Down to the food we eat, the beverages we drink and the construction materials used to build the homes we live in—none of these would be within our reach without the dedicated truck drivers who transport them. This is the reason why we have National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW).
From Sept. 15 to the 21, National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a time to celebrate the backbones of America—truck drivers. The American Trucking Association (ATA) founded this initiative in 1998 to honor the individuals who operate trucks. The inaugural National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW) featured a national gathering organized by the ATA at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Numerous speakers, including government representatives and industry executives, addressed the audience on behalf of truck drivers. Throughout that week, truck stops participated by providing complimentary meals and showers to drivers requiring assistance. Since its inception, the week has evolved into a yearly celebration.
In an interview with the GH Falcon, the National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) touched on the importance of truck drivers and NTDAW.
“NASTC believes that all 52 weeks should be driver appreciation weeks,” states the NASTC. Without truck drivers, the world would be unimaginable and for that reason, truck drivers should be appreciated on a daily basis. “Our supply chain is essential to our survival. Since all products are on a truck at some time during the process, trucks are invaluable, and a truck can’t operate without a driver.” Of course, the materials being transported are important, but with no truck driver being in front of a wheel to drive them place to place—there would not be any point.
And finally, they elaborate on the best way to celebrate NTDAW. “Go to a truck stop and thank a trucker.”
According to the American Transportation Research Institute, there are around 218,540 trucking jobs in North Carolina and all of these truck drivers directly hold up the economy. Each day, truck drivers transport materials, such as food items and farming equipment, from coast to coast to communities that need them.
In 2022, North Carolina’s freight system moved about $741 billion worth of cargo that year. Every time you walk inside of a grocery store, you see the work of truck drivers. It is approximated that 71% of the groceries/merchandise you see in stores were delivered there by truck drivers.
The medications that hospitals provide to their patients arrive thanks to truck drivers. Without these essential workers, healthcare professionals would struggle to assist those in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of truck drivers was crucial; their efforts in transporting vital medical supplies and equipment helped prevent the situation from becoming even more dire.
Many industries as a whole rely on truck drivers; people in construction count on them to transport their building materials in a safe and timely manner. The retail, food, and agricultural industry as well. Without truck drivers, many places of work would be out of business if truck driving as a whole spontaneously came to an end.
Since 1996, Gregg Self has been a truck driver for 28 years. The work is long and hard but rewarding in a sense that his truck driving helps keep the economy going.
For Self, he gives insight about the first thing he does when he gets to work. “[I] check my oil and fluids, then start it up. Once it’s running, I go and hook up my trailer. I deliver stuff to businesses, companies and homes. In the afternoon, we do pick-ups so they can be delivered to other places.”
When asked the hardest thing about being a truck driver, Self had this to say. “Be safe watching for other cars. They cut you off and stuff all the time.” Truck drivers do play an important role in road safety, not just for themselves but for the other drivers.
Self then goes on to explain where North Carolina would be if there were not any trucks. “There will be nothing in the stores and things like that, until you can fly a plane to the back of a store. You’re always going to need trucks. Important, absolutely, it’s essential. There will be no groceries, no gas, no fuel, no nothing. There’ll be no furniture in the stores. There’ll. Be. Nothing.” He is confident in his words that North Carolina will always need truck drivers to do the work that is needed to keep the state up and running.
As the week progresses, National Truck Driver Appreciation Week serves as a way for the Green Hope community can give thanks to the hard-working truck drivers like Gregg Self. Their efforts make a significant contribution to our way of life and catapult the state forward.
