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Sep 14, 2012 1:44 PM, By Charles E Wilson

Over  the next week, we will be celebrating some of the most important contributors  to the US (as well as the overall North American) economy—truck drivers.  Without these hard-working people, America’s economy absolutely stops dead.

National  Truck Driver Appreciation Week runs September 16-22. The annual  celebration is sponsored by the American Trucking Associations and salutes the  3.1 million truck drivers who travel the US highways every day.

According  to ATA, these professional men and women log close to 398 billion miles each  year and in 2011 delivered 67% of US freight tonnage—or over 9.2 billion tons  of freight. Virtually every drop of fuel required to move the US economy is  hauled by tank truck drivers, and they move a majority of the chemicals and  other liquid and dry bulk cargoes that are needed by industry and consumers.

Eighty  percent of US communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods  and commodities. “Our country runs on trucking, and the men and women who  dedicate their working lives to this challenging job deserve our highest  respect and thanks,” says Fred Andersky, director of government and industry  affairs for Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC.

Many  companies hold special events National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. As we  hear about activities, we will post them on the Bulk  Transporter website and in Bulk Logistics Trends ,  our weekly e-newsletter. E-mail driver event notices to Charles Wilson at charles.wilson@penton.com