From: Amy R. Boerger, vice president of sales Cummins’ Engine Business; Shorty Whittington, Grammer Industries founder, former chairman American Trucking Association and Executive Committee of the board of Indiana Motor Truck Association
Columbus
Sept. 9 through 15 is designated as National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. This is a time for the nation to make a rest stop and honor the over 3.5 million professional men and women who drive across the country to ensure our goods are delivered safely, securely and on time.
On behalf of Cummins, the global leader in power solutions, and on behalf of Grammer Industries, a leading fleet and innovator in the trucking industry, we want to thank each truck driver for their commitment to one of the most demanding and important jobs to our U.S. economy.
Our companies and others like us, are making every effort to appreciate the drivers each day by continuing to make technological and safety advancements, create better work environments (including work-life balance) and to provide drivers with the tools to help them perform their jobs more effectively, efficiently, comfortably and successfully.
We need more drivers to help businesses like ours succeed and move the economy forward. According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the driver shortage is near 48,000, and is trending to reach 175,000 by 2024. Cummins recognizes the importance of this issue, which is why we have been working with the ATA and other groups to address this issue.
For the U.S., a driver shortage could negatively impact consumers in many ways, from higher costs to have products delivered, to longer delays in receiving products to your home, local grocery or pharmacy.
We can all help by highlighting the innovations in today’s trucks and in the profession. From tires to the engine, to the chairs to the sleepers, trucks are state-of-the-art vehicles that meet stringent emissions and fuel economy standards while still an enjoyable experience for drivers, including many heavy-duty trucks offering automatic transmissions to how we compensate our drivers and provide a strong work-life balance.
Many people think of a truck driver being on the road for weeks at a time for long hours each day. Things have changed and we are doing everything we can to provide drivers the same quality of life we all want.
We are also employing new technologies to help drivers, like Cummins Connected Solutions, which allows drivers to concentrate on driving, as they are offered real-time expert guidance, making real-time updates to engine calibrations, or tuning the engine to meet operating conditions whenever and wherever. Today’s society is connected and we are helping our drivers stay connected, too.
We all count on drivers to get our supplies, in fact, over 80 percent of Indiana communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods. The word needs to be out; this is a rewarding career that pays well and keeps our economy strong. Not only will it help fill jobs, but it will help our economy thrive, making our communities stronger.
On behalf of Cummins and Grammer industries, we want to say thanks to all drivers for the work they do each day and their immeasurable contributions to our lives and the economy.
