LOUISVILLE, Ky. — TMAF released results of a recent national poll and detailed five years of efforts during a news conference Thursday at the Mid-America Trucking Show here in celebration of the initiative’s fifth anniversary.
TMAF commissioned the new research last month to determine perceptions of the industry from the motoring public.
Key findings include:
- 67 percent of American drivers have a favorable view of the trucking industry. This was nearly the same as 2015 at 68 percent.
- 74 percent of American drivers believe the trucking industry plays a very important role in the nation’s economy, up from 71 percent in 2015.
- 70 percent of motorists are overwhelmingly positive about the trucking industry’s safety record; the same in 2015.
- 86 percent view trucking as a career versus a temporary job, the same as 2015.
- A growing percentage of American motorists, 57 percent, believe that trucks move more freight than railroads or airplanes, an increase from 49 percent in 2015.
- Though a small percentage of motorists have seen, heard or read information about TMAF, of those who have, 83 percent have a more favorable view of the industry.
The online survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed 800 American adults with driver’s licenses from February 14-18, 2019, and it compared results from a replicated survey from 2015. A breakdown of the research findings, including verbatim responses, can be found here.
“TMAF was founded five years ago to help shift the public’s perception of the trucking industry, which had suffered from an outdated and tarnished reputation,” said Kevin Burch, co-chairman of TMAF and president of Jet Express. “We’re proud of the milestones we’ve accomplished in five years. Our latest poll shows that more Americans recognize that truck drivers are hardworking professionals who work diligently to safely deliver our goods on time. Motorists have a much more positive view of the industry now, describing truck drivers as the ‘backbone of our country.’ Americans also understand the industry plays a very important role in the country’s economy.”
Burch said TMAF would extend its message more broadly through outreach and educational efforts in an effort to reach more of the motoring public and continue to shift public perception even further to the positive.
During the press conference, a video highlighted TMAF’s accomplishments over five years since its inception, including:
- 200 donors
- 3,410 subscribers
- 240 trailer wraps on the road, reaching a total of 38.4 billion Americans each year
- More than 344 million advertising impressions
- More than 200 earned media placements totaling 162 million impressions
- 16, 276 Facebook followers; 4,586 Twitter followers; 1,100 Instagram followers
- 24 blog posts
TMAF’s 2018 accomplishments are showcased in its newly released 2018 Annual Report titled “Miles in a Movement: Advancing the image of the trucking industry.” To view the report, click here.
An infographic that summarizes the report can be found here.
Highlights of TMAF’s accomplishments in 2018 alone include:
- 35 million billboard impressions and 385K social media impressions during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
- 47 earned media stories and placed 11 op-eds, resulting in 35.5 million print impressions.
- 254 million radio listener impressions.
- 16,000 Facebook followers; 4,500 Twitter followers
- 116 percent growth on Instagram; 79 percent growth on LinkedIn.
- Mascot Safety Sammy traveled across the U.S. and helped TMAF reach more than 130,000 attendees at events.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
