Truck drivers play a vital role in making Thanksgiving possible by delivering turkeys, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and more across the country. This blog highlights their contributions, from managing cold chain logistics for frozen goods to ensuring holiday shopping supplies arrive on time. While families gather to celebrate, many drivers spend the holiday on the road, ensuring tables are full. Carter Express thanks drivers for their dedication this Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is about gathering with loved ones and sharing a meal, representing thankfulness and gratitude. But have you ever wondered who makes sure your turkey, sides, and favorite desserts arrive at the table? The answer is simple: truck drivers. Without their dedication and hard work, Thanksgiving as we know it simply wouldn’t be possible. At Carter Express, we’re beyond grateful for the drivers who keep this holiday moving, delivering all the essentials that make Thanksgiving special.
From the turkey to the cranberries, every ingredient of a Thanksgiving meal embarks on a journey that spans farms, processing facilities, distribution centers, and grocery stores before it finally lands at family tables. The U.S. raises an estimated 254 million turkeys yearly, with 46 million destined for Thanksgiving tables. Delivering these turkeys requires more than 15,300 truckloads—and that’s just for the main course!
Truck drivers are responsible for transporting not only turkeys but also the 80 million pounds of cranberries and 3 billion pounds of sweet potatoes consumed across the country. The average Thanksgiving meal travels up to 2,500 miles to reach the table. Without the hands-on work of truck drivers navigating highways and weather conditions, fresh and frozen items couldn’t make it to stores or homes on time.
The heightened demand for holiday goods adds a layer of complexity to the job this time of the year. Many Thanksgiving items, such as frozen turkeys, require temperature-controlled shipping to stay fresh and safe for consumption. Thanks to specialized cold chain logistics and modern technology like IoT sensors, drivers ensure food is kept at optimal temperatures from pickup to delivery. For example, about 90% of turkeys sold for Thanksgiving are frozen, and drivers play a key role in managing this cold chain process, guaranteeing that Thanksgiving dinners are safe and delicious.
It’s not just food that truck drivers deliver. Everything from the helium that fills the balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to the stock-filling stores for Black Friday sales depends on trucks. A whopping 69% of Americans plan to shop over Thanksgiving weekend, driving a 20% surge in freight volume. Without drivers, this holiday weekend would lack the food, festivities, and holiday shopping people look forward to every year.
While millions gather at home, many truck drivers are spending Thanksgiving on the road, ensuring those holiday essentials reach families across the country. We recognize the sacrifice it takes to be away from loved ones, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Truckdrivers are the reason families can enjoy a full Thanksgiving meal with loved ones, creating memories over food and traditions. Your commitment at the wheel ensures that America’s favorite holiday is possible.
So, this Thanksgiving, as families across the country give thanks, we’re extending our gratitude to the truck drivers who make it all possible. The food, the family traditions, and even the post-dinner shopping are all made possible by the men and women on the road who keep America moving.
From all of us at Carter Express, thank you to our drivers who make Thanksgiving happen for thousands of people across the country. This holiday wouldn’t be possible without your hard work and dedication. Happy Thanksgiving, and safe travels to everyone on the road.
