Sometimes, showing appreciation means more than saying thank you. For members of the Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Elevate Class of 2026, it meant rolling up their sleeves and filling 250 backpacks with gifts for the professional drivers who keep freight moving.
The class’s “Stuff the Bag” project brought TCA members and industry supporters together during the association’s Fall Business Meetings, held September 1 in Washington, D.C. The goal was simple: Give professional drivers a little something extra to let them know their work is appreciated.
Led by Elevate members Megan Eddy, Julie Strokos, Jerrit Judie, Ty Walker, Toni Jones and Cristina Ungureanu, the project brought together TCA members and supporters to fill backpacks with practical items and treats for drivers.
The finished bags included items such as CAT Scale mugs, snacks, phone chargers, and playing cards provided by Lytx, along with other donated goodies.
Following the meetings, TCA Senior Membership Engagement Manager Erica Bledsoe delivered the backpacks to truck stops and rest areas throughout the Washington, D.C., region, including locations in Maryland and Virginia.
While many of the deliveries were simply a matter of dropping off the bags for drivers to pick up, Bledsoe had the opportunity to see firsthand how much the gesture meant to some recipients. One driver she encountered was surprised and excited to be recognized for the work they do.
The project was made possible through contributions from TCA members and industry partners, who donated supplies and helped assemble the kits. Supporting companies include Acrisure, Aim Transportation Solutions, Alliant Insurance Services, America’s Service Line LLC, Capital R Trucking LLC, CAT Scale Co., CAST Specialty Transportation Inc., Challenger Motor Freight Inc., Don Hummer Trucking Corp., GLCS Inc., Great West Casualty Co., Greater Omaha Express LLC, Halvor Lines, Heyl Truck Lines, ISAAC Instruments, Jetco Delivery, Lytx Inc., Parish Transport, Stokes Trucking LLC, Tenstreet LLC and Truck Parking Club.
From backpacks to Capitol Hill
The Elevate class also had an opportunity to see another side of TCA’s work during the association’s Call on Washington, held the following day.
Led by Bledsoe, Elevate members Ben Rima, Marc Leggio, Andrew Hummer and Lee Meier joined Eddie Rios of Cottingham & Butler and Mark Matulka of Werner Enterprises for meetings with eight congressional offices representing Iowa and Nebraska.
This experience gave the young trucking leaders an opportunity to participate in discussions with congressional offices about issues affecting the industry and gain firsthand exposure to TCA’s advocacy efforts.
Other Elevate members who participated in the Call on Washington included Liam Conroy, Michael Reed, Toni Jones, Cristina Ungureanu, Julie Strokos, Kaedon Steinert, Megan Eddy, Mark Wvuk, Riley Braegger, Tyler Atkinson, Jerrit Judie, Tim Livingstone, Kurt Plummer and Ty Walker.
Together, the two activities gave the Elevate class opportunities to serve the industry in different ways — by thanking the professional drivers who keep freight moving and by taking part in the conversations that help shape trucking’s future.
From assembling backpacks to meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Elevate members spent their time in Washington finding ways to give back to the industry they’re preparing to lead.
And for the drivers who received the backpacks, the message was simple: Your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.
This article first appeared in the November/December 2026 print edition of Truckload Authority, the official publication of the Truckload Carriers Association.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
