Driver Appreciation Week

Driver Appreciation Week

September is a time when the trucking industry takes a moment to recognize the men and women who keep America moving. Driver Appreciation Week is a great opportunity to say “Thank you” to the professional drivers who spend countless hours behind the wheel delivering the products we all depend on.

As drivers, we know that trucking is not always an easy job. Long days, changing weather, traffic, construction, tight delivery schedules, and finding a safe place to park are just a few of the challenges we face. There are also the sacrifices that come with being away from home, missing birthdays, holidays, family events, and simply being there when our families need us.

For owner-operators, there is another side to the job that often goes unnoticed. We aren't just drivers. We are business owners, dispatchers, accountants, maintenance coordinators, and sometimes even mechanics. We have to keep the truck moving while also keeping the business profitable. When the truck isn't running, we're not making money. When something goes wrong, it's our responsibility to figure out how to fix it.

And yet, we keep going.

We get up early, check our equipment, plan our routes, watch the weather, manage our hours, and head down the road. We deliver the load and then turn around and do it all over again. We do it because our customers depend on us, and because somewhere along the way, trucking became more than just a job. It became our livelihood.

Driver Appreciation Week shouldn't be the only time drivers hear “thank you,” but it is a good reminder that what we do matters. Let me just take a moment to say that as you read this, the company that we are leased on to is showing their appreciation to all of its drivers in Las Vegas. We have gone to many of these events. We have built relationships with corporate employees, agents and other drivers. Finally, we have won many prizes over the years too. Do you have this same experience? If not, a change might be in order. 

So, if you're a driver, take a moment this week to appreciate yourself and your fellow drivers. We sometimes spend so much time worrying about the next load, the next delivery, or the next problem that we forget to recognize how much we accomplish every day.

If you're a dispatcher, broker, shipper, receiver, or customer, take a moment to thank the driver who brings your freight. A little patience, respect, and appreciation can go a long way.

And to all the professional drivers out there: Thank you for what you do.

Thank you for getting up and going to work when the weather isn't cooperating. Thank you for dealing with the traffic and the delays. Thank you for keeping your equipment safe and doing your best to keep everyone else on the road safe, too.

Most of all, thank you for keeping America moving.

Here’s to millions of safe, profitable and APPRECIATED miles.

Kelly Plumb