How is your company celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week?
This year, from September 15-21, America has a chance to honor all professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in tackling one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is the perfect opportunity for companies to show their gratitude to the men and women who keep our country moving.
While there are many ways to show your appreciation throughout the year, these 10 strategies are guaranteed to make your drivers feel valued and recognized for their essential contributions.
Provide Meals
One of the best ways to recognize and celebrate your drivers’ hard work, dedication, and sacrifice is by providing them with a free meal. Whether it’s a full breakfast or buffet style lunch, any driver will appreciate the chance to have a satisfying meal and time to catch up with their coworkers.
Since some drivers are often far from home, provide these meals throughout the week, and if possible, at different company locations. You want to make sure that every driver has a fair chance at receiving a meal. If a driver is unable to make it, consider offering to cover a meal of their choice on the road.
Small Tokens of Appreciation
If you are looking for a more lasting reminder of your gratitude, consider giving drivers a small gift to celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
Branded merchandise, like hats, shirts, or water bottles, is a great gift to show your drivers how much you care.
Drivers also would appreciate gifts that could help them in their daily operations, such as seat cushions, LED flashlights, or travel mugs. These serve as a reminder that you understand the difficulties involved with being a CDL driver, and that you appreciate their dedication to the team.
Share Their Stories
Throughout the week, consider giving your drivers a platform to share their experiences and accomplishments. Use social media to highlight their hard work through testimonies and driver spotlights.
Highlight a different driver each day of Appreciation Week or make a video that includes multiple stories. These are a great way to make your drivers feel listened to and appreciated and promote your company culture and driver-centric practices.
Create a Video from the Management Team
Instead of using driver testimonies for a video, consider having leadership and dispatch teams come together to create an appreciation video for social media that directly acknowledges the hard work and dedication of your drivers.
Personalized messages from management, sharing specific examples of how drivers have made a difference, can go a long way in making your team feel valued. This approach not only shows that leadership is aware of the challenges drivers face daily, but it also fosters a sense of unity and respect throughout the company. It is a way to illustrate your company values in action.
Personalized Notes
If management is not able to come together for a video, or if you are looking for a more tangible message, personalized “thank you” notes are another meaningful way to show your appreciation.
Be sure to write the notes out by hand, or include personalized messages for each driver, to make sure they feel seen and uniquely appreciated. These can be given out at work, or mailed to drivers’ homes, which offers a chance to acknowledge their families’ sacrifice as well‒they deserve appreciation too!
Host Educational Workshops
Offering continued educational opportunities is an important way to show your company is invested in the professional growth of its drivers year-round. For Driver Appreciation Week, consider providing unique educational workshops, such as advanced safety training, which can help drivers sharpen their skills and stay updated on the latest industry standards.
You might also offer workshops on financial planning, giving drivers the tools to manage their earnings effectively and plan for the future. Another idea is to host health and wellness sessions, focusing on nutrition, exercise, and mental health, which are crucial for long-term success and well-being on the road.
These workshops demonstrate your commitment to their professional development and to their overall quality of life.
Gift Cards & Fuel Discounts
Everyone likes saving money, and truck drivers are no exception. Providing gift cards or fuel discounts are an easy way to show your appreciation with a gift that any driver would readily enjoy.
Purchase gift cards for local restaurants or popular truck stops and chains, such as Love’s, Sheetz, or Iowa 80.
Another way to show your appreciation and save drivers money is by compiling a list of retail locations and local restaurants offering specials to drivers during the week or month. Hand it out to your drivers so they can enjoy the discounts and benefits.
Family Appreciation Day
Truck drivers deserve all our appreciation and recognition, but so do their families. They are the ones supporting and encouraging drivers behind the scenes every day and sacrificing home time and special moments when drivers must be on the road.
Consider hosting an event, such as a barbeque, potluck, or work party, and inviting all your drivers and their families. This is a great chance to display your commitment to each driver and bring together the whole team for a day of fun and games.
Host Virtual Events
With a job like trucking, it can be impossible to get the whole team together for an event. Instead, consider hosting a virtual celebration or workshop to show drivers you care.
You could organize a virtual appreciation ceremony, where leadership can publicly recognize standout drivers and share messages of gratitude. Additionally, consider offering online workshops on topics like stress management, route planning, or even technology training to help drivers enhance their skills.
Hosting a live Q&A session with industry experts or a virtual roundtable discussion on industry trends can also provide valuable insights while making drivers feel included and appreciated.
Appreciate and Celebrate Drivers Year Round
Consistently recognizing the hard work and dedication of truck drivers goes beyond a single week of celebration.
By providing continued professional growth opportunities, such as ongoing training and development programs, you show that your company is committed to their long-term success. Regular driver engagement surveys can give drivers a voice, allowing you to understand their needs and concerns, and tailor your practices to better support them.
Implementing driver-centric practices, from fair compensation to a focus on work-life balance, ensures that your drivers feel valued every day.
For more information on making your carrier a place where any driver would want to work, be sure to check out the rest of our Employer Blog posts or connect with us on social media to see how our clients will be celebrating this year’s Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
