SAN ANTONIO, Texas — They come on flatbeds, in reefers, dry van trailers and tankers — those goods that Americans rely on for day-to-day living are all connected to the big rigs crisscrossing America’s highways 24 hours a day.
Without them, there would be nothing.
Books. Shoes. Shirts. Pants. Produce. Electronics. Home goods. Pet food. Office supplies. Gas. Oil. Milk.
You name it, trucks haul it.
Still, there are many Americans who don’t realize the vital role these big rigs play in their daily lives.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is working to change that with a new program called “Nothing Without Trucking.”
According to a news release, the multi-year, nationwide image campaign is designed to educate policymakers and the public about the indispensable role trucking plays in Americans’ lives.
The campaign was unveiled at ATA’s Mid-Year Management Session in San Antonio with an introductory video, new website with social media shareables and call to action for industry supporters to share their stories, according to a news release.
The video showcasing the new “Nothing Without Trucking” campaign was recently shown at the Arkansas Trucking Association’s annual conference, prompting the association’s President, Shannon Newton, to admit that watching it gave her “chill bumps.”
It plays out like a movie trailer.
The video begins with a sweeping view of a massive American flag waving in the wind as trucks travel on highways below. Text boxes soon begin telling viewers about the importance of trucks and their drivers while orchestral music evokes emotion in the background. Truckers are shown in front of their rigs and inside. All are doing their business so that the nation’s economic wheels keep turning.
Indeed, the video is stirring and hammers home its point: The nation is “Nothing Without Trucking.”
“This time of year, as schools wind down and summer vacations dot the horizon, we’re here to remind America that in every season and at every moment of daily life, there’s nothing without trucking,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “In an election year when it can feel our country is more polarized than ever, trucking is an incomparable industry that connects Americans of every background in ways that are literal, essential and personal. Our footprint is omnipresent, our reach is inescapable, and this campaign will show why trucking is the true beating heart of this nation.”
ATA Chief Operation Officer Sarah Rajtik described the new campaign this way: “The tireless work of the trucking industry instills a quiet confidence in every American that we can effortlessly get the products and goods we need precisely when we need them. This campaign will tell our American story in new and innovative ways. We will spotlight the millions of individuals who make trucking safer, innovative, efficient and more environmentally responsible — from the drivers behind the wheel to the techs on the shop floor to the dispatchers, safety directors and fleet managers who all play an indispensable role in keeping our economy moving.”
Below is the video produced as part of the “Nothing Without Trucking” campaign.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
