A COVID-19 pop-up testing site is opening up for truckies on the Hunter Expressway in September.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole has announced two new freight-friendly sites today, one at Marulan on the Hume Highway and one at Buchanan on the Hunter Expressway to make it easier for truckies and freight workers to get tested so they can keep moving essential supplies across NSW and interstate.
Paul Toole said it’s been 12 months since they opened the first testing sites like this and they’ve seen significant demand for them.
“So far, more than 51,000 tests have been carried out across all our testing sites – remarkably, more than half of those in the last four weeks alone.”
“These testing sites have proven invaluable in helping the freight industry meet the challenges the Delta strain has presented by providing a simple and easy option for drivers to meet the testing requirements across multiple jurisdictions.”
“We’re expecting this demand for our testing sites to only continue, as we’ve seen a 4900 per cent increase in our testing numbers at our Taree site and a 1750 per cent increase at our Tarcutta site since June this year.”
The Buchanan site will open on Monday, 6 September at the heavy vehicle rest area, westbound, on the Hunter Expressway. Both sites will be 24/7 pathology assisted.
The NSW Government is continuing to work closely with the freight industry to investigate more options for testing sites across the state. To find out more, visit the online map of freight-friendly testing locations in NSW.
The new testing sites:
- Opening on Monday, 30 August at 7am at Marulan BP Service Centre, southbound, Hume Highway.
Assisted testing by pathology staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Opening on Monday, 6 September at 7am at Buchanan heavy vehicle rest area, westbound, Hunter Expressway.
Assisted testing by pathology staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week