Pandemic's effect on distribution and consumer habits

The coronavirus is having an impact on the trucking industry and consumer habits

Killed by the virus.

New tonight.

Another industry impacted by the increase of coronavirus cases in alabama and across the country - is trucking!

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live in downtown huntsville.

He spoke with shoppers and people in the trucking industry about how the outbreak is influencing consumer habits.

Shoppers i talked to say the outbreak isn't having a huge effect on how they are shopping right now, but they see a change is coming.

And that means truckers will be working even harder to keep up with a ramped-up demand.

Walker cagle, steve cagle trucking co.

Everybody is pretty much pushed.

They're working their full hour load every week.

It's come home, get your reset and go back out.

Walker cagle manages steve cagle trucking company in huntsville.

A majority of what they deliver is refrigerated goods, but he says both online and in-store buying is keeping everyone in his industry plenty busy.

Walker cagle, steve cagle trucking co.

When the times get tough, tough people get going.

And the manufacturers are stepping up.

They're making more toilet paper, they're making more hand sanitizer.

And the trucks are going to pick it up, bring it to the d.c.

And take it out and deliver it to all the stores.

But for some in smaller towns, deliveries are struggling to keep up with demand.

Hagan holland lives in lewisburg, tennessee, but works in madison.

He's noticed back home, people are taking advantage of online grocery shopping.

Hagan holland, lives in lewisburg, tn they very quickly embraced that because they saw that as a way to get a little more social distancing and not come in contact with so many people, which i think is a good idea.

According to a study by coresight research, about three quarters of people said they would avoid shopping centers and malls if the outbreak worsens.

More than half said they would avoid shops altogether.

Holland agrees.

Hagan holland, lives in lewisburg, tn probably as this goes on more, people will get a little more scared and will probably try to stay in more.

Right now, of course, things like hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes are some of the hottest commodities.

As all of us who have been in stores recently can attest, many retailers have started shrinking their hours and the amount of certain products people can buy at once to keep up with the changing demand.

Reporting live in huntsville, will robinson-smith, waay 31