TORRINGTON – Truckers are doing their best to keep stores stocked during the COVID-19 times.
Michael Miskell of Torrington, who drives as a dedicated Sam’s Club driver for Knight Transportation, is taking it one day at a time to ensure that product gets where it needs to go.
Miskell started trucking in 1999 and does his best to make sure that his truck is always in tip-top shape to make each haul.
For trucker’s, their job delivering products might come as a worry for some during the weeks of social-distancing, but Miskell said they are able to stay pretty safe because of the small amount of contact they have with other people.
“I got to, like Sam’s Club, walk in the door and there’s a big glass window, and there’s a little hole,” Miskell said.
Person-to-person contact is minimal because of the process.

“You slide your paper through, they stamp it, you take the paper, you walk to the trailer, drop their trailer in the yard and pick up your empty trailer,” Miskell said.
Miskell said they always have two empty trailers available. Because they have minimal contact with other people and spend most of their time in their trucks, the drivers face less danger during these times than most would think.
The biggest problem that Miskell said he faces is during his stops to get food and rest. Recently he made a stop at the truck stop outside of Cheyenne that contains a Taco Bell and Burger King that was out of the norm.
“I went in to get a taco and burrito supreme, you know, and I had to stand over here. That’s fine – I don’t care about that – but then there’s nowhere to sit. And now you get to go back and sit in your truck that you’ve been sitting in for the last 14 hours,” Miskell said.
Miskell said they have taken precautions to the point of patrons not being able to sit down to rest over a meal.
“Someone comes over with a tray in their hand and you put the money or the credit card on the tray and then they walk back to take care of it. And they all have masks on,” Miskell said.
Miskell said he is not concerned with wearing a mask because of the lack of person-to-person contact on the road.
Tanya Johner sometimes goes along with Miskell on his trips, otherwise he comes home to her on his days off to spend time with the family.
“I do 12 days out, three days off,” Miskell said.
“He tries to get here as much as he can,” Johner said. Also saying that she loves taking the trips with him to just experience life together.
Miskell said he often gets called on the road from Johner’s grandson asking when he’s going to be coming home.
“He’s my best friend,” Miskell said.