Up Front

A show of appreciation

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is set for Aug. 20-26, but don’t expect the nation to suddenly stop what it’s doing, knock on your cab door and thank you for all you do to keep the country’s economy rolling. The general public takes for granted that America’s three million-plus professional truck drivers collectively deliver 10 billion tons of “the good stuff” each year.

The fact is, America’s truckers prefer to do their job without much fanfare or fuss. They’re professionals. Sure, government officials will issue proclamations in honor of NTDAW, and many carriers will organize cookouts and other events to show their appreciation for drivers. The gestures are certainly welcomed, but I bet most drivers would rather receive just a little more respect from those both inside and outside the industry.

At Over the Road and Pro Trucker, we go the extra mile to highlight some of the extraordinary—and even the ordinary—things drivers do every day to make the world a better place. That’s why we put a driver on every one of our covers. That’s why we publish “Trucker Buddy.” That’s why we ask drivers for their opinions for our “Say What?” column.

It’s all about respect. Around here, every week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.