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September 15, 2025 News Release

PA Turnpike Honors Truckers During 2025 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week


PA Turnpike Honors Truckers During 2025 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week

MIDDLETOWN, PA – The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) and the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association (PMTA) are again partnering to celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (NTDAW) from September 14-20, 2025. This nationwide recognition event highlights the crucial role professional truck drivers play in safely and securely delivering America’s freight.

“Professional drivers are essential to the nation’s economy and to the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s mission of supporting national mobility and commerce,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “We pride ourselves on serving them with a reliable road system and look forward to partnering with organizations like the PMTA to enhance their travel experience.”

Truck Driver Appreciation Week events will be held along the PA Turnpike from 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. on the following days at these service plaza locations:

At participating plazas, truck drivers can enjoy a complimentary beverage and slice of pizza, as well as enter a raffle for the chance to win a 30 oz. Yeti tumbler.

“Pennsylvania is home to more than 71,000 trucking companies supporting one in every fifteen jobs in the state—many of them truck drivers who are the backbone of our economy and the lifeline of our supply chain,” said Rebecca Oyler, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association. “These men and women make sure businesses stay open, hospitals are supplied, and families are fed. We are grateful to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for recognizing their vital contributions and for working on long-term solutions to better support drivers on the road.”

All visitors can stop by the event’s tent and table outside of the service plaza to learn more about the commercial trucking industry and how to share the road with these essential vehicles with these critical vehicles.

The PA Turnpike Commission is working with the PMTA to address one of the industry’s top issues – a lack of truck parking. In 2024, the PA Turnpike increased tractor-trailer parking spaces at Sideling Hill, Lawn and Highspire service plazas.

Additionally, commercial customer services include: 

  • A dedicated commercial section, including site drone footage, on the PA Turnpike website  
  • Digital message boards for emergency and weather condition communication  
  • Commercial resources, such as 511PA 
  • Round-the-clock driver assistance, including towing and road debris removal, via *11 
  • Service plazas with increased overnight parking spots, food 
  • On-system bathroom, fuel and food amenities with easy on/off ramps 
  • All-electronic tolling for cashless, non-stop travel 

According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), truck drivers transport more than 11 billion tons of freight each year — about 70% of all freight moved in the U.S. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is one of the few toll roads that held – and grew – its commercial volumes from pre-pandemic levels. On the Pennsylvania Turnpike, commercial traffic increased 15% over the last five years.

A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles. The PA Turnpike proudly supports safety and convenience for its more than 550,000 daily customers through 24-7 roadside assistance, round-the-clock food and fuel at 17 service plazas and a dedicated maintenance force and State Police Troop. The PA Turnpike’s approximately 1,400-person local workforce is unified in its mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. For more information about the PA Turnpike’s mission, vision and values, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.     

 

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Media Contacts:

Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com 

Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com