Thank a trucker

To the editor:

Do you know how you get the clothes you wear, food you eat or medicine you take? All these items, and nearly everything we use in our daily lives, are delivered by a professional truck driver.

Many Americans do not recognize the vital role the trucking industry plays in our everyday lives. But, when you see a truck on the highway today, realize that a professional truck driver is delivering the goods that keep America moving.

In Maine, trucking provides more than 29,780 jobs, or one out of every 16 in the state. Further, the average salary for someone in the trucking industry in Maine is $42,502. It is a great career that a lot of Mainers depend on.

Trucking’s professional drivers last year hauled over 9.96 billion tons of freight, or 68.8 percent of total U.S. freight tonnage. Trucking is so vital to our economy that more than 80 percent of U.S. cities and towns rely solely on the trucking industry for their goods and commodities.

When you head to your local grocery store, look at the variety of products available on the shelves. Everything there was delivered by a professional truck driver, from the fresh fruits and vegetables to your morning coffee or your ingredients for dinner.

Barry E. Pottle
President & CEO, Pottle’s Transportation, LLC
Vice Chairman, American Trucking Associations
Hermon