The Log Book is a weekly rundown of human-interest stories related to the transportation industry. This week: From Spotify playlists to full cab renovations, FreightWaves showcases creative ways companies celebrated National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
C.H. Robinson launches virtual appreciation bulletin board and sweepstakes
Last week, global logistics company C.H. Robinson launched its driver recognition website to facilitate its National Truck Driver Appreciation Week initiatives.
“We’ve been celebrating Truck Driver Appreciation Week for two decades. This year we knew we had to take it up a level,” said Mac Pinkerton, president of North American Surface Transportation at C.H. Robinson.
“We wanted a place where they could literally see our gratitude and see how much their dedication means to us. But we also wanted the whole country to have a way to thank truck drivers for their sacrifice, staying on the road in these difficult times and delivering everything that people’s lives depend on,” Pinkerton told FreightWaves.
Site visitors can submit thank you notes to drivers in words, photos or videos to be shared publicly on C.H. Robinson’s Thank You Bulletin Board and social media platforms.
For every note shared, the C.H. Robinson Foundation agreed to donate $1, up to $25,000, to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund.
Drivers and carriers also could visit the site to enter to win cash prizes totaling $50,000 during the company’s appreciation sweepstakes, with winners announced throughout the week.
“[Truck drivers] are an inspiration to all of us at C.H. Robinson, and if I could speak to them all directly here: I want you to know how much you mean to our company, the public and the entire economy,” said Pinkerton. “You drive 10 billion miles a year for us. Everyone who goes grocery shopping, fills their gas tank, takes a life-saving medicine or finds a great package on their doorstep counts on you. Thank you for staying on the road and delivering when it matters.”
He continued, “I remember one of our past winners, Robert, who is exemplary in so many ways. When a driver of his got sick, he flew out on his own dime and of his own accord to drive the load himself and make sure it was delivered on time and in full. The load wasn’t even critical in nature, but he wasn’t about to let us or our customer down.”
Due to overwhelming responses from drivers and carriers, C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ:CHRW) announced Friday it would continue its sweepstakes giveaway into the following week, upping the total cash prize giveaway to $100,000.
From Monday through Friday, the company will continue its daily giveaway of $1,000 awards to 10 recipients and will let visitors submit thank you notes for St. Christopher donations.
Transfix announces winner of truck cabin renovation sweepstakes
Transportation solutions provider Transfix announced Wednesday that 22-year trucking veteran Debbie Desiderato won its TransFIX My Rig sweepstakes, receiving a full cab renovation from Jason Cameron, star of CBS’ “Secret Celebrity Renovation.”
“We’re so thrilled to celebrate Debbie and the millions of hardworking truck drivers who we rely on every day to undertake one of our economy’s most demanding and important jobs. It is an honor and a privilege to work alongside these true heroes,” said Sophie Dabbs, chief commercial officer of Transfix.
Convoy honors truckers with Haul Stars awards
Digital freight network Convoy continued its annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week tradition for the third year, announcing its 15 Haul Star Award winners throughout the week.
Based on performance metrics, winners are selected from Convoy’s Haul Stars program, which consists of hundreds of the company’s highest-performing carriers.
New to this year’s program, Convoy created commemorative baseball-style trading cards detailing each category’s winners.
All 15 winners receive their own decks of cards, a $500 Convoy Fuel Card, Convoy merchandise and a personal note from Convoy founders Dan Lewis and Grant Goodale.
“For decades, truck drivers have delivered the goods and materials that make our everyday lives possible. For every item in our homes, there’s a truck driver on the front lines loading, hauling and unloading goods, night and day, throughout the pandemic. …These awards are a fun way to showcase some of the best truck drivers on the road in America,” said Goodale, Convoy’s chief experience officer.
Lytx honors truckers with highway hits playlist, honors Driver of the Year
Fleet telematics company Lytx released a Spotify playlist this week that includes classic trucking-themed tunes from artists like Willie Nelson, Steely Dan, John Denver, Incubus, Lil Nas X and Britney Spears.
In addition to releasing the playlist, the company recognized Lytx’s Driver of the Year Jan Quarnberg, who has driven 6 million miles accident free, including never being rear-ended.
Quarnberg explained in Lytx’s podcast interview that after 41 years, it can be easy to become complacent about safety on the road but monthly safety meetings reviewing footage of driver errors have helped him and other drivers become more aware.
“You better be on top of your game or you’re going to be off the shoulder. We’ve had three wrecks just in the last two months where civilians were passing where they shouldn’t have,” said Quarnberg.
Have a transportation-related human-interest story to share? If so, please contact gsharkey@freightwaves.com.
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