SAINT JOHN, N.B. — Local trucking firms were trying to locate drivers and stopping shipments to the United States because of the closed American-Canadian border.

Irving-owned Sunbury Transport Ltd. had nine trucks in downtown Manhattan at the time of the catastrophe. All drivers had reported in by mid-afternoon.

“Everyone’s safe – no injuries,” says J.D. Irving Ltd. spokesperson Mary Keith. “And their families have been notified.”

Keith says the truckers have been told to “stand down, find a safe area and wait for further directions.”

General Freight Carriers of Saint John had also ordered its Saint John trucks to remain here.
“I even have some loaded for New York City, so we’ve told them to stay put,” says general manager Byron Livingstone.

The trucking company had one driver, Jonah Davenport from Fredericton, in the New Jersey area when the terrorist attacks occurred. He called the office to let them know about yesterday morning’s events.

Brookville Trucking was tracking all of its truckers in the United States.

“We have constant communication with all our truckers through satellite,” says Richard Boone, its vice-president and general manager. “None of our truckers have been affected but we’ve told them to reroute around the affected area.”

With the border closed, he’s told his State-side truckers not to rush home. “Obviously, we’ll get lined up at the border,” he said.