#ThankaTrucker: 5 Ways America Shows Support to the Road’s Unsung Heroes

July 30, 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world has come to a halt, one of the few things that remained constant is truck drivers' hard work and dedication. Despite the health crisis and the risks they face as soon as they get out of their house, truck drivers continue to hit the road to deliver essential goods to communities nationwide. They leave their families to ensure that the country's needs are met, and critical supplies are delivered.

This can't be stressed enough: more than moving freight, the truckers drive the nation's economy. In a tweet, Florida Trucking Association said that if trucks stopped moving, hospitals and nursing homes would run out of basic supplies within one day. Like healthcare workers and non-medical first responders, truckers are on the front lines, wherever and whenever needed.

With rest stops and restaurants closed and necessary supplies hard to come by, the truckers' lives have only become more difficult. Yes, these drivers face unprecedented obstacles, while most of us stay safe at the comforts of our home. Fortunately, this simple act of heroism did not go unnoticed. As supercharged as the drivers, Americans are fully aware that truckers will need support from the industry and local communities to make it through as the pandemic stretches on.

Here are some of the many ways America shows appreciation to the truckers who are powering our lives one mile at a time:

1. #ThankaTrucker

As we continue to stay at home, Americans resort to social media to give truck driver long-overdue recognition. The hashtag #ThankaTrucker has been a mainstay in the world's top trends in Twitter for a while now. In their appreciation posts, most people use this hashtag along with heartwarming messages and words of appreciation for truck drivers who make sure we have enough food and basic needs on our shelves. Many companies and the provincial and federal government have also used this hashtag to express gratitude to truckers and make sure any important announcement for the trucking industry will have a wider reach and be more targeted to the proper audience.

2. #TreataTrucker

People and establishments that have something to spare go the extra mile by providing free meals to truckers. They use the hashtag #TreataTrucker to announce this in their social media accounts so that truckers nearby can drop by their area and get to-go food at no cost. Some food establishments that participate in the #TreataTrucker initiative are Steve's Hot Dogs-St Louis, San Paso Truck Stop, D-Bess Food Trucks, Sweets & Meats BBQ, Mata's Fun Food Concession, and several food carts in Rockford. Subway and Denny's Diner have partnered with several groups and organizations to give out gift cards that they can use to claim free meals. There are also individuals, groups, and organizations serving burgers, pizzas, and packed food to truckers. Uber Freight, on the other hand, provides Uber Eat Credits.

3. Billboards and road signage

Local communities also do their share in thanking the people who keep the U.S. economy's lifeblood flowing. In Ohio, a few companies have teamed up to erect billboards along the area's major thoroughfares with the words "America Thanks You" and the hashtag #ThankaTrucker below. Tandet also puts up billboard shout-outs to truckers and statements that encourage Americans to go online and show their support. Moreover, the Trucking Association also builds quite a few #ThankATrucker billboards throughout North Carolina, where people can have their custom message to truckers shown. Americans need to retweet NCTA's Twitter post with their tailored message that should be 50 characters long or less.

4. Free masks, sanitizers, and health kits

The American Trucking Association’s significant contribution to this cause is the launching of its “#ThankATrucker - Providing for the Frontlines” campaign. With its generous sponsors, including OneBeacon, U.S. Bank, Hydro-Chem Systems, and Michelin, ATA continues to provide hand sanitizer stations along major freight corridors, so professional truck drivers can fill up their bottles free of charge. There is also a coalition of trucking industry groups that have recently distributed 4,000 free face masks to small trucking firms whose drivers deliver goods amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. Fund drives for truckers

Some businesses also do fund drives to provide truckers with financial assistance during the pandemic. Mack Trucks, for one, partners with Life is Good to offer a limited-edition, #ThankATrucker t-shirt with proceeds benefiting St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, a nonprofit group offering financial assistance to ill or injured professional drivers. Southern Tide also teams up with S.C. Trucking Association to sponsor an appreciation fund that rewards and recognizes truck drivers nationwide. They have a "Thank a Trucker" product line, and they have pledged 20% of the collection's net sales to Associated Industries of S.C. Foundation.

FinditParts is one with the entire country in showing appreciation to truckers. We know that our #ThankaTrucker tweets are not enough. We're happy to announce that we are now offering affordably priced Personal Protective Equipment for COVID-19 to help you run your business safely.