National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW) is an annual celebration launched by the American Trucking Associations in 1988. This year it runs Sept. 13–19, 2026.
For fleets, it's more than a nice gesture. Drivers notice which companies make an effort and which ones hand out a hat and move on. The ideas below are the ones drivers tend to remember.
Start with what drivers actually value
The most meaningful thank-yous take something off a driver's plate:
- Money. A bonus, a gift card they can spend on the road, or a fuel or meal allowance for the week.
- Time. Guaranteed home time, a paid day off, or routing that gets drivers home when they were promised.
- Fixing a pain point. If drivers keep complaining about detention at one customer, a broken reefer unit or slow settlements, announcing a fix during NTDAW says more than a banner.
Recognize safe, professional driving
Appreciation week is a natural time to recognize the habits that keep your fleet safe and compliant:
- Clean roadside inspections, including drivers who came through CVSA's Brake Safety Week in August without violations.
- Safe-mile milestones and years of service.
- Drivers who mentor new hires or catch a problem on a pre-trip inspection before it became a breakdown.
Be specific. "Thanks for your 500,000 safe miles" means more than a generic message to everyone.
Make it easy for drivers on the road to join in
Many of your drivers won't be anywhere near the terminal this week:
- Mail a thank-you package or note to their home, where their family sees it too.
- Arrange meals or gift cards they can use at truck stops on their route.
- Have dispatch and leadership call drivers personally, not just send a group text.
Include owner-operators and families
Owner-operators leased to your fleet are part of your operation, so include them. And recognize the families who deal with missed dinners and weekends: a note or gift addressed to the household goes a long way.
Listen, then follow up
Use the week to ask drivers what would make their job better, in a short survey or a few conversations. Then report back on what you changed. A listening session with no follow-up does more harm than good.
Keep it going after Sept. 19
The fleets with the most loyal drivers don't save appreciation for one week. Build recognition into the rest of the year: monthly safety recognition, milestone awards, and fast fixes for the problems drivers raise.
