TORONTO, Ont. — Under the boom of passenger jets, the Ontario Trucking Association (OTA) took a moment to thank those who supported truckers during the 24-hour tie-ups at the international border.

The fleet group donated cheques of $2,500 to both the Canadian Red Cross and The Salvation Army for delivering food and water to truck drivers as they waited in traffic or were forced to park in truck holding areas while they attempted to cross the Canada-U.S. border. The massive delays resulted in the wake of the Sept. 11, terrorist attacks on the U.S.

“The trucking industry is very grateful to these charitable organizations, as well as to the Canadian Coast Guard in Sarnia — all of whom provided assistance to truck drivers,” says David Bradley, president of the OTA. “We also want to extend sincere thanks to the many organizations, church groups and businesses that donated food supplies for distribution to transport drivers.”