During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, TMAF Co-Chairman Kevin Burch, along with members of America’s Road Team, went on air with iTruck Radio – one of the newest and far-reaching broadcast channels in the industry. The full hour-long segment can be listened to below:
Our special thanks to Jeff Wardeberg and the entire team at iTruck Radio for having us and helping spread a positive message about trucking during NTDAW!
This opinion piece from TMAF Co-Chairman Kevin Burch ran in national media outlet The Daily Caller during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
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We’ve all been there. Running late and seeing the cars in front of us slow down, or perhaps on the highway headed out on vacation and turning off the cruise control because the red brake lights of traffic are shining bright. We credit our misfortune to an 18-wheeler up ahead, who is keeping it just under the posted speed limit or is trying to make a sweeping right turn.
This truck is big – which can be intimidating – but more to the point, it is slowing you down by a few seconds and keeping you from your destination. Taking a moment to roll down your window to say “Thank you,” to the driver probably isn’t the first thing on your mind, but perhaps it should be.
Inside the cab of that truck is a professional truck driver – one of 3.5 million men and women, mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors who collectively drive upwards of half a trillion miles each year. Their long hauls and hours on the road and away from family keep our homes, hospitals, schools, and stores stocked with the products that make life possible. In fact, trucking is the only industry that can say it directly ships to every community in America.
I mention this because this week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week – making it the perfect time to thank that driver and his or her millions of colleagues on the road.
Without them, the country would stop in its tracks. But because they’re committed, seven days a week, to safely moving America forward, the freight keeps rolling. It’s the reason they deserve our honor and acknowledgement. And it’s why – for the second year in a row – our industry group, Trucking Moves America Forward, is proud to celebrate NTDAW.
It’s our hope that folks outside of the industry and in communities all across America take the time this week to celebrate and thank all professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment. They deserve our gratitude not only for moving America’s economy forward – delivering more than 80 percent of our nation’s goods directly to your homes, schools and businesses – but also for doing so safely.
This priority on safety spans all facets of the job, from drivers’ own safety on the road, to safe deliveries and, of course, the safety of fellow motorists on the road. You may be surprised to learn that the industry invests $9.5 billion each year in safety. Where is that investment going? More than a third, or 36 percent, has gone into driver safety training, a quarter has gone into compliance with safety rules, another quarter has gone into on-board safety technologies and 13 percent has gone toward awards and bonus pay for improved safety performances.
As a result, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that trucks have a crash rate that is 28 percent lower than other vehicles’ and the fatal crash rate has fallen 74 percent since 1973.
So, the next time you see that big truck out on the road, we hope that instead of seeing an obstacle delaying your commute, you see a hardworking American tackling one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs – and doing it the right way. Don’t be afraid to say thank you – you might just get a friendly honk of the truck horn in return.
Kevin Burch is the co-chairman of Trucking Moves America Forward, first vice chairman of American Trucking Associations and president of Ohio-based Jet Express.
Link: Daily Caller
Billboard, Print and Digital Advertising Encourages Everyone to #ThankATruckDriver
Washington, D.C. – Sept. 12, 2016 – Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), the industry-wide education and image movement, is proud to once again honor professional truck drivers in celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW), Sept. 11-17, with a dedicated educational campaign.
“Our nation’s professional truck drivers work tirelessly for us every day, delivering the products and supplies that keep our lives moving – and they do it consistently and safely. For that, and much more, we owe them our gratitude during NTDAW and throughout the year,” said Kevin Burch, co-chairman of TMAF, president of Jet Express, Inc., and incoming chairman of American Trucking Associations. “We are so pleased to extend our education campaign this year, which is aimed at showcasing the necessity of truck drivers.”
“It’s easy to take for granted the fact that the trucking industry is critical to our daily lives and our economy,” said Todd Spencer, executive vice president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. “While we need to celebrate 3.4 million drivers each and every day, this week is a specific reminder that these hardworking professionals strive to go the distance and deliver the goods, and most achieve accident-free milestones each year.”
For a second year, TMAF is pleased to unveil a targeted advertising campaign created to inform, educate and inspire. The “Amateur/Professional” campaign depicts professional truck drivers in three informal or amateur scenarios – such as a baker, explorer or swim coach – showcasing their human and family sides.
Beginning today, TMAF billboards will be seen along major city highways and freeways for the first time. The TMAF billboard images, which portray #TruckingLife in the swim coach scenario, can be viewed for the next four weeks along major driving thoroughfares in Dayton, Ohio; Dallas; Missoula, Montana; Kansas City, Missouri; and Knoxville, Tennessee.
A combination of print and digital advertisements in those markets, as well as Indianapolis, will serve to remind consumers that professional truck drivers not only keep our country moving, but they are also our friends, family and neighbors who strive to arrive safely to their delivery destinations. To view these advertisements and the market locations, visit www.truckingmovesamerica.com/2016-advertising.
Also during NTDAW, an op-ed campaign will include editorials from TMAF leadership and professional truck drivers published in daily newspapers and industry trade publications, such as the Tennessean, Overdrive Magazine and the Daily Caller. These editorials aim to educate and inform the general public on the responsibilities of the driver and their commitment to safety.
TMAF will also be encouraging friends and followers to #ThankATruckDriver and celebrate professional truck drivers through its social media content; visitors will find #TruckingTrivia, shareable images and more on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter throughout the week. Trucking professional and photographer Shannon Royce will “takeover” the TMAF Instagram account for a couple of days.
To learn more and join the movement, visit www.truckingmovesamerica.com.
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About Trucking Moves America Forward
Trucking Moves America Forward aims to establish a long-term industry-wide movement to create a positive image for the industry, to ensure that policymakers and the public understand the importance of the trucking industry to the nation’s economy, and to build the political and grassroots support necessary to strengthen and grow the industry in the future. To learn more, visit www.TruckingMovesAmerica.com. Also join and follow TMAF through social media, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
This op-ed from professional truck driver Wayne Crowder ran in the Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.) during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
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Across 34 years and more than 3 million miles as a professional truck driver, I’ve always had three simple goals when I hit the road: successfully deliver the goods in the back of my truck, return home safely to my family and friends, and ensure that everyone I share the road with does the same.
These goals may seem obvious, but they are of the utmost importance to me. Not only that, I’m just one of 3.4 million truck drivers who feel the same way. And this week – National Truck Driver Appreciation Week – is a special opportunity to point out these goals and how they’re closely tied to the professional pride we share.
Each year, safety improvements and educational efforts increase. In fact, the trucking industry invests at least $9.5 billion annually in improving safety, and it’s paying off. Our trucks are safer than ever, and the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that the fatal crash rate has fallen 73 percent since 1973 – in large part thanks to these efforts. And trucks have a crash rate 28 percent lower than that of any other vehicles. Organizations like Trucking Moves America Forward, our industry group, help to promote these positive efforts.
While these improvements have been invaluable, the most important safety feature of a truck is the person sitting behind the wheel. I’m proud to say I’ve driven accident-free for more than 3 million miles – and that during those years, I’ve seen firsthand how communities like Louisville truly depend on the freight in the back of my truck arriving safely and securely. Here in Kentucky, trucking delivers more than 75 percent of all goods in the state. That’s a vital contribution to our economy, and I’m honored to play my part.
During this year’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, it’s my hope that the good people of Louisville and communities across America will take this opportunity to celebrate and thank truck drivers for delivering the food that stocks the shelves of our grocery stores, the gifts to our loved ones, and the supplies that keep our schools and hospitals running.
I understand that it can be intimidating to drive alongside an 18-wheeler on the highway and that sometimes we drive a little more slowly than you’d prefer. But please remember the next time you pass a tractor-trailer, the man or woman sitting in the cab is working safely to deliver the goods that keep you and your family moving forward. We’ve got families of our own, and we’re committed to ensuring we all arrive home safely. Give us a wave the next time you see a driver on I-64 in honor of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. We’ll give you a friendly honk of the truck horn – and safe deliveries — in return.
Wayne Crowder is a professional truck driver and member of Trucking Moves America Forward.
Link: Courier-Journal
Industry Mascot “Safety Sammy” travels the country as a symbol of America’s most essential industry: trucking!
Industry Mascot “Safety Sammy” travels the country as a symbol of America’s most essential industry: trucking!