New Drivers Dreams Program Aims To Celebrate America's Truck Drivers And Raise Awareness For The St. Christopher Fund
Cincinnati – Thank one of America’s 3.5 million professional truck drivers because nearly everything you use or consume most likely made it to you because of them. Nearly 70% of this nation’s freight is transported by truck, and Total Quality Logistics (TQL) is saying thank you to the men and women who keep our nation moving with the launch of its Drivers Dreams program..
Drivers Dreams is like a make-a-wish program for truck drivers. Drivers go to the drivers dreams website and submit any dream, wish, or need they have. It might be a dream to take a long overdue family vacation. It might be a wish to go back to school. It might be assistance in paying bills. Any dream is acceptable.
A Dream Team made up of TQL employees will choose the ten most compelling submissions and post them on the Drivers Dreams website during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, September 16-22. Drivers will cast their vote for the wish they feel is most worthy. The dream or dreams with the most votes win. A total of $10,000 will be granted to make their dreams come true.
Additionally, for every dream submitted and every vote cast to the Drivers Dreams website, TQL will donate $1 to the St. Christopher Truckers Development & Relief Fund (SCF), one of the only charities in the country solely focused on assisting truck drivers and their families. TQL will donate up to $25,000 to SCF.
“This is a perfect partnership for us,” said Jo Wehage, marketing director for TQL. “Building strong relationships with our drivers is extremely important to us. We are excited to help the St. Christopher Fund expand their reach and help more men, women, and families who need assistance because of medical issues, which are often brought on by the difficult, but critical job of driving a truck.”
Studies have shown that more than 70% of professional truck drivers have one or more serious health problems. Professional truck drivers lack access to healthcare because of irregular work hours, long durations of time away from home, and the inability to navigate side streets and parking lots in their trucks to get to a clinic, pharmacy, or hospital.
“We are so excited that TQL has chosen the SCF to partner with. With great companies like TQL, we are destined to continue making a difference in the driving community. There are so many drivers and their families out there whose medical problems have caused financial strain; we are encouraged that more of them will learn about our organization through the Drivers Dreams program and our partnership with TQL,” said Donna Kennedy, Ph.D., Executive Director of the SCF.
The Drivers Dreams program began, Monday, August 27. Dream submissions will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at the Drivers Dreams website. On Sunday, September 16, 2012, the ten most compelling dreams will be posted online and visitors to the site will vote on the wishes they feel are most worthy. The winning dream will be announced on Tuesday, September 25, 2012.
ABOUT TOTAL QUALITY LOGISTICS (WWW.TQL.COM)
Total Quality Logistics is a privately held company founded in 1997 that connects consumer product and industrial goods shippers with truck operators that transport freight to market destinations across North America. The company’s more than 2,000 employees identify the right trucks for particular freight loads, negotiate rates, and ensure on-time delivery. TQL was the first freight brokerage in the nation to introduce mobile freight finding applications to the trucking industry. The company’s investment in industry-leading technology and its insistence on honest, straightforward communications has made it the third largest freight brokerage in the nation and a nationally recognized Best Place to Work. TQL’s corporate headquarters is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, with satellite offices in 12 additional cities across the nation. To learn more, visit www.tql.com.
ABOUT ST. CHRISTOPHER FUND (SCF) (WWW.TRUCKERSFUND.ORG)
The St. Christopher Truckers Development & Relief Fund (SCF) helps professional drivers and their families who have financial needs due to medical problems. Assistance may be in the form of direct payment for medical services or prescription drugs, assistance with expenses while recovering from illness and out of work, assisting and teaching drivers how to negotiate hospital and doctor bills. Since the beginning, the foundation has done its best with limited resources and staff to help make a difference. The SCF runs with three part-time employees. The Board of Directors, web designer, accountant, and attorney are all volunteers who donate their time and services, which help keep overhead at 10-20%. The Fund has assisted 561 drivers through July 2012.
