Posted on: March 6, 2022

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Thousands of truckers from as far away as California are expected to head to Washington D.C. for a peaceful protest on Sunday.

Protestors say they want to make their own decisions on following coronavirus protocols.

“This isn’t an anti-anything, it is not anti-mask, it is not anti vaxxing, this is pro. It is pro-choice,” said Keith Haskell, Organizer of The Interstate 90 Freedom Convoy Stops.

Nationwide, coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are slowing down. Cities and states are loosening vaccine and mask requirements.

The White House announced its National COVID-19 preparedness plan last week.

The plan is designed to get the nation closer to living a normal life without coronavirus disruptions but still advocates for vaccines and masks wearing.

“Vaccines, treatments, tests, masks, these tools are how we protect people. They enable us to move forward safely and get back to our more normal routines,” said Jeff Zients, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator.

The trucking industry suffers from a 95% driver turnover rate. That means that 95 out of every 100 drivers you hire are going to quit, according to WorkHoud.

The pandemic, heavy workloads and supply chain issues are among the reasons for this high turnover and labor shortage.

American truck drivers aren’t the only drivers protesting COVID-19 restrictions. Canadian truck drivers protested for nearly three weeks back in January for the same reason.

Original Article: https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2022/03/06/truckers-from-around-us-protest-covid-19-restrictions-in-washington-dc/