"If you get thirsty, tired, or dirty, just go to any Celimo Station for help!" In April 2022, China’s pandemic situation remained grim and complex. As the main force of road transportation, truck drivers took unpredictable risks to deliver essential goods to the epidemic area. They help to keep cities operating, but their well-being while doing so is ignored. Caring for truck drivers has always been a fine tradition of General Science (hereinafter referred to as "GS"). For 8 consecutive years, GS has held kindness activities such as "Tyres Keep Rolling Forward, Spread Love Along Travel". During the epidemic, in order to pay tribute to the truck drivers, GS launched an activity named "Care for Truck Drivers, Let’s Move forward Together” whereby all CelimoTyre dealers across China started to take action by forming volunteer teams, setting up Celimo Stations, and delivering Kindness Packages to solve their urgent needs and gave them heartwarming cares on the highway.
Since the beginning of this year, as China tries to control the spread of Covid-19 cases across the country through region-specific measures, truck drivers' health, working conditions, and livelihoods are at risk. Truckers are stranded on the highways, forced to sleep, eat, and go to the bathroom in their cabs. Hunger and anxiety are the common problems that the stranded truck drivers have to face. When they received gift packages from Celimo Tire, they said excitedly "I didn't expect to get such a kind gift package from Celimo Tire on the highway. You are very thoughtful, thank you!" On 27th, Apr, in Hangzhou, a driver from Shaanxi accepted the meal box from the volunteer of Celimo Tire and thanked him repeatedly.
At 11:00 a.m. every day, volunteers from Hangzhou Celimo Tire wear COVID PPE and volunteer’s red vests, and brought hot water, mineral water, milk, instant noodles, bread, chocolate and other goods to the highway checkpoint for the drivers and passengers. Free meals were served, and disinfectant wipes, masks, etc. were also provided for them in case of urgent needs. In response to the call of General Science, the kindness activity spread really fast among Celimo dealers across the country. Dealers in Wuhan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Gansu, Liaoning, Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui and other places took action one after another.
Mr. Zhao, who used to be a truck driver, now is one of the key dealers of Celimo Tire in Wuhan. This time, he was the first to sign up for the volunteer activity. In addition to the funds provided by General Science, Mr. Zhao also prepared 100 gift packages at his own expense. He and GS's salesmen put on COVID PPE and came to the Changqing Highway Checkpoint in Dongxihu District. In April, the temperature in Wuhan has been fairly high. His shirt became soaking-wet, his face got tanned, and there was much sweat in his mask. "We are from the Celimo Tire Company and thank you drivers for your hard work!" They waved to the truck drivers and paid tribute to them. Seeing the truck drivers stranded in the truck with heavy sweat on their cheeks, and thick skin on their lips due to lack of water for a long time, Celimo volunteers immediately handed over mineral water and gift packages. "I used to be a truck driver and completely understand their hard work. Now I’ve become a tire supplier. Thanks to the company's caring activities, I have the opportunity to send some warmth to truck driver friends!" Zhao proudly said.
It is common practice to put seals on the doors on both sides of the truck cab. Any driver found with a broken seal will not be allowed to leave an area. Except for using toilet, they have to eat, drink and sleep in their trucks to be able to continue working. Many of them had not washed their faces for days.
Mr. Chen is a truck driver from Hubei. After the outbreak of COVID, he traveled back and forth between Wuhan and Suzhou to transport raw materials for the production of enterprises. For seven days, he could only stay in the truck cab. He had nothing to eat but 10 small buns. Chen was very excited to receive the package from GS, "Your food package is really like fuel in a snowy weather!" Another driver Mr. Gao also said, "This is the first time I have felt such warmth when traveling around the country."
GS and Mr. Zhao's kind action was highly praised by Changqing Government Office, Dongxihu District. The officials came to the site and gave a thumbs up to the volunteers of Celimo Tire and we all were highly motivated!
Since Mar 2022，externally GS kept fighting against the pandemic and internally we strive to ensure normal production. As of today, GS has done well on both sides. While ensuring production, our volunteer team went to the local communities and highway checkpoints where we carried out hundreds of caring activities. Although the COVID virus temporarily isolated us, the hearts of GS volunteers and truck drivers have never been so tightly connected. No matter how hard the situation is or how many challenges we face, Celimo Tire will always be by your side and move forward together with you!
