It’s that time of year again when the long, hot days of summer will soon be a memory and the kids are heading back to the classroom. It’s time to make the annual school trip to the store in order to gather up needed supplies such as: notebooks, pens, pencils, glue and other craft items that will be used for class.


Besides enjoying the cooler temperatures in the Carolinas and watching the leaves turn to colors of yellow, orange and red, I always enjoy this season. This is the time when I make contact with my teacher and class that I will be involved with as part of the “Trucker Buddy” program.


In just a short time, we will be exchanging letters, postcards, and I’ll be sharing my stories with them from over the road. My second grade class is located in Pennsylvania. I’ve been working with this class for a few years now and I always enjoy reading each letter and answering all of their questions. They are interested in my hobbies, type of truck I drive, favorite foods and they really like hearing about all the places in which I’ve traveled. The children are really interested in learning about trucks and it’s great to teach them about our profession as drivers and the interesting places we get to visit while doing our job. When my schedule allows, I try to make a trip to the school with the truck so that they can get an up-close look inside a tractor and trailer. They are always amazed and walk away with a new perspective on what being a truck driver is all about.


It’s a great opportunity to work with the students and I’m honored to be a “Trucker Buddy.” Through being involved in the program, we have the ability to assist in educating our students while promoting a positive image for the trucking industry. If you decide to take part in the program, I’m sure you’ll see why this is such a unique opportunity. If you enjoy children and want to be a part of their learning process, you may be a great candidate for the program. Putting in the time and effort can make a difference for the children and is surely a rewarding experience for any driver who wishes to participate.


Trucker Buddy International is a nonprofit organization which began in 1992 and is dedicated to helping educate and mentor schoolchildren. The organization matches school grades K-8th with professional truck drivers. Each week drivers share news about their travels while on the road. The students write to the driver and tell about class information they are studying. Students learn skills in math, science, history, social studies and geography while having fun communicating to their “trucker buddy driver.”


For more information go to www.truckerbuddy.org



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Henry Albert

Henry Albert is the owner of Albert Transport, Inc., based in Statesville, NC. Before participating in the "Slice of Life" program, Albert drove a 2001 Freightliner Century Class S/T™, and will use his Cascadia for general freight and a dry van trailer. Albert, who has been a trucker since 1983, was recognized by Overdrive as its 2007 Trucker of the Year.