Not many of us give much thought to the trucks we see rolling down the highway. But we owe a great deal to the professional truck drivers who make those deliveries happen — and this week is a chance to extend a thank-you for all that hard work.

There are 3.2 million truck drivers in the United States, with the industry employing 1 out of 14 people in Mississippi. The impact of trucking reaches far beyond simple employment figures.

Trucking is responsible for nearly 68 percent of the total U.S. freight tonnage and more than 80 percent of communities rely solely on the trucking industry for their goods and commodities.

One look around the dinner table and you’ll realize what this means. If you own it, consume it, or use it, it’s been on a truck.

Sept. 11-17 is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Make sure to let the men and women driving those trucks down the highway know they’re appreciated. They’re on the road every day, delivering life’s essentials.

David Roberts

President, Mississippi Trucking Association