Five good things that happened in trucking this week – Oct. 23

With less than two weeks before the 2020 presidential election, a positive diversion is welcomed now more than ever. Luckily, thanks to the trucking industry, positivity comes in droves. Here are five good things that happened in trucking this week. 

Mack donates $25,000 to SCF

Mack Trucks has donated $25,000 in proceeds from sales of the Mack #ThankATrucker Life Is Good T-shirt to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF), a nonprofit offering financial assistance to ill or injured professional drivers and health and wellness programs.

“Mack is pleased to be able to offer this donation to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, while also recognizing the commitment of professional drivers on the front lines,” said John Walsh, Mack vice president of marketing. “Professional drivers are often overlooked, but they are the backbone of the trucking industry, providing essential goods so that the general public has what they need.”

The T-shirt, available at the Mack Shop features a Mack MD Series truck driven by the Life is Good icon Jake and the hashtag #ThankATrucker.

“Professional drivers deserve our praise, recognition and appreciation and these shirts and #ThankATrucker conversation are a great reminder of the dedication and sacrifice these men and women make every day to deliver for American families,´ said Shannon Currier, director of philanthropy and development for the SCF. “Thank you, Mack Trucks and Life is Good, for this lasting reminder of how essential this industry is today and every day.”

Pilot Company supports veterans with new campaign

Pilot Company has started an in-store round-up fundraiser benefiting Wreaths Across America through the end of 2020. The funds raised will support Wreaths Across America’s goal to place more than 2.2 million wreaths in all 50 states to remember and honor fallen soldiers during the holidays. In celebration of Veterans Day, from Nov. 9-15, the company will offer all veterans one free breakfast combo.

“The holiday season is a special time to remember and recognize veterans for their sacrifice,” said James Haslam, U.S. Army veteran and founder of Pilot Company. “On behalf of our 28,000 team members, we sincerely thank the men and women who’ve selflessly served our country. We appreciate Wreaths Across America’s mission of remember, honor and teach and invite our guests to partner with us in support of their goal to lay a wreath on every hero’s grave.”

Now through Dec. 31, guests visiting any of the 750 company-operated stores in the U.S., including participating Pilot and Flying J travel centers and One9 Fuel Network stores, can opt to round-up certain purchases to the nearest whole dollar and donate the additional amount to Wreaths Across America. In remembrance of the company’s hometown heroes, Pilot Company is donating $20,000 and contributing $20,000 from the round-up campaign to support the Wreaths Across America ceremonies in Knoxville, Tenn.

“It is partners like Pilot Company that continue to step up and amaze us with their generosity, not just with the financial support of sponsoring wreaths, but in their commitment to the veterans in the industry and in their communities that deserve recognition,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of Wreaths Across America. “This new round-up program is beyond anything we could have expected or hoped for and we are grateful to Pilot Company and all the professional drivers and carriers that help us move the mission.”

ContainerPort Group celebrate its own Driver Appreciation Week

ContainerPort Group (CPG) is a Cleveland, Ohio-based trucking company that prides itself on transparency and support. According to the company, it “fosters an open, cooperative, and dynamic environment in which everyone can thrive. Our open-door policy ensures that everyone’s voice is heard.”

CPG’s voice was heard this week during its own Driver Appreciation Week. With gift bags for every driver, CPG even put together a Spotify playlist for their drivers to rock on the road.

Check out the playlist here.

UPS and Red Cross – Georgia provide Hurricane Delta relief

This week, UPS and Red Cross – Georgia worked together to provide relief through Disaster Relief Comfort Kits to the families and communities affected by Hurricane Delta.

In a tweet, UPS CEO Carol Tomé said, “It’s Global Volunteer Month here at UPS and I want to thank each and every UPSer for volunteering this year—together, we are truly making a difference.”

Companies rally for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Trucking companies have been showing their support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month throughout October, and this week is no different.

Mack Trucks announced a multiyear partnership this week with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) where Mack will donate proceeds from the sales of a limited-edition production run of pink Mack Anthem diecast models. Mack has made an initial donation of $10,000 to NBCF and will contribute up to $25,000 more over the next two years as sales of the unique diecast models continue.

“We at Mack are committed to raising awareness of breast cancer and organizations like NBCF that support those affected by the disease,” said Martin Weissburg, president of Mack Trucks. “We’ve displayed a pink Mack truck in front of our headquarters each October for many years, and we’re thrilled to be able to take it a step further with this partnership and the donation of proceeds from sales of the diecast.”

Boyd Bros Transportation, a member of the Daseke family, showed their support with pink t-shirts and their “Fight Like a Girl” cab.

NFI Industries’ team in Smyrna, Tenn. wore pink shirts and showed its creativity by arranging themselves in a ribbon formation.

XPO Logistics’ Chief Diversity Officer LaQuenta Jacobs talked about the importance of early detection in a blog post this week.

“Obstacles to early detection have become a particular concern this year, as the pandemic has delayed diagnoses and paused treatments,” Jacobs said. “Promoting awareness and facilitating access to screenings have become all the more critical. Information from Komen shows that in 2020 there will be over 275,000 cases of invasive breast cancer among women in the US alone, and more than 42,000 women will lose their lives to the disease.”

Thank you to all of the companies in the trucking industry that have been raising awareness and support for breast cancer.