ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The truck drivers who transport our goods from point A to point B play a critical role in our economy and supply chain.
Tuesday afternoon, 69 News asked drivers what they like about trucking.
Craig McDonough has been driving a truck for 40 years; he said the industry is steady.
“You don’t have to sit at an office desk for one,” said Chris Sepanski, who has been a truck driver for 8 years.
“You get to see the open road. It’s different every day,” said David Hickman.
This week is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
In Allentown, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association recognized the drivers passing through the area.
The PA Turnpike says it’s a simple way to get feedback from those who travel the roads frequently and give them a simple thanks.
“Our commercial drivers are an important part of our system, and getting goods and services to the people that need them. It’s just a small token of appreciation for the work they do every day,” said Leslie Gervasio.
While organizers were there talking to truck drivers, they also shared a message to other motorists: slow down, move over, and watch out for truck drivers.
McDonough says he wants drivers to know how dangerous it is to cut off trucks.
“You know, the four-wheeler, that space in front of the trucks that’s safe stopping distance. By the time you perceive the danger, by the time your foot moves from the accelerator to the brake pedal and your truck begins to slow down at 65 miles an hour, you just rolled the length of a football field,” said McDonough.
PA Turnpike representatives will be back at truck stops in October for National Move Over Day.