NEW ORLEANS – In appreciation of the key role truckers play in trade and in the economy, the Port of New Orleans launched a series of activities in conjunction with National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
The Port kicked off a week of events and giveaways Monday, September 14, 2015, as volunteers hand delivered re-usable water bottles, re-usable trash receptacles and more to truck drivers at the entry to the Clarence Henry Truckway, a dedicated two-lane roadway on Port property.
“The men and women who traverse our roads and highways carrying cargo work hard to deliver goods safely and on time,” said Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “We want to take this opportunity to thank them for the important part they play year round in moving the Port and the nation’s economy forward.”
In observance of Truck Driver Appreciation Week, drivers will also receive free doughnuts Tuesday, September 15, and Friday, September 18, from 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m., at the Port’s Nashville Avenue Circle Building. On Wednesday, September 16, jambalaya, burgers, hot dogs and drinks will be served from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Circle Building.
Partner sponsors for PortNola’s driver appreciation events include BIS Construction and Ship Services, Gulf Intermodal Services, New Orleans Terminal, Penske Corp. and Ports America.
In conjunction with the week’s activities, the Port also launched its “Keep It Clean!” campaign, coordinated by the Port’s Environmental Services Department, utilizes the slogan “Your Port, Your Water: Keep it Clean” on T-shirts, bumper stickers, signage and giveaways for truck drivers and port workers.
“In collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Port tenants and community stakeholders, the Port of New Orleans is working to address the universal issue of trash, litter and debris and to prevent it from reaching our waterways,” said LaGrange.
Amelia Pellegrin, the Port’s environmental services manager, said the campaigns goal is to work with a diverse group of stakeholders to increase water literacy and change behavior at the Port and beyond.
“The Port is a public asset and so are our waterways,” Pellegrin said. “Ownership is collective and we must take pride and responsibility in our community.”
The “Keep it Clean” campaign was also promoted on traffic signs, banners, yard signs, the Port web site and social media. Cruise passengers and visitors to the Port’s Administration Building will also be reminded of the campaign to create broader awareness and participation.
Collaborators in the Keep it Clean campaign include Triple G Express, Southern Recycling, TCI Trucking, Coastal Cargo Company, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans Terminal, Ports America, Regional Planning Commission, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board, City of New Orleans, Jefferson Parish Government, University of New Orleans, Nicholls State University, Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Institute for Local Innovation and New Orleans Business Alliance.
The Port of New Orleans is a deep-draft multipurpose port at the center of the world’s busiest port system — Louisiana’s Lower Mississippi River. Connected to major inland markets and Canada via 14,500 miles of waterways, six class-1 railroads and the interstate highway system, the Port is the ideal gateway for steel, project cargo, containers, coffee, natural rubber, chemicals, forest products, manufactured goods and cruising. An extensive network of ocean carrier services, along with added-value services, make the Port of New Orleans the superior logistics solution for many types of cargo.