TUSCALOOSA, Nov 15, 2010 – PeopleNet, the leading provider of innovative and integrated onboard computing and mobile communications systems for effective fleet management, has become one of Trucker Buddy’s newest donors for 2010.  In supporting the program they are enabling civic-minded professional drivers the opportunity to give back to their communities and helping to improve the image of the trucking industry for elementary students across the country.

“The generous donation that PeopleNet has made will help us further our mission and will make it possible for us to grow the number of teachers, drivers and more importantly students participating in the Trucker Buddy International program.  I’ve known the team at PeopleNet for along time and they continue to show how much they care for our industry.” said Randy Schwartzenburg, Executive Director.

"PeopleNet is proud to join the Trucker Buddy family," said Brian McLaughlin, PeopleNet COO. "We strongly support the mission of Trucker Buddy and value the tremendous benefit the program brings to the children, schools and drivers who participate."

Trucker Buddy International, an independent, non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, often called the number one trucking image campaign in North America, has helped educate schoolchildren and introduce educators to the trucking industry.  This gives them the world through the eyes of a professional truck driver.  The Trucker Buddy program helps to educate and mentor schoolchildren via a pen pal relationship between professional truck drivers and children in grades 2-8 as supervised by their teachers.

After an extensive screening process, the professional truck drivers are matched with a class and as directed by the teacher, drivers share news about their travels with their class. Students write letters and send pictures to their drivers. Students' skills in reading, writing, geography, mathematics, social studies, and history are enhanced and learning is fun.

Since 1992, Trucker Buddy International has helped educate over a million schoolchildren and introduced them to caring, compassionate men and women, professional truck drivers.  The ongoing success of the program is due to driver volunteers, participating teachers and the contributions of sponsors.  There is no cost to the drivers or teachers to participate in the program. The Trucker Buddy program is funded entirely by sponsorships and donations. 

About PeopleNet

PeopleNet is exclusively focused on providing innovative and integrated onboard computing and mobile communications systems to improve North America’s trucking industry’s fleet management.  Its products are used by nearly 1,500 truckload, LTL, private, and service fleets in the United States and Canada, including several Fortune 500 companies. Reputed for its customer-driven technological innovation, unparalleled flexibility, and proactive customer care, PeopleNet was the first major technology provider to offer Internet-based communications to the transportation industry 15 years ago.  Since then, the company annually reinvests 100 percent of its profits into the business for aggressively developing new products that continue to improve fleet management. Industry recognition of the company’s leadership includes: Inbound Logistics Top 100 Award; Food Logistics’ 100 Top Technology Solutions and Service Providers; Frost & Sullivan Market Engineering Award; and M2M Value Chain Award. For more information about PeopleNet and its products, call (888) 346-3486, or visit www.peoplenetonline.com.