This year’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is September 13-19, 2020. But 2020 also takes on a special significance considering the crucial role truck drivers have played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are about 3.5 million truck drivers working around the country in 2020, according to ATA, and they haul more than two thirds of our total freight tonnage annually. When things are good, most of us don’t really notice all they’re doing behind the scenes to keep our lives operating normally. But in crisis like these, truckers have joined healthcare professionals as workers on the front line of the battle.
At a time when record numbers of Americans are filing for unemployment, truck drivers are experiencing increased demand on their time. In response to COVID-19, the Department of Transportation loosened restrictions on how long drivers can be on the road each day, in order to deliver their shipments more quickly.
Keep in mind – Truck Driving is Tough!
The truck drivers are the backbone of our societies and our economies. They deliver the goods that we need to live the lives that we enjoy. Without them the economy would stop and life as we know it would not be the same. Truck drivers are truly the heroes of today!
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an important time for all of us to pay respect and thank all the professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in undertaking one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs. These professionals deliver our goods safely, securely, and on time, every day, and at the same time keep our roads safe.
Let’s give thanks to those who choose to be Truck Drivers. Our life is reliant on the movement of goods yet we often take for granted those that make this transportation possible. We should be very thankful for all that truck drivers do for us.