On March 28, leaders of Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) during news conference held stated that a recent poll confirmed a campaign to improve the public perception of trucking has been successful.
Co-Chairman of TMAF and President of Jet Express, Inc., Kevin Burch, said ‘TMAF was founded five years ago to help shift the public’s perception of the trucking industry, which had suffered from an “outdated and tarnished reputation.”’
“We’re proud of the milestones we’ve accomplished in five years,” Burch said. “Our latest poll shows that more Americans recognize that truck drivers are hardworking professionals who work diligently to safely deliver our goods on time. Motorists have a much more positive view of the industry now, describing truck drivers as the ‘backbone of our country.’ Americans also understand the industry plays a very important role in the country’s economy.”
The online survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed around 800 Americans with driver’s licenses from February 14 through February 18 and compared the results to the same survey that was conducted in 2015.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 67% of American drivers have a favourable view of the trucking industry. This was nearly the same as 2015 at 68%.
- 74% of American drivers believe the trucking industry plays a very important role in the nation’s economy, up from 71% in 2015.
- 70% of motorists are overwhelmingly positive about the trucking industry’s safety record, the same as in 2015.
- 86% view trucking as a career versus a temporary job, the same as in 2015.
- 57% of American motorists believe that trucks move more freight than railroads or airplanes, an increase from 49% in 2015.
- Though only a small percentage of motorists have seen, heard or read information about TMAF, of those who have, 83% have a more favourable view of the industry.
“What a good five years it’s been,” Burch said. “We’re so proud of the progress that we’ve made in those five years. Five years ago, we had to say Trucking Moves America Forward. Now we’re known as TMAF.”
