrucker) have been well received by the general public.”

“As an employer of a local trucking company, I am fortunate to have a group of dedicated and loyal employees but the costs of doing business during this crisis are extremely challenging for a sector that already faced very tight margins.”

Adam Pernasilici, vice-president of Laser Transport.

Susan Anzolin, executive director, Institute for Border Logistics and Security, said “This sector is represented by a variety of companies and interests. And, yet, these hardworking individuals (dispatchers, warehouse workers, truck drivers, toll collectors, airport officials, border officers and others) are also the faces we see daily on the frontlines of this crisis doing their job. They, too, are our heroes.”

“As an employer of a local trucking company, I am fortunate to have a group of dedicated and loyal employees but the costs of doing business during this crisis are extremely challenging for a sector that already faced very tight margins,” added Adam Pernasilici, vice-president of Laser Transport. “But, make no mistake that the trucking industry continues to move essential goods across North America, and we are ready to move goods once the bans are lifted.”