From medicine in hospitals to your favorite box of cereal at the grocery store, the work of the 3.5 million truck drivers across the country touches every part of our daily lives. While people stop to think about how much effort goes into delivering their favorite products, professional truck drivers are on the road, ensuring that they’re on the shelf ready for purchase.
With National Truck Driver Appreciation Week approaching on September 14th, 2025, we want to take the time at United Truck Driving School to celebrate everything they do for us. We also want to share ways that you can show your appreciation for truck drivers.
Why are truck drivers important to keeping America running?
The hard-working men and women behind the wheel play a very important role in our society. However, they rarely get a thank you. In 2023 alone, the United States Transportation System moved approximately 20.2 billion tons of freight. It’s important to remember that, without truck drivers, your favorite stores may not be able to stay in business.
It’s not just your favorite foods that truck drivers are responsible for. They have a much larger impact on the economy. Delivering medical supplies, fuel, construction supplies, and even livestock, the truck driving industry is pivotal to the day-to-day function of our economy.
How truck drivers have made the country a safer place
Truck drivers aren’t just keeping our lives moving. They’re also working hard to fight against human trafficking. Through the nonprofit organization Truckers Against Trafficking, or TAT, more than 2.2 million professional drivers have been trained to recognize and bring awareness to potential trafficking situations. Because of their vigilance, numerous calls have been made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The work that this organization and these truck drivers have put in has led to real rescues and countless lives saved.
With the continued confrontation of this atrocity, truck drivers have stepped up in an amazing way. With a vantage point at highways, shipping hubs, and rest stops, they are afforded a unique opportunity that most don’t get. When professional truck drivers choose to get involved, this first line of defense proves that their influence reaches far past the wheel.
Professional truck drivers face industry challenges
Working as a professional truck driver is not always an easy job. It takes a lot of skills and knowledge to be able to operate a tractor-trailer. However, they may face a few challenges while on the road. From long hours away from home to safety risks on the road.
Of all the challenges truck drivers face, being away from their home, friends, and family is one of the most difficult. Long-haul drivers may be required to spend several weeks at a time away from home to make deliveries. These sacrifices are more than enough reason to tell truck drivers how much they’re appreciated. Many of these professional truck drivers choose long-haul trucking because it can provide a better life for their families.
Long periods of time on the road also increase the potential for encountering risks on the road. Drivers may experience hazardous weather, reckless drivers, and other safety concerns that they can’t control. Aside from the roadway risks, drivers are also alert during loading, unloading, and their downtime. Following safety protocol with equipment is a large part of staying safe as a truck driver. These factors are why safety for truck drivers is a top priority throughout the industry. Protecting drivers is just one way to say thank you for the work that they do. This is why professional truck drivers go through extensive training on safety and awareness on the road to not only protect themselves, but also other drivers.
How can you thank a truck driver?
There are many ways to say thank you to a truck driver for the work that they do. From offering to pay for a meal to a simple thank you, we’re going to give you a few ways to say thank you to a truck driver during Truck Driver Appreciation Week and after.
Pay it forward
A simple gesture of buying a truck driver a meal, snack, or even a cup of coffee when you’re at a truck stop or diner is one way to show your appreciation. Small gestures can leave a big impact, and a protein bar or extra-large coffee could be exactly what they need.
Leave a note of appreciation
Whether it’s a handwritten note or a call to the carrier, compliments are meaningful to truck drivers. A quick and simple “thank you” or “Your driver is doing a great job” can mean a lot for a driver.
Be patient and respectful on the road
While you’re on the road, using safe driving practices around truck drivers is a respectful way to show appreciation. Giving them space on the highway, avoiding cutting them off, and allowing for safe merging. These are just a few ways that you can say thank you and make the roads a safer place.
Share a positive message online
Another way that you can show how much you appreciate professional truck drivers is to post something on social media. When you do, be sure to use the hashtag #ThankATrucker. Tagging a driver or a carrier could be one way to show your appreciation for the work that they do every day.
Say a simple thank you
One of the easiest ways to show your appreciation is to say thank you to them directly. If you see a truck driver at a truck stop getting gas or grabbing a meal, saying, “Thank you for what you do,” can be very meaningful to someone.
The men and women who travel the highways every day deserve our appreciation. We should say thank you not just this week, but throughout the year. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week only lasts for seven days. But we should make sure that truck drivers know how much their work means to the community is very important.
CTA: Join the more than 3.5 million professional truck drivers across the United States. Take the first step with United Truck Driving School.
