OTTAWA – The Canadian Trucking Alliance has upped the ante in the campaign to identify the persons who allegedly beat up a B.C. trucker and left him for dead on the side of the Yellowhead Highway.

Last week, the CTA board unanimously agreed to match the contribution by the B.C. Trucking Association and kicked-in another $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the "evil thugs" involved.

Alex Fraser, a 67-year-old driver with Monarch Transport, says he will hang up his keys as a result of the attack.

He says he was viciously after he stopped his truck to help what appeared to be two men standing next to a stranded car on the side of the road.

Instead, he was hit on the head from behind by a third individual and beaten while down and unconscious.

The RCMP are still investigating the motive for the attack. Fraser claims he heard someone shout, "you truckers are all alike" before he was hit from behind.

"The CTA board of directors has asked me to let all truck drivers know that their personal safety is of paramount concern," said the CEO of the alliance, David Bradley. "The evil thugs who participated in what clearly appears to be a pre-meditated attack on the first truck driver to stop to help must be found and held accountable for such a brutal act."

"Clearly, while truck drivers should always exercise caution, what happened to Mr. Fraser will make them nervous about doing so in the future and this would be a shame. The sooner the criminals can be apprehended and punished the better for everyone."

The CTA is also encouraging carriers and drivers to consider a contribution to the BCTA fund set up for the Fraser family.

Information on the fund can be found at BCTA’s website, by clicking here.