Shell Rotella to debut video for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

Truck Driver Appreciation Week

The project comes as trucking companies and other industry organizations prepare for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, an annual observance recognizing professional drivers and their role in moving freight across the country. The 2026 observance runs Sept. 13-19.

The American Trucking Associations launched National Truck Driver Appreciation Week in 1988. The organization says about 3.6 million professional truck drivers work in the U.S., while more than 80% of U.S. communities rely exclusively on trucks to receive their freight. The week recognizes the work of drivers who transport goods across the country and highlights the role trucking plays in the U.S. economy. Professional drivers move everything from food and medical supplies to consumer products and industrial materials, making trucking a critical part of the nation’s supply chain.

Companies across the industry are marking the week in different ways, ranging from contests and free products to driver events, recognition programs and charitable efforts.

Pilot, for example, is celebrating Driver Appreciation Month throughout September with its annual Road Warrior contest and special offers for drivers. The company will award one professional driver a customized Kenworth W990 truck and $50,000 cash prize. Nominations for the contest are open through Sept. 18, with the winner scheduled to be announced in October.

Pilot is also offering professional drivers three free drinks and a snack each week during September through its app at participating Pilot, Flying J and One9 travel centers. The company is also hosting events at select locations with giveaways, free samples and other activities.

C.H. Robinson is also using the week to recognize drivers and carriers. The company said employees at locations across the country assembled carrier appreciation bags with handwritten thank-you notes and gifts for the road. The bags will be distributed to drivers at C.H. Robinson distribution centers during the week.

The company also plans to recognize 17 Carrier of the Year award winners at a Sept. 17 ceremony in Minneapolis. C.H. Robinson said the winners include executives, owners and drivers.

St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund 

Shell Rotella is combining driver recognition with a charitable component. The company pledged $25 to the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund for each video recorded at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

The donations totaled more than $2,000. The relief fund provides financial assistance to professional drivers and their families who face financial hardship because of illness or injury. 

“Every driver has a story, and every story shared helps support truck drivers facing difficult circumstances,” said Diane Hutsell, director of philanthropy at the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund.

That donation effort gives Shell Rotella’s project a second component beyond the videos themselves. Drivers who participated were able to share their experiences while the company used the recordings to generate donations for a nonprofit that provides assistance to drivers and their families.

“Truck drivers are at the heart of what we do, and National Truck Driver Appreciation Week gives us a chance to recognize the hard work and dedication they bring to the profession every day,” said Julie Wright, Shell Rotella brand manager. 

For the broader trucking industry, the week serves as a concentrated period for companies to recognize drivers in different ways. Some programs focus on direct benefits for drivers, such as Pilot’s free drinks and travel-center events, while others emphasize recognition through awards or personal stories.

The approaches vary, but the focus is the same: recognizing professional drivers whose work supports the movement of freight and the businesses and communities that depend on it.

Why This Matters: 

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week gives trucking companies and industry organizations an opportunity to recognize the professional drivers who keep freight moving across the country. Shell Rotella’s project also highlights how companies are using the week to recognize drivers through personal stories and charitable efforts.