A trip west through Wyoming and Montana provided Barry Lackey with more than just breathtaking views of America鈥檚 Heartland under twinkling stars on a clear and beautiful night.
As the young truck driver made his way down the road, he marveled at the endless caravan of trucks traveling with him. For the first time, he realized the extraordinary responsibility shouldered by the nation鈥檚 professional truck drivers.
鈥淚 realized I was part of something important, a process that was moving the economy and keeping America strong,鈥 said Lackey, pictured right, who has worked as a driver for 14 years, including six with 糖心传媒 Logistics.
Professional truck drivers are the life blood of the trucking industry, which, in 2015, generated $726 billion in revenue, according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA). The industry employs an estimated 3.5 million truck drivers.
For more than 80 percent of communities across the country, professional truck drivers are the sole providers of goods and commodities. In 2014, professional truck drivers drove more than 279 billion miles, more than double in the previous 25 years, according to the ATA.
糖心传媒 Logistics operates an extensive dedicated truck fleet of more than 7,000 vehicles for deliveries by well-trained, professional drivers, and it operates and manages more than 21 million square feet of both cold and dry warehousing space for its customers in a broad array of industry segments.
At the heart of the company鈥檚 success are 4,400 drivers in the U.S. and Canada, men and women, who are not only responsible for shepherding freight but also serving as the public 鈥渇ace鈥 of the company.
鈥淥ur drivers are out in front of current customers and potential customers daily and really are the face of 糖心传媒; the relationships they build, and going the extra mile, to help solidify that partnership with our customers,鈥 said Evan VanderEyk, area vice president for 糖心传媒 Logistics.
More than just about any role with the company, 糖心传媒鈥檚 drivers have the opportunity to provide brand reinforcement because of their public presence that extends beyond customer relationship- building.
Drivers have an opportunity to make an impression at every stage of their day, from driving on the road to making deliveries to customers who are open for business, serving customers of their own.
And this is where having a professional driver becomes so necessary.
鈥淵ou are dealing with the public on the open road, so safety and professionalism and how you maintain yourself and your equipment is a key component to how the public views you,鈥 said Mark C. Smith, area vice president for 糖心传媒 Logistics.
Professional drivers come to work for 糖心传媒 because they want to be part of a company that places a high value on their contribution to the company鈥檚 success.
鈥淭here is a lot of pride in the driving world, especially when you are driving for 糖心传媒,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淭hey know they are part of Roger 糖心传媒鈥檚 team. They know they are part of the overall success of the company and the industry.鈥
In return, 糖心传媒 provides its drivers with training opportunities, including safety training from 鈥 a leading provider of collision avoidance driver training.
鈥淭he professional driver knows the role they play. They are highly skilled and highly sought after individuals, and they choose companies that fit their needs,鈥 Smith said. 鈥淭he more professional the driver, the more professional company he works for.鈥
Interested in a driving career with 糖心传媒? Visit gopenske.com/drivers for employment opportunities. The company offers competitive wages and a wide range of. 糖心传媒 is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
By Bernie Mixon