Yukon truck drivers running in overdrive to keep shelves stocked

The demand for groceries, toilet paper, and supplies in Yukon is keeping truckers busy, as they do their best to continue to restock empty shelves across the territory.

"It's OK to have extra, get some extra bread, milk and whatever you think you are going to need. But this panic buying of toilet paper and all that stuff …I mean, we are never going to stop coming up the highway," says Whitehorse truck driver Ed Grennan.

Grennan transports groceries from Fort Nelson, B.C., to Whitehorse. He says that people have a right to be worried about grocery shortages, but assured consumers that freight companies are doing everything they can to keep up.

Right now, Grennan says, there are twice as many trucks as usual delivering goods into the territory, leading to a hectic two weeks of driving the Alaska Highway.

"We have doubled our capacity and we can't really keep up," he said. "Some of the trucks have to keep coming up the highway [from further south]. We don't have enough trucks to switch with them in Fort Nelson."

Grennan says the only thing that he's seen slow down is regular highway traffic, estimating that there are about 75 per cent fewer vehicles on the road than usual.

He says besides other trucks, most travellers seem to be headed to Alaska.

'The trucks are going to continue to run'

Shayne King, co-owner of Pacific Northwest freight services, says that the company's put in strict measures for the safety of its drivers. Despite the drivers typically travelling alone, they are still required to wipe down everything before ending their shift.

King also echoed Grennan's words: supply will continue to make its way into the territory.

"The trucks are going to continue to run," he said. "We are going to find a way to get it done. We are going to find a way to keep goods coming into the Yukon."