LAS VEGAS. Following the successful launch of the program in 2015, Freightliner Trucks is continuing with its Hardest Working Cities program, announcing four new honorees at a reception this week at the World of Concrete show here.
This year’s winners will be New York City, Charlotte (NC), Edmonton and Seattle-Tacoma (WA).
The program honors cities that are spearheading community growth and innovation. According to Freightliner, the program came about after an economic data review found a compelling relationship between the purchase of severe duty trucks and thriving economies. The data analysis included approximately 400 metropolitan census areas in the U.S. and Canada in 11 different categories. The categories ranged from impact on overall gross domestic product to growth in employment to the number of jobs in key industry sectors including construction, manufacturing and logistics.
“As the leading vocational truck manufacturer, we created the Freightliner Hardest Working Cities program because it’s clear that vibrant local economies count on severe duty trucks, and the men and women who operate them, for essential jobs such as building highways, delivering construction materials, plowing snow and hauling refuse. Hard work matters and it should be celebrated,” said Allan Haggai, marketing communications manager, Freightliner Trucks. “We think it’s important to acknowledge cities and workers using products like ours to positively impact their communities.”
To date, six cities have been awarded in the program. They are: Dallas, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Toronto.
As part of the recognition, Freightliner has held events in each city to thank workers. Freightliner identified city work sites and coordinated surprise gift and food deliveries to thank workers for their contributions. Work sites included major road construction projects, public works garages, refuse facilities and more. To date, Freightliner said it has visited 12 work sites and thanked about 800 workers across six cities.
“This is not only a great occasion for the Freightliner Trucks family to celebrate what our company stands for, but a chance to honor those who work hard while building strong communities,” said Mary Aufdemberg, director of product marketing, Freightliner Trucks. “Whether you are operating a truck, maintaining it, or building it, our industry is an amazing place to develop a career.”