Truckers celebrated with Truck Driver Appreciation Week deals, recognition

Updated Oct 8, 2024

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week will take place this year Sept. 15-21. To celebrate truck drivers across the U.S., companies within the trucking industry are offering their thanks through deals and other recognition next week and, in some cases, all month long.

Below, find some of the companies recognizing truckers this month and how they’re doing it. Stay tuned to this post in the coming days, as it will be updated as more deals and recognition are announced.

Pilot offering deals, launches annual Road Warrior contest

Pilot is celebrating truckers throughout September, saying “Here’s to You” to professional drivers with free drinks, special deals and the return of its annual Road Warrior contest.

“It truly is an honor to work shoulder to shoulder with professional drivers who keep North America moving, day in and day out,” said Jordan Spradling, vice president of transportation and logistics at Pilot. “At Pilot, we are committed to doing our part to support, serve, and show professional drivers they matter, and we look forward to seeing them out here on the road.”

Featuring real professional drivers in its campaign, Pilot is celebrating the hardworking people behind the wheel of a big rig with a “Here’s to You” cheers and an inviting call to “See You Out Here.” Throughout September, Pilot will recognize truckers in its commercials, billboards, store signage and digital content.

Pilot is also kicking off its annual Road Warrior contest with a $25,000 grand prize. The Road Warrior contest recognizes the individuals who weather the storms, long hours, and tight schedules to get the job done.

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For this year’s contest, Pilot will invite people to nominate the professional drivers in their lives by visiting Pilot’s Facebook page and giving them a shout-out on each week’s Road Warrior recognition post. Every week during the contest, one deserving driver will be selected based on the details of their nomination to win a $1,000 prize.

At the end of the month, one of the four weekly Road Warrior winners will be named the grand prize recipient and awarded an additional $25,000. Winners will be announced in October.

Additionally, as a token of Pilot’s appreciation, truck drivers can save all September through use of the myRewards Plus app at participating Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel centers, including:

  • Three free drinks every week, including Pilot coffee, fountain drinks and top-selling beverage brands from the cooler
  • Exclusive discounts on popular snack items
  • Military and veteran professional drivers will receive extra discounts on snacks in addition to the 10% military discount on food and beverage (after authentication through ID.me)

Love’s offering deals throughout September

Love's Travel Stops is extending the National Truck Driver Appreciation Week celebrations with exclusive offers throughout September. All month, professional drivers can visit Love’s locations to redeem offers through My Love Rewards and on the Love’s Connect app.

To recognize truckers’ contributions year-round, Love’s has curated deals during Driver Appreciation Month, starting on Sept. 1. My Love Rewards members will receive an email with available offers, and they can activate mobile deals with a single tap in the special offer email or in the Deals section of the Love’s Connect app.

Love's is offering drivers extra savings, rewards and points, including:

  • Earn double My Love Rewards points on any in-store merchandise purchase in September by adding the Mobile Deal to your My Love Rewards card.
  • Get a Premium Bundle truck wash at the Deluxe Bundle price by adding the Mobile Deal to your My Love Rewards card.
  • Free driver appreciation hat with the purchase of three packs of gloves.
  • Free Traverse Pro Series hat with the purchase of a Traverse Travel Gear seat cushion or Traverse Pro Series flashlight.
  • Weekly discounts on various food items through the My Love Rewards card or Love's Connect App.
  • $10 back in My Love Rewards points on any oil and professional maintenance purchase.

As always, My Love Rewards provides drivers with free fountain drink refills and showers with any commercial diesel fuel fill of 50 gallons or more.

Carolina Tarps hears from independents about all things trucking

Carolina Tarps recently invited a group of independent truckers to famed Greenville, South Carolina, restaurant Saskatoon Steakhouse to talk about the highs, lows, and misconceptions of life on the road.

The essence of that event is captured in an 18-minute video, which can be seen below.

“My hope is that the insights shared from the evening will encourage other truck drivers, as well as give some much-needed perspective to those outside the industry,” said Jaron Ferrer, Carolina Tarps Operations Director.

In response to issues addressed in the roundtable discussion, Carolina Tarps implemented some immediate changes, including refreshing its bathrooms, offering water bottles and beef sticks to truckers who stop at its warehouse, and expanding the showroom inventory.

St. Christopher shows gratitude to truckers

The St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) is celebrating Truck Driver Appreciation Week with the support of several corporate sponsors, including Blue Beacon, Southern Recipe, Pilot Company, Truckstop.com, Echo Global Logistics, Shell Rotella, Raney’s Truck Parts, Fullbay and Brenny Transportation.

Each of the sponsors has made a donation to this year’s St. Christopher National Truck Driver Appreciation Week campaign ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. SCF’s campaign kicked off on Sept. 1 and will run through Sept. 30. The campaign includes a landing page with a video sharing statements of support, and pictures and stories of drivers that are the backbone of the corporate sponsors.

“While we at the St. Christopher Fund, along with our sponsors, show our appreciation for truck drivers all year long, Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a special time where everyone involved can elevate that appreciation on a bigger stage,” said Shannon Currier, Director of Philanthropy with St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund. “Truck drivers are the backbone of our economy and work hard every day to make sure we have food on our tables, clothes on our backs, medical supplies, and more.  We see and appreciate you, drivers, and greatly appreciation the support of everyone in our industry.”

This year, SCF will also be hosting a Hope-A-Thon across all its social media channels with some live interviews with campaign sponsors and SCF beneficiaries and health and wellness program participants throughout September.  

Sheetz offering food and drink deals, free hats

Sheetz is celebrating Truck Driver Appreciation Week all month during September with the following deals for truck drivers:

  • Two hot dogz for $1 (does not include recipes, toppings or extras)
  • Free bag of fryz with any other purchase
  • Buy one 12-ounce Zoa energy drink, get the other free 
  • Free ‘Nestle Pure Life’ or ‘Dasani’ 24-pack case of water with any $10+ purchase

These offers are available for My Sheetz Rewardz members at all of Sheetz’s 750-plus locations, limit one offer per customer transaction. The deals will be available for the remainder of September. Sheetz will also be giving away free hats at its 45-plus locations that offer truck diesel fuel through Sept. 30. Drivers can receive a hat by adding “TRUCKYEAH” on the Offerz tab of the Sheetz app. These hats will be available while supplies last, limit one per customer.

OOIDA, TAT giving away Blue Tiger headsets

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s is partnering with TAT (formerly Truckers Against Trafficking) in celebrating NTDAW.

The organizations are teaming up with Blue Tiger USA for a giveaway on Facebook during NTDAW. In an effort to honor owner-operators, TAT and OOIDA will give away five, over-the-ear, hands-free Storm Headsets, as a result of a generous donation from Blue Tiger.

The giveaway will be announced on TAT’s and OOIDA’s Facebook pages Monday, Sept. 16, and will be open for entry through Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Winners will be announced on Friday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. Central.

C.H. Robinson celebrating truckers with recognition, St. Christopher Fund donations

C.H. Robinson is celebrating NTDAW with recognition through social media and in-person, as well as donations to truck driver-focused organizations.

CHR’s appreciation week events include:

  • A thank-you campaign: C.H. Robinson invites the world to #ThankATruckDriver. For each social media post using that hashtag during the week of Sept. 15-21, the C.H. Robinson Foundation will donate $10 –up to a total of $50,000 – to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, which provides essential support to truck drivers in need.
  • In-person celebrations: C.H. Robinson is hosting events in 13 cities across the U.S. and Mexico to thank truck drivers in person. At these company, customer and carrier locations, employees will share food, care packages and other tokens of appreciation. In partnership with the St. Christopher Fund, they’ll also hand out health and wellness packets with free resources that can help truck drivers manage the physically demanding nature of their jobs. C.H. Robinson is also thanking carriers in Latin America and Europe.
  • More donations for truck drivers in need: New this year, the C.H. Robinson Foundation will contribute an additional $15 to the St. Christopher fund for every hour C.H. Robinson employees volunteer for Truck Driver Appreciation Week activities.

“Every day we’re grateful to truck drivers for their unwavering commitment to one of the most challenging and crucial jobs," said Michael Castagnetto, C.H. Robinson’s President of North American Surface Transportation. “We’re always working to make drivers’ lives easier, offering them a seamless digital experience from load-matching to booking to in-transit updates to getting paid. But this week especially, we want drivers to hear our appreciation and the world’s appreciation. We thank you for every hour on the road. Our lives wouldn't be the same without you.”

Circle K offering snack, drink deals

Circle K Pro is celebrating NTDWA by saying “thank you” to all the truckers across the United States with a deal for Circle K Pro fleet card customers.

From Sept. 15-21, Circle K Pro fleet card customers can easily send a FREE snack or beverage to the truck drivers in their life to say thank you for being an essential worker in this industry. Gifts will be sent via this website and can be paired with a personalized message. Truck Drivers can also access the page to redeem the gift. No purchase necessary.

Truck Drivers can choose from the below offerings:

  • Medium Circle K Hot Coffee 
  • Medium Circle K Polar Pop 
  • Circle K Chips 2-2.625oz 
  • Circle K Candy 5-6oz 
  • Circle K Water 16.9oz 

American Trucking Associations recognizes drivers

The American Trucking Associations marked the start of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, an annual celebration recognizing the nation’s more than 3.5 million professional truck drivers.

"The conveniences of modern life have instilled a quiet confidence in every American that we can effortlessly get what we want, precisely when we want it. But that reality is only possible thanks to the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice of America’s professional truck drivers,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear. “Our country’s reliance on truck drivers is absolute, and our appreciation for them must be as well.”

This year for NTDAW, ATA will be airing in-stadium ads at college football stadiums across the country, directly reaching an estimated 300,000 fans at 12 games in California, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

In addition, ATA is bringing Interstate One -- a tractor-trailer equipped with a mobile classroom for public education -- to Capitol Hill, where professional truck drivers from America’s Road Team will meet with members of Congress and their staffs to discuss the essential role that trucking plays in the economy. Legislators and staff will have the chance to test their driving skills in friendly competition on Interstate One’s simulator.

Trucker Path names NTDAW sweepstakes winners

Trucker Path announced Spet. 16 the winners of its third annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Sweepstakes (NTDAS). 

The NTDAS recognizes the nation’s truck drivers with prizes that cater specifically to their everyday wants and needs. This year’s title sponsors included Trucker Path, The Trucker Media Group, Sheetz, Double Coin Tires, and Zoa Energy Drinks. Supporting sponsors included Motel 6 and ExxonMobil.

The third annual NTDAS included five weekly drawings worth over $2,100 each and a grand prize, who’s winner will be announced next week, worth nearly $9,000.

NTDAS Weekly Prize winners were:

  • July 28: Jacob Stuii, Fairfield, California
  • August 4: Dennis Whitman, Winterville, North Carolina
  • August 11: Jeff Yount, Fort Myers, Florida
  • August 18: Joseph Hendrix, Nahunta, Georgia
  • August 25: Ryan Delrow, Appleton, Wisconsin

Prizes for the weekly drawings included:

  • $500 Sheetz gift card
  • $500 AMEX gift card, compliments of Double Coin Tires
  • ZOA Energy Drinks RTIC Wireless Bluetooth Speaker Cooler
  • ZOA Energy Drinks-branded clothing
  • 5 complimentary one-night vouchers, good at any US Motel 6
  • $100 ExxonMobil fuel card
  • 12 months of SiriusXM radio service, compliments of Trucker Path

Landstar giving away new truck, more

Landstar’s BCO Appreciation Days event in Durant, Oklahoma, Sept. 18 -19, falls in the middle of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. That gives Landstar employees and agents two great opportunities in one week to acknowledge Landstar BCOs for the dedication to the safety and service excellence they demonstrate every day of the year, the company said.

The annual BCO Appreciation Days event is two days of networking opportunities, educational presentations, safety meetings, prizes and a vendor expo, where BCOs can talk to companies that offer different services as part of LCAPP -- Landstar Contractors’ Advantage Purchasing Program.

The highlight of the two-day event is the 50th Landstar truck giveaway. Thursday evening, Landstar will give away a brand new bright blue 2025 Kenworth T680. Landstar hosts two truck giveaways each year to show BCOs just how much everyone in the network appreciates their services.

For those Landstar independent owner-operators who cannot attend the celebration in Oklahoma this week, Landstar is serving lunch at each of its U.S. field operations centers. BCOs are invited to stop by for lunch at noon local time Monday through Friday of this week, as part of NTDAW.

BCOs are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to connect with employees, executives and fellow BCOs whether it’s at the main event, a field operations center or an agent-hosted Safety Thursday Conference Call event.  

FMCSA/DOT celebrating truckers

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg kicked off NTDAW with a video thanking truck drivers for their commitment to keep the country moving.

Throughout NTDAW, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has planned the following events to thank and recognize truckers:

  • Sunday, September 15: Follow FMCSA on social media to view our digital content
  • Monday, September 16: Consider using the shareable content below to draft your own social media posts to thank our nation’s truck drivers.
  • Tuesday, September 17: FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White visits a Virginia weigh station to thank truck drivers. 11 a.m. Eastern -- Check out our social media pages for video and photos from the engagement. 
  • Wednesday, September 18: FMCSA partners with Maryland community colleges to announce millions in grants to enhance access to CDL training across the country. Watch the press conference live at 10 a.m. Eastern.
  • Thursaday, September 19: FMCSA joins USDOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg to highlight women truck drivers with special photo gallery at USDOT Headquarters. This event is open to the public. It will be held at 10 a.m. Eastern at U.S. DOT headquarters in Washington, D.C.
  • Friday, September 20: FMCSA salutes the nation’s military veteran truck drivers. Follow FMCSA on social media for highlights. 
  • Saturday, September 21: Catch FMCSA Chief Safety Officer and Executive Director Sue Lawless on Sirius XM’s Road Dog Radio's Women in Trucking Show at 11 a.m. Eastern.
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