What You Can Do to Say Thanks
To help celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, we wanted to showcase some of the best ways Americans have been showing their appreciation for drivers. In this difficult year, truck drivers have stepped up to keep America running, and we are all thankful. Let’s take a look at some of the ways Americans are showing their appreciation to truckers, but first, let’s recap everything that has happened since March.
COVID-19 Impact on Trucking
When COVID-19 hit back in March, it impacted our transportation industry majorly. No one knew what to expect and the stay-at-home orders brought everyone’s life to a halt. Everyone except truck drivers. While most were working from home, that was not a possibility for truckers. With 70% of the country’s total freight being moved on trucks and 48% of Nebraska communities depending on trucks, drivers not going to work would be catastrophic.
As they worked nonstop through the pandemic, they often found it hard to feed themselves. Almost every restaurant (including truck stops) in the country had shut its doors for dine-in, leaving truckers without access to quality meals. Many things we take for granted like showers and restrooms were no longer available to the individuals keeping food on our own tables. These issues led to campaigns created for truckers, and easy ways we can show appreciation for what they provide for us.
Feed A Trucker Campaigns
The issue of truckers not being able to find available food from restaurants led to dozens of campaigns across the country of feeding truck drivers. People came together in showing their appreciation by providing meals, water, and even health and sanitation products to drivers in their respective areas of the country. The Nebraska Trucking Association (NTA) has provided thousands of free meals to truckers since the start of the pandemic, including free meal coupons and pre-packaged homemade meals.
Corporate America Gives Thanks
While you can find small campaigns thanking truckers all over the country, you can also find major corporations doing their part.
- Uber: Uber Freight launched a giant campaign saying thank you for all that truckers do. This campaign included the delivery of more than 10,000 care packages to drivers and a $20 Uber Eats discount.
- Tyson Foods: America’s largest supplier of chicken, beef, and pork donated $60 million in bonuses to drivers during the height of the pandemic. They also gave out thousands of masks and sanitation equipment to drivers.
- American Trucking Associates: The largest national trade association for the trucking industry took health and safety into their own hands for drivers by setting up multiple free hand sanitizer refill spots for truck drivers.
How You Can Say Thanks
If you don’t have the time to set up a food stand or make special deliveries to truck drivers, you can still show them you care in many ways. A popular way is to take to social media to show your appreciation, using the hashtag #ThankATrucker. Another fun way you can get involved is by sending a thank-you poster to the NTA. The NTA will then print and distribute your poster to truckers at different truck stops throughout Nebraska. Finally, an unspoken way you can show truckers appreciation every day is by being courteous to them on the road. This will go a long way in saying “thank you” to them and may make their drive easier.
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