Truckstops Prepare for Driver Appreciation Week

September 1, 2012

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The trucking industry, truckstops and travel plazas and communities nationwide will join together Sept. 16 to 22 to honor America’s truckers during national Driver Appreciation Week. The American Trucking Associations coordinates the timing and marketing of the event, but the entire trucking industry embraces it, said Elisabeth Barna, vice president of image and outreach advocacy for ATA.

The goal of the event is to thank professional drivers for all they do and draw attention to the important job drivers do. Throughout the country, truckstops and travel plazas thank drivers by offering them free goodies, special meals or games complete with prizes.

The week is a perfect opportunity for industry suppliers to offer free gifts or marketing items truckstop operators can distribute to their customers.

This year the Truckload Carriers Association is joining with truckstops to promote health and wellness throughout the week. On Sept. 18 TCA will hold health fairs at several TravelCenters of America and Petro locations. The fairs will feature metabolic tests and blood pressure checks. “We’re saying not only do we appreciate you, but we want to make sure you’re here longer,” said Debbie Sparks, TCA’s vice president of development.

Whether locations plan a large- or small-scale event, Sparks said they are a great way to attract more drivers and cultivate repeat customers. “Drivers get on and talk about something somebody did for them,” she said.

TCA provides a clearing house of driver appreciation events here. 

{HBM} Highway Business Matters is a brief semi-monthly newsletter created exclusively for companies that provide products or services to the truckstop and travel plaza industry. Highway Business Matters will keep you informed on trends, tactics, and tips to help you connect to the $65 billion truckstop and travel plaza industry. 

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Mindy Long's photo

Before launching a full-time freelance career, Long edited NATSO's Stop Watch magazine. Prior to that Long worked as a staff reporter for Transport Topics, a weekly trade newspaper, covering freight transportation, fuel and environmental issues. In addition to covering the transportation sector, Long has written, reported and edited for a variety of media outlets. She was the Washington correspondent for WCAX-TV (CBS) in Burlington, Vt., a criminal court reporter in Chicago and a freelance copy editor for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine in Washington D.C. Long hold a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, Ill., and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Westminster College in Salt Lake City.More
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