Trucking is a thankless job

I have been thanked several times in my years of driving a truck. Let's see if I can remember a few of them.
I was involved in a huge accident on I-77 southbound back in 2004 just south of Wytheville,VA. I came upon the "New River Bridge" and the traffic was stopped because of a accident on the bridge. I got my truck stopped about 20 feet from the accident without hitting anyone or anything. The person driving the little car just in front of me "Thanked me" for not running over them.
When out of nowhere a tractor trailer came barreling down the hill behind me, he did not get stopped. He hit me in the back of my tank, did I forget to mention I was pulling a tank? Oh sorry yea, it was full of ACETONE 7000 gallons to be precise. The other driver totaled his truck and my tanker, but thankfully there was no leak or spark.
A company I was supposed to deliver to one time, had to shut down because I refused to run over my hours on my log book in order to make a delivery. Some of the workers "Thanked Me" because they got to go home early.
I made several early deliveries on some major high dollar hauls, and have been thanked for doing this also.
No, I really know what you are saying, about it being a "Thankless Job". Every time there is a accident involving a tractor trailer (we) get blamed for it. Does not matter that the four wheeler that got crushed, it's driver was on the cell phone or reading a newspaper, or putting on her makeup, or doing work on the computer, all while driving down the road at about 15 over the speed limit.
We as Truck Drivers are looked down upon by society, as a lower life form. It has been like this and will be most likely forever. Even though in times of disaster we are lifesavers. Disaster strikes, besides the Red Cross and Fema and the Emergency people, who else gets called into action?
Truck Drivers, we drive all hours of the day and night to deliver water, and supply's to disaster areas. But are they thanked for it? Yea, maybe right at that moment. But a few weeks later that same driver might be delivering in the same town and he/she gets treated the normal way, with no respect because you drive that truck.