Exchange Honors Drivers as National Truck Driver Appreciation Week Gets Rollin’

Exchange drivers travel tens of thousands of miles yearly, often in less-than-ideal conditions, to ensure that goods reach Warfighters, retirees, Veterans and their families worldwide. Associates are invited to show their thanks during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which began Sunday and runs through Sept. 18.

From last tyear’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week: The Fort McCoy Exchange honors Bradley Wacks, a member of the National Private Council Hall of Fame. 

The Exchange has the 11^th-largest private retail fleet and about 225 Motor Vehicle Operators. More than 20 of them in CONUS have driven a million miles; five have crossed the 2 million-mile mark and one has driven more than 3 million. Four drivers in Exchange history have been inducted into the National Private Truck Council Hall of Fame, including Bradley Wacks, who became a member in 2018 and is still with the Exchange.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week was established in 1998 by the American Trucking Association to honor the 3.5 million professional men and women who travel America’s roadways. Celebrating drivers in inventive ways has become an Exchange tradition during Truck Driver Appreciation Week, and stores and associates are encouraged to show their gratitude to Exchange drivers, as well as the commercial drivers who serve the Exchange.

“Our drivers, like many others in the industry, are constantly put to the test,” said Billy Shirley, fleet safety specialist for the Exchange. “When you add in other factors like being away from family, working through holidays, and navigating a 10-ton truck through unpredictable situations, it is truly an amazing feat.

“It is also one of the most thankless jobs, when you think about it,” he continued. “A lot of people on the road look at these trucks simply as an obstacle in their way. People sometimes lose perception on how their favorite items at the store get there. A simple ‘thank you’ goes a long way. That’s what makes this week so special.”

In previous years, associates have celebrated the drivers with thank-you signs, banners, gift cards, cookies and even signed T-shirts expressing their thanks.

Last year, Shirley said, one Exchange surprised a driver by serving him breakfast in the breakroom while associates off-loaded the truck for him.

“It’s hard to capture all those moments, which mean a lot to our drivers,” Shirley said. “We encourage everyone to share pictures of their stores thanking and celebrating their drivers.”

Get your team featured in the Exchange Post! Send photos of your associates thanking their drivers to exchangepost@aafes.com to be featured in an upcoming article. Be sure to include the names and titles of the pictured associates and drivers.