With Black Friday now past and Cyber Monday now upon us — along with last week’s turkey, stuffing and all the other fixings — the holiday season has officially arrived.
The cliche of holiday-themed items arriving earlier and earlier in stores once again proved true this year; red-, green- and silver-wrapped candies were seen on sale alongside Halloween treats as October drew to a close. And charity volunteers seeking donations for red collection tins have been outside of the grocery stores for a few weeks.
Articles printed in the pages of Transport Topics have for months addressed a new wrinkle in this annual holiday crush: overseas shippers rushing goods to the United States in advance of tariffs set to take effect when the new year arrives. With the holiday shopping season in stride, retailers will find out whether all of that hurried activity paid off.
There’s a case to be made that it will. The economy is humming along and the employment picture is bright, so folks might just be in the spirit for giving.
Let's hope so, because there are many among us who are in need of help right now.
Against the holiday backdrop, it’s important to remember the tragedy continuing to unfold on the West Coast, where wildfires in California have incinerated a town and displaced thousands. Those whose loved ones have been killed or remain missing or whose homes have been destroyed will find it difficult to have holiday cheer. Our hearts go out to them. A story on this website touches motor carriers’ help with the relief effort. We applaud all involved.
We also applaud all who are inclined to help, in any way possible. Donations to relief efforts can be made with a few taps on a smartphone or via multiple traditional means. No matter how it arrives, these gifts help.
Amid the crush of holiday shopping trips and point-and-click online purchases, we’re betting that the trucking industry will reach out to help.
Providing for those in need is always the right thing to do, regardless of economic conditions. The trucking industry has a long history of answering the call in times of need. During the holiday season, and all year long.
