Pilot Flying J continues to recognize professional drivers during September’s Driver Appreciation Month for the hard work they do both on the road and at home. Craig Henry is a professional driver, children’s book author and artist, and he embodies everything Pilot Flying J professionals represent.
Craig Henry began driving trucks five years ago after a close friend and mentor drew him to the consistency of the job and the opportunity it presented to see different parts of the country. He left his t-shirt company and traded graphic arts for the open road.
One day, Craig was exiting a Pilot Travel Center and noticed a little boy jump out of a big rig with his dad. The boy’s excitement inspired Craig to write a children’s story about the trucking industry called A Big Rig Story.
The book’s illustrations were drawn from photographs that Craig had taken during trips across the country the past three years. It took more than a year to finish the book, and Craig credits a trip past Mount Rushmore in South Dakota for inspiring him to keep going.
“Seeing the original drawings and the thought process of the creator of Mount Rushmore, Gutzon Borglum, truly inspired me. Borglum’s project took 14 years to complete. I figured I should get my book done before then!” said Henry.
A Big Rig Story is told from the perspective of Walton, a young boy who regales his class at school with the adventure of riding along with his dad, a long-haul truck driver, on a “special-delivery road trip.” Along the way, Walton – and the reader – learns a lot about driving a truck and the importance of safe driving. Walton’s happiness and excitement at riding with his dad are evident throughout the story. While he is proud of his father’s job, Walton mentions, “I miss my dad when he is on the road.” Craig hits on a common sentiment in the truck driving industry: the hardship of being separated from family.
During Driver Appreciation Month, professional drivers receive double MyRewards points on fuel purchases and the chance to win one of many giveaways. To learn more about Pilot Flying J’s Driver Appreciation Month, visit www.pilotflyingj.com/driver-appreciation.
