When it comes to professional truck drivers, they are like a lot of things in life – taken for granted. Perhaps you’ve never considered how much we depend upon America’s drivers for almost all our essential goods and resources. In recognition and appreciation of drivers and their dedicated service, September 10-16 has been designated National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

The nationwide, annual celebration was launched in 1988 by the American Trucking Associations (ATA) to serve as a reminder of just how much we depend upon these hardworking men and women to keep America moving.

Sacrifice and Service

In recognition of their service, Dan Van Alstine (ATA’s Chairman) said, “Whether it is helping communities recover after 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.”

Alstine added that “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.”

Social and Economic Impact

According to Truckinfo.net, Trucking represents 80.7 percent of the transportation industry, recording $940.8 billion in gross freight revenues in 2022. In 2022, 13.1 billion tons of freight was moved by truck, constituting 65% of all freight tonnage. In terms of trade, in 2020, the US imported 170 billion dollars of goods by truck from Canada and exported 196 billion dollars of goods. This accounted for 55.2% of total trade between the US and Canada.

Also in 2020, 69.7% of total trade between the US and Mexico was by truck. The US imported 279 billion dollars in goods from Mexico and exported 181 billion dollars via truck.

There are 3.5 million professional truck drivers in the United States, and we should recognize their dedication and hard work – as they serve us in one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs. If you are a professional driver, thank you for your service to the rest of us! If you know a truck driver, please take a moment to thank them for what they do every day to keep our lives and country moving down the road.