We asked our friend, customer, and Instagram badass, @asphaltcowboy50, what keeps him trucking in these challenging times, and to share some observations from the front lines.
COMING SOON: Discounts for health care professionals and truckers will be added to our military, first responder, and teacher discounts.
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What keeps you trucking?
What keeps me trucking? I love it... I grew up around it.... spent a lot time in and around trucks with my dad since I was old enough to remember....
Pride is a big part of it.... pride in being apart of what keeps our country going.... family tradition is another part of it.... I can do lots of things but, nothing is as satisfying as driving a truck to me.... it is a challenging profession..... everyday no matter how long you do this type work, something new comes your way everyday... having the ability to handle what ever it is , without panic or confusion is an amazing feeling... for some of us it comes naturally.... for others they struggle.... in today’s trucking their more and more people who don’t have the ability or calmness to do this job..... I love the challenges.... riding down the highway listening to music... seeing the beautiful world God created.
What do you see out there in the world that is different?
What I see in today’s world that is different.... people are different.... what people care about is different... how they care is different.... people say words that they never intend to keep or act upon... I see people becoming heartless and self centered .... it’s not going to get any better.
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So, there you have it... people are different. The world is still beautiful, but people are guarded and different.
I've been following Asphalt Cowboy on Instagram for at least a year. Before his posts, I hadn't ever seen the world from a trucker's eye view. If you want to see some amazing stuff, follow him: https://www.instagram.com/asphaltcowboy50/
I originally reached out to Asphalt Cowboy because Rebecca, a friend and customer on Facebook, said that her trucker son was having a hard time even getting a meal on the road. All restaurants were closed except for drive-throughs and takeout, which truckers can't really use.
She said that if you see a trucker out in the world, just show a little compassion and ask if you can pick them up anything. Her comments, and the comments of Asphalt Cowboy, highlight the need for extending kindness wherever you can these days. Don't hoard food. Don't be a jerk.
The American Trucking Association
In doing a bit of research for this post, I also checked out what the American Trucking Association had to say about the situation. I was not disappointed:
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We’re in uncharted waters, and it’s become evident the global COVID-19 pandemic will challenge this current generation in ways history has never seen. As of March 22, one in four Americans have been ordered to stay home. Congress is nearing what could be the largest economic bailout in history. Across the globe, cases of coronavirus continue to rise, as does its tragic death toll.
But America and her allies aren’t resistant to unprecedented challenges. We don’t buckle under adversity. Just as past generations have risen to the great tests of their time, so will we now and in the days, weeks and months ahead. Success will demand the totality of our resources. The cost of victory will be paid in sacrifice. But our resilience is unmatched. We will overpower this virus and any other obstacle that dare stand in our way.
It’s no mere coincidence those values—resourcefulness, sacrifice, resilience—are deeply rooted in the trucking industry. They’re embedded in heart of the American trucker. As Americans across the country are witnessing, truckers have an enormous role in this national fight against COVID-19. It’s imperative they are empowered to keep rolling, so they can deliver those loads critically needed to get us all through.
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Read the whole article here: https://www.trucking.org/news-insights/keep-rolling
It's a time when everyone has to pull together to support the good folks who are keeping us rolling, both literally and figuratively.
Thanks to all the truckers out there. You're our heroes.
