Truck Drivers

During the second week of September it is annually recognized worldwide as National Truck Driver Appreciation week. Driving trucks is the nation’s most demanding and vital job. There are many different types of truck drivers and I believe they are all very important. Some truck drivers are the ones hauling our last minute gifts during Christmas. Some drivers are hauling a farmer’s ‘Christmas present’ with care which is a brand new piece of shiny equipment. Some are hauling as quickly as possible across the country for a specific broken part that a farmer needs right now for harvest. Others, usually ones with a lot of patience, are hauling grain and waiting in long lines to unload at the terminal. Most truck drivers can be found making a kid’s day as they drive by blaring their horn after watching the same kid shake his hand up and down in the universally known semi horn honking motion. It simply brings out the kid in all of us!

As we get closer to harvest season, as farmers we become even more grateful for all truck drivers. Farmers are especially thankful for the ones in their fields and hauling their grain. They deal with the high tension that can occasionally happen in the field. Their arms get a great workout everyday, unless they are lucky enough to have the highly admired automatic tarp. I also think that truck drivers pray harder for no rain than most farmers during harvest because there is nothing worse than getting a semi stuck in the field, getting ‘broke to lead’ as the grain cart gives them that extra tug to the gate.

Truck drivers also haul our livestock and our feed. They haul our fuel and all of our farm supplies. Farm kids have looked up to these truck drivers since they were little, admiring every mile they haul. Most farm boys can’t wait to turn eighteen and start testing for their very own CDL license. My older brothers haul grain to town in our semis. They graduated from the little boys with the famous arm tug to the driver behind the wheel pulling the horn string. They never miss a chance to brighten a kid's day. Celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation week by thanking the drivers that make your life easier as they deliver our goods safely, securely, and on time. ~ Kesley Holdgrafer