f e a t u r e  s t o r y

America Honors Truckers

Week-long celebration acknowledges millions of hard-working, safety-minded professionals who are backbone of industry.

Bette Garber
Contributing Editor

The nation saluted America’s professional truckers Aug. 9-16 during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Homage was paid coast to coast by truckstops and travel centers, carriers, suppliers and professional organizations, including the American Trucking Assns., organizer of this annual tribute.
     Press releases came in to Heavy Duty Trucking from across the country announcing celebrations, driver appreciation and special events in their honor — so many we can’t possibly mention them all here. HDT editors attended some of them and bring you highlights on these pages, including:
     • The country’s most accomplished diesel drivers competing in the 61st National Truck Driving Championships, sponsored by Mobil Oil, in Long Beach, CA.
     • The Waupun (WI) Truckers Jamboree in the town that loves truckers.
     • The Knights of the Road TruckerFest ’98 in Reno/Sparks, NV, a three-day party in honor of America’s truck drivers.
     • The Share America Convoy, which promoted sharing the roads safely with trucks and the Trucker Buddy pen-pal program as it crossed six states in five days. The convoy stopped at many truckstops along the way where trucker appreciation events were being held.
     With each passing year, the tributes and recognition are expected to get bigger and better as more organizations — both inside and outside the trucking industry — mark this week on their calendars and acknowledge the tremendous contribution truckers make to their industry and their country.