Manitoba’s trucking community celebrated National Trucking Week with a mix of fundraising, awareness, and driver appreciation events, raising more than $40,000 for Special Olympics Manitoba while launching a new anti-trafficking campaign.

The week kicked off Sept. 6 with the annual law enforcement torch run truck ride, where 55 drivers took a lap around Winnipeg’s Perimeter Highway to support Special Olympics Manitoba. Birkett Freight Solutions led the convoy after contributing $8,335, while GRC Building Movers raised $5,165 to secure the honor of closing the ride.

Premier Truck Group claimed its fifth consecutive victory in the popular truck pull competition, which drew corporate teams to test their strength for a good cause.

Meanwhile, the Manitoba Trucking Association (MTA), working with The Joy Smith Foundation and Winnipeg Crime Stoppers, officially launched Trafficking Report, a campaign to raise awareness about immigration abuse and labor trafficking in the trucking sector. The initiative will run across social media, billboards, and buses throughout the province.

Drivers were also recognized directly, with volunteers serving up more than 700 burgers and samosas at appreciation barbecues held Sept. 10 and 11 at the West Hawk and Emerson weigh stations.