National Truck Driver Appreciation Week runs from September 13 to September 19, 2026. This is the 38th year the American Trucking Associations has held the event. This year’s theme is “For the Miles You Drive and the Sacrifices You Make.” That theme says a lot in a few words. Truck drivers put in long miles, and they take on real trade-offs to do it. Both parts of that sentence deserve attention, not just a thank-you post.
This week is a good time to look at what the job really involves. It is also a good time to talk about why more people are looking at trucking as a career.
The Miles
Truck drivers move most of what this country uses every day. Trucks carry more than 70 percent of all freight tonnage in the United States. That includes food, clothing, medical supplies, and construction materials. If a store shelf is stocked or a hospital has supplies, a truck driver got it there.
Driving a tractor-trailer is not the same as driving a car. A loaded rig can weigh 80,000 pounds. Backing into a tight loading dock, handling the truck in bad weather, and keeping a strict schedule all take real skill. That skill does not come naturally. It comes from proper training and practice. A program like Class A CDL Training teaches the driving skills, safety rules, and testing requirements needed to do this job well.
The miles add up fast. Long-haul drivers can log over 100,000 miles a year. Every one of those miles depends on the driver’s attention and judgment.
The Sacrifices
The theme also points at what drivers give in order to do this job well. Long-haul routes can mean stretches away from home, and missing certain birthdays or family dinners along the way. Drivers who choose that schedule do it because the trade-off is worth it to them: steady income, a skill that stays in demand, and work that keeps the country running.
That trade-off looks different depending on the route. Local and regional driving jobs often get a driver home every night or every few days, while long-haul routes trade more time away for more miles and higher pay. Part of building a trucking career is figuring out which setup fits a person’s life, and good training covers that choice along with the driving skills.
Why This Week Matters in Indiana
Indiana has a nickname that fits this week well: the Crossroads of America. The state sits within a day’s drive of more than half the population of the United States and Canada, and it has more pass-through interstates than any other state in the country. About 1.5 billion tons of freight move through Indiana every year, and that number is expected to grow. None of that freight moves without drivers.
That central location also means Indiana feels the national driver shortage directly. The state is regularly listed among those most affected by the shortfall in qualified drivers, since so much freight passes through it on the way to somewhere else. For Hoosiers thinking about a career change, that shortage is not an abstract statistic. It shows up as steady job openings close to home.
Why This Week Matters for the Next Generation of Drivers
Appreciation weeks like this one do more than say thank you. They put a spotlight on a career that keeps the country running but often goes unnoticed. The freight industry needs new drivers every year, and the demand is not slowing down, in Indiana or anywhere else. Anyone who has thought about a career change, especially one with strong pay and no requirement for a four-year degree, might find this a good week to look into it seriously.
Training does not take years. Most CDL programs take a matter of weeks, and job placement support helps connect new drivers with trucking partners once training is complete. DriveCo trains drivers at locations across Indiana, so a program is likely closer than people expect.
A Real Way to Show Appreciation This Week
Skip the vague gestures. Here are a few specific ways to show truck drivers real appreciation during NTDAW 2026:
- Say thank you in person at a truck stop or rest area.
- Buy a driver’s coffee or meal.
- Share a specific story about how a driver’s work affected your life, not just a general thank-you post.
- If your company works with drivers, give them something they can actually use on the road, not just a certificate.
Small actions matter more when they are specific.
Start Your Own Path This Week
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a good time to recognize the drivers already on the road, and a good time to think about becoming one. DriveCo CDL Learning Center offers training designed to get students ready for a real career, not just a license, at locations across Indiana. Check the class schedule to see when the next training session starts.
