OOIDA member and Trucker Buddy Tom Grogan and J.J. Keller and Associates recently visited a second-grade class at Saint Thomas More School in Appleton, WI. The second-graders in Kelly Landstrom’s class got a chance to drive a tractor-trailer in the virtual world of the SAFE-Sim Truck Driving Simulator, a training tool created by J.J. Keller.

Keller brought the SAFE-Sim driving simulator to the elementary school Friday, May 21, to allow the students to test their skill and learn more about the trucking industry. Following the simulator demonstration, the students were able to see inside a real truck, Grogan’s Freightliner.

Grogan, who is an owner-operator leased to Dart Transit, has been corresponding with the students this school year through the Trucker Buddy program, which matches professional drivers with elementary classrooms throughout the world. Each week, drivers share their experiences from the road, while the students track them on a map and correspond with individual monthly letters of their own. Through this relationship, the students not only learn about trucks and the transportation industry, their geography, writing, reading and math skills are improved.

There are nearly 4,000 Trucker Buddy drivers involved in the program. Drivers or teachers interested in participating may call 1-800-MY BUDDY or sign up on line at www.truckerbuddy.org.