Every day, professional truck drivers deliver the food on our shelves, the medicine in our hospitals, the materials that build our communities, and countless other products we depend on. During National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, we have an opportunity to recognize the professional drivers who keep our economy—and our everyday lives—moving.
At Next Gen Trucking, this week is especially meaningful. Our mission is to inspire and prepare the next generation for careers in trucking, and part of that mission is helping young people understand and appreciate the important role professional drivers play in our country.
A Thank You From the Next Generation
For the second year, students from programs connected with Next Gen Trucking across the country have come together to create a special Truck Driver Appreciation Week video with one simple message:
Thank you.
Our new 2026 Truck Driver Appreciation Week video features students representing the next generation of the trucking industry. These young people are learning about careers in professional driving, diesel technology, supply chain and logistics, and other areas of the industry—and they wanted the professional drivers working today to know how much they are appreciated.
🎥 [WATCH & SHARE THE 2026 TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK VIDEO]
YouTube link
We encourage trucking companies, schools, industry partners, and individuals to share the video with professional drivers during Truck Driver Appreciation Week. Send it in an email, post it on social media, share it through your driver communication platform, or play it at a driver appreciation event.
Two Years of Students Saying Thank You
This isn’t the first time our students have come together to celebrate professional drivers.
In 2025, students from Next Gen Trucking programs participated in our first Truck Driver Appreciation Week video. We loved seeing young people from different programs and different parts of the country come together to recognize the people who keep freight moving every day.
Now, with our 2026 video, we’re excited to continue that tradition and give even more students an opportunity to say thank you.
[WATCH OUR 2025 & 2026 TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK VIDEOS]
NextGenTrucking.org video page link
We hope this becomes an annual opportunity for the next generation of trucking to recognize the professionals who are leading the industry today.
Supporting the Next Generation
The C.H. Robinson Foundation supports the Next Gen Trucking Foundation and our work to inspire and prepare young people for careers throughout trucking and the supply chain.
Through the Next Gen Trucking Foundation, we help expand career awareness, education, training opportunities, and resources that connect students with pathways into the trucking industry.
We are grateful for the C.H. Robinson Foundation’s continued support of our mission and for organizations throughout the trucking industry that recognize the importance of investing in both today’s workforce and the generation preparing to follow them.
Why Truck Driver Appreciation Matters
Professional truck driving requires skill, responsibility, professionalism, and sacrifice. Drivers navigate changing weather and traffic conditions, prioritize safety, meet demanding schedules, and often spend significant time away from their families.
Yet much of that work happens outside the public eye.
Truck Driver Appreciation Week gives all of us—carriers, shippers, industry partners, schools, students, and the public—a chance to make sure professional drivers know their work is seen, valued, and appreciated.
And appreciation doesn’t have to be complicated.
A conversation. A meal. A handwritten note. A company celebration. A social media post. Or simply taking a moment to say, “Thank you for what you do.”
Those gestures matter.
Help Us Say Thank You
At Next Gen Trucking, we spend a lot of time talking about the future of trucking. But that future is being shaped by the work, knowledge, professionalism, and example of the people who are doing the job today.
That’s why we’re asking our members, partners, schools, and friends throughout the trucking industry to help us spread this message during Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
Watch the video. Share it with your drivers. Post it on your social channels. And most importantly, take a moment to thank a professional driver.
From all of us at Next Gen Trucking—and especially from the students who helped create this year’s message—
Thank you, professional drivers. We appreciate you, and we are proud to celebrate you.
Watch & Share
▶ [Watch the 2026 Truck Driver Appreciation Week Video on YouTube]
▶ [Watch Our 2025 & 2026 Truck Driver Appreciation Week Videos on NextGenTrucking.org]
