Matrack Provides Real Time COVID-19 Updates For Truckers

Written By Emma Pauline Published on May 8, 2020 Truckers, Trucking Industry Last Updated July 1, 2024 Edited by matracki

In light of the recent worldwide pandemic, Matrack Incorporation has come up with the initiative to provide real-time updates regarding COVID-19. The information in these updates it specifically curated to cater to the needs of the truck drivers, and keep them informed.

As on May 5^th, 2020, the total number of people affected by novel coronavirus in United States has reached to 1.21 million with more than 69,000 deaths, which is the highest in the world. After having followed social distancing and lockdown restrictions strictly for over 6 weeks, several states are now gearing up to resume operations. This decision was taken by the government to fight the overwhelming unemployment and drop in country’s economy. However, the lockdown will be lifted under certain rules, as decided by the state governors. For example, in Louisiana, people can eat in a restaurant but have to sit outside, 10 feet apart, without any waiter service. Even when the lockdown is lifted, people have been asked to follow social distancing, sanitize their hands regularly and wear a face mask whenever going out.

Matrack Incorporation has created a COVID tracker that depicts the hot zones, and the areas that are worse affected by the virus. This tracker has been created keeping in mind that truck drivers often need to cross state borders in their line of work. The heat tracker will help them in knowing the spread of the virus in the cities, counties and states in they are or need to travel.

Information displayed by the heat tracker:

As a Matrack client/user, the COVID heat tracker is available to you on our FMS portal. Through this tracker, you will get the information on:

Total number of confirmed cases in US, which is updated regularly.
Total number of cases per million residents
Total number of death throughout the country
Color-coded key to help you identify the highly affected areas.
State-wise and county-wise information

How to use the tracker?

The tracker is available to all for free. For Matrack users, the tracker is also available on their FMS portal, and it is extremely easy to use. The current information about the total number of confirmed cases and deaths all over the country are shown on the top-left corner, and this data is continuously updated to give you authentic information.

For state-wise and county-wise data, user can hover over the geographical location they desire to know about, and a small window (as shown above for South Carolina, and below for Calhoun County, FL) will give them the statistics of that state and county – total number of cases, confirmed cases, and total number of deaths. The above map shows the color-coded grid of Florida, darker shades depicting the worst hit or high-risk area. The tracker also allows you to fetch county-wise data, and save locations for future use.

Matrack COVID heat tracker – a tool for fleet managers and drivers

Given that the widespread and deathly nature of the COBID -19 pandemic, many industries, especially transport and fleet management has been hit really hard. Many drivers have lost their consistent source of income, and their employment as well is at risk. Now that the restrictions have been eased, it is going to be easier to get back to work. However, it is extremely important that rules of social distancing are followed diligently.

Through Matrack’s COVID heat tracker, fleet managers, drivers, and other users can easily find out the low risk areas. Up until now, the fleet managers were tasked with creating a fuel efficient route, however now they need to ensure that their drivers travel a route that is safer for them. The tracker depicts the risk areas in any geographical location via color-codes. The darker the color, the riskier the area. Fleet managers and drivers can keep safe and not contract the novel coronavirus disease, if they do not stop for any reason in high risk areas.

The tracker also shows the low risk areas, or areas that are still unaffected by the virus. For example, Carter County and a lot of other counties in state of Montana have not recorded a single case of COVID-19, and are therefore comparatively safer to travel.

There are few other precautions that drivers and fleet managers must take before resuming work as well as on the job.

Sanitize your hands regularly. Keep soap and sanitizer with you so you do not run out of it while travelling.
Sanitize all equipment like; computers, scanners, cart handles used to haul equipment, door knobs and toolboxes
Wear a mask and gloves all the time, and dispose them off once they are ineffective. Use an EPA-approved disinfectant.
Deep clean your vehicle, sanitize the steering wheel, dash board and interiors of fleet vehicles, and make sure to avoid contact with the goods that you are carrying. Also, at the loading/unloading, keep as less contact with people as possible and maintain social distancing.
Keep packaged food and supplies to cook your own meal as much as possible. The lesser the contact with other people, the lesser risk you will be at of getting affected by the coronavirus.
In case, any of your colleague shows symptoms of the virus, do seek medical help.
While at a fuelling station, use disinfecting wipes to clean the fuel pump handle and keypad before punching the odometer and driver ID. In case wet wipes are absent, use tissue or gloves to touch the same.
As States and counties have imposed their own restriction, fleet managers must ensure that the drivers do follow the norms and rules of the local authorities.
Avoid handshakes at all costs.
Once the drivers are back from their job, it is important that they self-quarantine and get temperature checks daily.
Avoid handshakes at all costs.
Once the drivers are back from their job, it is important that they self-quarantine and get temperature checks daily.

Avoid handshakes at all costs.
Once the drivers are back from their job, it is important that they self-quarantine and get temperature checks daily.

Keep up with csa trucking company scores by using Matrack gps tracking for trucking. Matrack Incorporation, in solidarity with our clients, fleet managers and drivers, is providing this tracker absolutely free. Owning a trucking company is now made easier with Matrack. If you are an existing client, the tracker is available to you on our platform on your chosen device. Others can access the information on our website here.