Port Of New Orleans Celebrates National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
NEW ORLEANS –During the annual National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, from Sept. 12 – 16, the Port of New Orleans will once again celebrate those who transport containers and break bulk cargo on the nation’s roads and highways, safely connecting goods with customers.
“Truck drivers play a pivotal role in both the Port’s success and the vitality of the region’s economy,” said Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “We are grateful for the dedication and professionalism they demonstrate every day.”
Appreciation breakfasts will be served on Monday, Sept. 12, and Friday, Sept. 16, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Port’s Nashville Avenue Circle Building. On Wednesday, Sept. 14, jambalaya and hamburgers will be served from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., also at the Circle Building. Partner sponsors for Port NOLA’s driver appreciation events include BIS Construction and Ship Services, Gulf Intermodal Services, Crescent Transports and Community Coffee.
In addition to the role they play in the transportation chain, truck drivers who serve the Port of New Orleans have also contributed to the success of the “Keep It Clean!” campaign, coordinated by the Port’s Environmental Services Department in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Port reps said. Launched during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week last year, the program has kept more than 8,000 pounds of litter from reaching waterways through the installation of a dumpster for truck drivers, increased public awareness efforts and reminder “Keep It Clean” giveaways.
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, Port reps said.
An extensive network of ocean carrier services, along with added-value services like transloading of bulk into containers, make the Port of New Orleans the superior logistics solution for many types of cargo, Port reps said.
To stay ahead of market demand, the Port has invested more than $100 million in capital-improvement projects since 2012 and has a Master Plan to expand the Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal to an annual capacity of 1.5 million TEUs.
