ATA to Kick off 35th Annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

Each year, ATA asks the trucking industry to engage their local communities in this week’s celebration of truck drivers

During the week of September 10–16, the American Trucking Associations and the entire trucking industry are giving special recognition to the more than 3.5 million truck drivers who safely and professionally deliver America’s critical goods to communities from coast to coast.  This year’s theme for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is “Miles of Gratitude.”

“Truck drivers are the ones who move our country forward, and they deserve to be celebrated by their companies, customers, neighbors, families and friends,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear.  “America’s 3.5 million truckers drive hundreds of billions of miles each year. Every one of those miles represents a stocked store shelf, a package placed on a household doorstep, raw materials delivered to a manufacturer, and equipment conveyed to a construction site. Truck drivers have a vital role, and they fulfill that responsibility with professionalism and a commitment to safety. We invite all Americans to join us in thanking these hardworking men and women who supply our communities.”

The 35th Annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an opportunity for the trucking industry, the business community, and the public to renew efforts to recognize professional truck drivers. Thousands of trucking companies, manufacturers, producers, and industry suppliers are acknowledging the contributions of truck drivers this week by hosting cook outs, doing giveaways, honoring safety achievements, announcing new incentive programs, and inviting friends and family to participate in the festivities.

Truck drivers deliver almost 11.5 billion tons of freight each year, which is about 70% of all the freight moved in the United States. More than 80% of U.S. communities rely exclusively on truck drivers to deliver their goods and commodities, including the most remote towns and territories that are unreachable by other modes of transportation. 

Truck drivers operate in many different business models and environments – local pickup and delivery drivers, over-the-road drivers, linehaul operations, and team drivers – and the industry is celebrating the dedication of all of these truck drivers this National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

“Whether it is helping communities recover after a disaster, delivering essential supplies during the pandemic, or keeping store shelves stocked day-in and day-out, sacrifice and service is what our industry is all about,” said ATA Chairman Dan Van Alstine, president and COO of Ruan Transportation Management Systems.  “Truckers are the unsung heroes of the supply chain, and they are committed to safety and professionalism.  Food, clothing, furniture, medicine, gasoline—nearly everything that we use on a daily basis was transported at some point by a truck driver. Please join us in expressing ‘Miles of Gratitude’ to the millions of professionals who are always delivering for us.”

Each year, ATA asks the trucking industry to engage their local communities in this week’s celebration of truck drivers. To facilitate this, ATA puts together an NTDAW toolkit for trucking companies and industry affiliates to use in their efforts to celebrate truck drivers. 

Other ATA-led activities during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week include a tribute video that will play at more than a dozen sports stadiums and a Hill Day for Members of Congress to tour Interstate One and learn about public policies that will support drivers.  In addition, ATA and Trucking Moves America Forward will be placing print, radio, TV, and billboard ads nationwide that will reach tens of millions of drivers who share the road with truckers.  ATA staff members also handed out gift baskets at truck stops.  

Public officials, community groups, members of the media, and local businesses can play a role in honoring truck drivers by seeking out opportunities to better understand the important work truck drivers do in safely moving the economy each day.  ATA and the broader trucking industry believe highway safety is dramatically improved when the motoring public acknowledges the difficulties of driving a truck and the limitations of large commercial vehicles.

ACT 1 and Tenstreet are premier sponsors of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

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