Despite intense gridlock in Washington, D.C. on the day of the Pope’s arrival, a “who’s who” of dignitaries braved transportation nightmares to participate in the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) third annual Gala benefiting Wreaths Across America (WAA). The upbeat and inspirational event, held at the Grand Hyatt Washington, raised about $320,000 for the nonprofit organization that honors the fallen by placing fresh wreaths on gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery and at more than 1,000 veterans cemeteries nationwide.

The Gala, hosted by Pilot Flying J, Freightliner, and Randall-Reilly, attracted representatives from many genres, including government, the military/veterans, media, entertainment, and, of course, the trucking industry, which is well known for its patriotism. TCA has been an avid supporter of and partner with WAA for years, and has come to play a vital role in coordinating logistics and truck driver/equipment support for WAA’s annual wreath-laying efforts each December.

“With the Pope in town, it was a little tricky getting here, but it was worth it!” said Keith Tuttle, TCA’s chairman. “By coming together annually, we are reminded of what a wreath on a grave has come to represent… eternity and a symbol of peace. Each and every time one of our member trucks drives into a cemetery loaded down with hundreds of fresh wreaths on behalf of Wreaths Across America, it’s the trucking industry’s way of saying, ‘We remember. And we give our thanks.’”

In between the opening reception and dinner, Lloyd and Mary Byers spoke from their hearts about the pain of losing their son, Captain Joshua Byers, who died in Iraq in 2003. Colonel Jack Jacobs (Ret.), a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War who is now an NBC on-air analyst, shared how his military experiences shaped his career and changed him forever. Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills (Ret.) gave the keynote address. He lost both of his arms and legs while on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2012, and he continually fights to overcome the many obstacles of living life as a quadruple amputee.

“It was chilling, yet inspirational, to hear the personal stories of military service as told by our speakers. They are all true heroes,” said Wendy Hamilton from Pilot Flying J and who also serves as one of the co-chairs of TCA’s Communications & Image Policy Committee. “Each of them embodies the spirit of Wreaths Across America: to remember and honor those who have sacrificed so much for America.”

A significant portion of the funds raised during the evening came from the Walmart Foundation of Bentonville, Arkansas. Patrick Simmons, senior director of transportation for Walmart’s Private Fleet, said that 2015 marks the third consecutive year that the company is donating $150,000 through TCA’s Gala.

“Walmart is grateful for the sacrifices that our nation’s veterans and their families have made in service to our country,” he said. “We believe in the mission of Wreaths Across America. We agree that it is not only our duty, but our honor to support our men and women in uniform.”

Additional corporate donations came from Rand McNally and Shell Rotella, while individual employees from the Prosperio Group and MacroPoint contributed their own generous amounts.

For entertainment, Gala attendees bid on silent auction prizes such as vacation packages, music systems, jewelry, etc. Many people opted to play cornhole, earning a chance to win a pair of rose gold and diamond earrings every time they scored a hole-in-one.

TravelCenters of America/Petro Stopping Centers offered a “wine bottle grab”—bags containing a wine bottle of unknown vintage, ranging from common to very expensive. In addition to receiving the wine, some lucky buyers found a $100 gift card enclosed. MacroPoint created and sold collectible trucks, some hauling $100 bills in their trailers. And DriverFACTS, Inc. offered complimentary digital photos of the attendees. The company will later add to fundraising efforts by selling a hardbound book commemorating the evening and the wreath-laying ceremony in December.

After all the speakers, social, and fundraising activities concluded, Gala participants enjoyed lively patriotic music by the Patriot Brass Ensemble, a group that improves the quality of life for veterans and military families through musical programs and services.

Proceeds from the Gala are the starting point for TCA’s 2015 fundraising season for WAA. The organization encourages the trucking industry to give generously to the cause by making a donation in any amount or by purchasing individual wreaths for $15 each. The wreaths can be purchased at www.TruckloadOfRespect.com.

For more information about the Gala, follow hashtag #TCAWAA15 on Twitter or visit www.TruckloadOfRespect.com to make a donation.

See photos from the event in our Flickr album.

http://truckload.org/index.php?bid=1445&archiveyear=2015&nid=509

This week, Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), the industry-wide image and education movement, kicks off its celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week by acknowledging and honoring professional drivers and members of the trucking industry.

“Professional drivers are the lifeblood of America’s economy, hauling goods and products that we use every day, and this week we say thank you to the drivers,” says Kevin Burch, TMAF co-chair and president of Jet Express. “Over three million professional truck drivers travel our roads every day, and we are proud to celebrate our drivers’ commitment to safety, excellence and community.”

The impact of professional truck drivers on the American economy by the numbers:

There are 3.4 million truck drivers in the United States.

Professional truck drivers drove over 421 billion miles in 2014.

Most individual longhaul drivers average 100,000 to 110,000 miles of driving per year; regional and city drivers will drive an average of 48,000 miles.

The job of a truck driver is paramount. Trucking remains the dominant mode of freight transportation, hauling over 68% of domestic freight in 2014

Truck drivers deliver life’s necessities. Eighty percent of US communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods and commodities.

TMAF is proud to announce an advertising campaign targeted to consumers in celebration of the week. The campaign aims to demonstrate that professional truck drivers are your friends, family and neighbors. Print advertisements will appear in daily newspapers in major markets throughout the country including: Sacramento CA, Billings MT, Omaha NE, Houston TX, Dayton OH, Nashville TN, Pittsburgh PA, Philadelphia PA, and Orlando FL.

“There’s a story to tell about how integral the trucking industry is to America’s economy, and without our drivers, America simply would not move forward,” Burch says. “Our drivers often do not receive the respect they deserve, and this is just one week out of the year to remind us of their critical role in moving our nation’s economy.”

TMAF encourages the industry and general public to get involved and #ThankADriver this week. To join the movement, go to www.truckingmovesamerica.com

http://bulktransporter.com/tank-fleets/trucking-moves-america-forward-says-get-involved-driver-appreciation-thankadriver

The Trucker News Services

9/14/2015

Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), an industry-wide image and education movement, said Monday it was launching an advertising campaign targeted to consumers as part of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which began Sunday.

The campaign aims to demonstrate that professional truck drivers are everyone’s friends, family and neighbors.

Print advertisements will appear in daily newspapers in major markets throughout the country including: Sacramento, California; Billings, Montana; Omaha, Nebraska; Houston, Dayton, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Orlando.

“Professional drivers are the lifeblood of America’s economy, hauling goods and products that we use every day, and this week we say thank you to the drivers,” said Kevin Burch, TMAF co-chair and president of Jet Express. “Over 3 million professional truck drivers travel our roads every day, and we are proud to celebrate our drivers’ commitment to safety, excellence and community.”

Burch highlighted the impact of professional truck driver on the American economy:

• There are 3.4 million truck drivers in the U.S.

• Professional truck drivers drove over 421 billion miles in 2014.

• Most individual long-haul drivers average 100,000 to 110,000 miles of driving per year; regional and city drivers will drive an average of 48,000 miles.

• The job of a truck driver is paramount. Trucking remains the dominant mode of freight transportation, hauling over 68 percent of domestic freight in 2014

• Truck drivers deliver life’s necessities. 80 percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods and commodities.

“There’s a story to tell about how integral the trucking industry is to America’s economy, and without our drivers, America simply would not move forward,” Burch said. “Our drivers often do not receive the respect they deserve, and this is just one week out of the year to remind us of their critical role in moving our nation’s economy.”

Burch said TMAF is encouraging the industry and general public to get involved and #ThankADriver this week.

To join the movement, go to www.truckingmovesamerica.com

The Trucker staff can be reached to comment on this article ateditor@thetrucker.com.

Find more news and analysis from The Trucker, and share your thoughts, on Facebook.

http://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2015/9/14/TMAFlaunchesadcampaigninconjunctionwithNTDAW.aspx

Trucks – we see them every day on Kentucky roads. We ride alongside them on the highway. And we see their trailers, decorated with the logos of nearly every major industry that moves goods across our country.

These professional drivers are the fabric of our communities and are our friends, former classmates and family members.

Trucking is the only industry that ships directly to every community in America, and it touches nearly every aspect of our lives.

Trucking not only connects the country and delivers goods that keep us healthy and comfortable, it’s an economic engine that creates jobs and sustains businesses through the country.

This week, as our country celebrates National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, let’s celebrate the strides the hard-working men and women of the professional trucking industry make every day to move America. After all, trucking is the only industry that directly ships to every community in America, rain or shine.

Here in Kentucky, the trucking industry means jobs. It accounts for about 109,000 jobs and growing – a substantial portion of the nearly 7 million people employed nationwide in trucking jobs.

Many truck companies are owner-operated, with more than 90 percent driving their own small, independent business.

Many might be surprised to learn that 89 percent of Kentucky communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods. Fewer trucks on the road would mean more expensive products, less interstate commerce and slower deliveries. If trucking was removed altogether, then essential cargo would not arrive to our doorsteps at all.

The trucking industry allows businesses to prosper – to the benefit of business owners, employees, and consumers. Collectively, Kentucky trucking industry wages paid in 2013 exceeded $4.6 billion.

These well-paid, middle-class jobs range from professional drivers to the mechanics, logistics specialists and vendors who work behind the scenes to keep trucks on the road.

In Kentucky, the trucking industry is strengthening small businesses – an ever-important element of our local economy and arguably the most important element of our nation’s long-term economic stability.

Trucking helps other state businesses stay efficient by delivering essential products that all of us need.

Trucks transport 77 percent of total manufactured tonnage in the state – 355,305 tons per day. As of last April, there were more than 14,000 trucking companies in our state, and most of them are small, locally owned businesses with fleets of 15 trucks or fewer.

In times of crisis, our trucking industry is there to deliver goods and supplies to help communities rebuild – from food and housing relief to first aid.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, as many as 32 food trucks were dispatched, each serving more than 500 meals to storm victims in areas without access to food or restaurants.

Add these benefits together, and trucking is one of our best-kept secrets, driving our nation’s economy forward with every delivery. But such a vital economic driver doesn’t need to be, and shouldn’t be, a secret here in Kentucky, or anywhere.

So, the next time you’re on an interstate and a tractor-trailer passes by, or you’re at the local grocery as a truck docks in the delivery bay, you’re not just looking at an impressive 18-wheeler traveling the road with food that will stock the shelves. You’re looking at a vital machine for Kentucky’s economy.

Link: Louisville Business First