Truck drivers convoy continues in Windsor

Truck lineups on Huron Church Road are nothing new.

But this time, it’s not due to shipping goods between Canada and the United States.

Transport truck drivers continued to hit the road Monday, protesting the federal government’s vaccine mandate for drivers crossing the border.

“We’ve had a lot of problems,” says Fred Bouzide, owner of Fred’s Farm Fresh.

“Well, in the sense that people just can’t get to the store.”

Another obstacle for Bouzide, who’s also dealing with a supply shortage.

“A lot from California, a lot from South America because of the boats. And they’re sitting on the boats because they don’t have enough trucks to distribute the products.”

Those involved in a cross-country trucking convoy say the pandemic rules and mandates are destroying the foundation of businesses and industries.

“In my opinion, it’s not a great way to express your frustration and very rarely is it effective influencing any change of government,” says James Menzies, Editor of Today’s Trucking.

“It’s always difficult to anticipate or count how many trucks are involved because a lot of trucks get caught up in it as they cross the border. You think they’re participating but really they just wanna get past it and continue making their deliveries.”

A freedom convoy online fundraiser has raised over $2-million to help with costs of fuel, food and lodging.

“So I support the truckers and everything that they do because if you had supper last night, you can thank the trucker,” one protester tells CTV News Windsor.

The Canadian Trucking Alliance says it does not support and strongly disapproves of any protests on public roadways or highways.

Windsor Police Service issued approximately four tickets on Sunday.

Const. Natalya Natyshak says those tickets were to drivers of non-commercial vehicles.

“So these were vehicles that had decided to join the convoy in their personal vehicles.”

Windsor Police will continue to monitor the convoy until January 26th.

Unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated non-Canadian truckers are being turned away if they are unable to show proof of immunization or a valid medical contraindication to the COVID-19 vaccines.

The United States is set to roll out a similar policy on Jan. 22.