Since it was formed in 1992, the non-profit Trucker Buddy Program has been matching professional OTR truck drivers with students in classrooms all across America. The program was initially designed to help educate and mentor young school children in grades 2 – 8 through a pen pal relationship with a commercial trucker. Participating classes are each paired with one driver.

Every week, participating truckers send letters to their assigned class with news about their recent travels and experiences.  Once a month, the students write letters to their drivers. The program allows the students to enhance their writing, reading, geography, history, social studies and mathematics skills. Teachers will often track the trucker’s progress on a map, making learning for the kids interactive and fun. In addition, the volunteers and sponsors of the program say it can help to improve the image of truck drivers through the kids and their parents and subsequently with the general public.

While the number of teachers using and signing up for the program has more than doubled in just the past month, the program is in desperate need of more long-haul truckers to participate as well (at least 100 more).

Since it was established, the Trucker Buddy program has helped educate more the one million school kids and there is no cost for truckers or teachers to participate. If you would like to get involved and sign up or learn more about it, visit the officially Trucker Buddy International website and learn how you can help!