Pandemic: Rota do Atlântico supports the State Government, truck drivers and members

Since State of Public Calamity has been declared in Pernambuco due to the health emergency caused due the new coronavirus pandemic, in March this year, the Concessionaire Rota do Atlântico, which manages the express highway route to the Suape Industrial and Port Complex and the southern coast of Pernambuco, has set up a task force to intensify measures to prevent the proliferation of the disease, with actions aimed at their employees, road users and the community.

the support measures are: the supply of alcohol based gel in public hospitals of the region, health assistance to truck drivers, adoption of new safety protocols in their premises and incentive and recognition campaigns with the teams working as essential road management service providers.

As a way to support the State Health Department, the Concessionaire helped in the transportation of 20,000 liters of ethanol from sugar cane mills in the region and industries manufacturing alcohol based gel in the Metropolitan Region of Recife to public hospitals.

For the transportation of said materials, the trucks working for Rota do Atlântico traveled 1,500 kilometers between the municipalities of Vitória de Santo Antão, Igarassu, Pernambuco, Camutanga, Abreu e Lima, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Olinda and Recife.

“With the necessary social isolation to contain the proliferation of the virus, we had a significant reduction in traffic on the highway. And we were able to mobilize our idle capacity, and contribute sustainably and effectively to overcome this moment of calamity,” said the president of Rota do Atlântico, Elias Lages.

In attention to the health of truck drivers, Rota do Atlântico now holds a weekly task force to support drivers who need to continue moving around Suape Port and Industrial Complex to ensure the State’s supply. Entitled “Pit Stop against the Coronavirus”, the initiative provides health technicians working in highway concessionaires’ pre-hospital care teams to check the temperature of drivers, with instructions on prevention, symptoms and treatment of Covid-19, with service stations on the side of PE-009 roads under the management of Rota do Atlântico.

So far, 14 editions of the event have been held, with more than 2,000 assistances. The action began on March 25 and is carried out in partnership with the Concessionaire Rota dos Coqueiros, with support from Safety Med, the National Land Transportation Agency (ANTT) and the Road Police (BPRv).

“During this Pandemic scenario all our efforts are focused on supporting the truck drivers, with attention to their health and safety, so that they can continue to play the essential role of supplying society,” said Elias Lages, president of Rota do Atlântico.

Romário Duarte, a 52-year-old driver who transports butane gas to the Metropolitan Region of Recife, approved the action, he said:  “Our category is still working, We know that if we stop the situation can get even more critical. This mobilization that has been made to help truckers motivates us to leave our homes and face the risk” .

Safety and motivation – With the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of the new coronavirus pandemic, Rota do Atlântico contacted the Crisis Committee to define emergency actions to contain the spread of the virus among their employees. To reduce the number of people on company premises, in order to provide greater social distancing, the Rota do Atlântico ‘s administrative team started to act remotely, in flex office.

For operational teams working in the maintenance of essential road management services, safety protocols were adopted with the mandatory use of gloves and masks, intensification of environment cleaning, changes in assistance procedures, and campaigns to encourage preventive actions, such as constant hand washing and proper use of the PPE (protective equipment).

As a way to thank the commitment and motivation of the team working in the frontline of operational assistance in this Pandemic period, the Human Resources team of Rota do Atlântico has developed the weekly action “CRA treats”, with the distribution of snack kits to employees and gifts for the children, such as crayons, modeling clay and color books.