Opinion: A special delivery by truck for all Americans this holiday season
A special delivery just arrived in Washington, D.C. – one that all Americans can unite behind. The U.S. Capitol Christmas tree was delivered to the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol this past Friday – and we’re the drivers who have made this delivery possible.
Since “Ruby” was harvested from the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina, we’ve been behind the wheel of the Kenworth truck transporting the remarkable 78-foot red spruce. Over the course of a 14-day route, we’ve made stops in over a dozen communities along the way, helping to spread holiday cheer in our home state of North Carolina, as well as in Virginia and Maryland, before we made our final stop in Washington, D.C.
As a husband-and-wife truck driver team, we are used to transporting important goods, but this delivery is extra special for us. Having the privilege of being selected by our company to transport Ruby and taking part in this special annual tradition has been such an amazing experience for us, and we’re grateful to be part of an industry that makes opportunities like this possible.
We both chose to be part of the trucking industry later in our professions, and it’s been such a rewarding career. At our company, Hardy Brothers Trucking, we help deliver goods that communities rely on, including refrigerated goods, such as fresh produce, as well as other essential goods like pharmaceuticals and clothing. One of our favorite parts about our job as long-haul truckers is that we get to see America and meet wonderful people that support our economy, while traveling from state to state and making deliveries together.
But most importantly, we take great pride in our jobs and the work of the trucking industry. As two of America’s 3.36 million professional truck drivers, we know that our industry is the critical supply chain link between American businesses and families. Our industry, which is made up of over 7.65 million professionals, ensures that American communities nationwide receive the goods that they rely on safely and on time. Collectively, the trucking sector delivers over 72% of our nation’s total freight to over 80% of American communities.
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When we were growing up, trucking unfortunately suffered from outdated stereotypes and misguided information. But now today, the public perception of the industry is at an all-time high, which is welcome news to us. For most Americans, it wasn’t or isn’t always at the forefront of their minds that truck drivers were the ones that were keeping our homes and stores well stocked, or that the jobs in the industry are a great option for those young adults who are seeking a skills-based career. But today, Americans are increasingly seeing the true value and contributions of truck drivers to the American economy, and the opportunities for life-long and fulfilling careers.
New nationwide polling from the industry movement association, Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF), found that 87% of voters now have a favorable impression of the trucking industry, which is up significantly from 67% in 2019. We were especially pleased to hear that when asked about truck drivers, 96% of Americans stated they are essential to keeping the country’s economy moving, and 78% believe that truck drivers have higher standards for safety than other drivers.
It's heartwarming news that more and more Americans recognize how important our jobs as truck drivers are.
As we made our final stop at the U.S. Capitol, we look forward to the holiday cheer that Ruby will give to those who visit the beautifully decorated red spruce on the Capitol Lawn – also hopefully a small reminder of the hard work the trucking industry does this time of year.
Ed Kingdon Jr. and Deborah Kingdon are professional truck drivers for the North Carolina-based carrier Hardy Brothers Trucking.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Opinion: A special holiday delivery by truck for all Americans
