KIRKLAND, Wash., September 14, 2020 - FASTPORT recently announced its Top 10 finalists for “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence,” a program dedicated to find America’s top rookie military veteran. The program recognizes top drivers who have made the successful transition from active duty to driving for a commercial fleet.
For the fifth consecutive year, Kenworth has teamed with the FASTPORT Trucking Track Mentoring Program and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes Program to put on “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence.”
Kenworth will provide The Driver’s Truck – a Kenworth T680 with a 76-inch sleeper – to serve as the program’s award to this year’s overall winner. The Kenworth T680 features the complete PACCAR Powertrain with a PACCAR MX-13 engine, PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission, and PACCAR 40K tandem axles.
The Top 10 drivers, listed with their military branch of service and current truck fleet, include:
- Patrick Blevins/U.S. Air Force/Melton Truck Lines
- Matthew Fowler/U.S. Marines/EPES Transportation
- Ivan Hernandez/U.S. Army/Werner Enterprises
- Gail Losee/U.S. Army/Stevens Transport
- Marcia Luchenbill/U.S. Army/Knight Transportation
- Shaun Mason/U.S. Marines and U.S. Army/Prime Inc.
- Ray Miller/U.S. Army/Stevens Transport
- John Shepard/U.S. Army/Roehl Transport
- Kyle Smith/U.S. Air Force/Averitt Express
- Wade Wanner/U.S. Navy/US Xpress
“Our 10 finalists represent a wide variety of military branches and occupations and are excellent examples of what military talent can bring to the trucking industry,” said Brad Bentley, FASTPORT president. “Culling the list of nominees to the Top 10 was a difficult task, one not taken lightly. These finalists are outstanding and truly show the best of the best.”
Drivers were nominated by trucking companies that made a hiring commitment and pledge to hire veterans on truckingtrack.org, or by members of the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools, or Commercial Vehicle Training Association-member school.
“We have an incredibly deserving group of drivers selected this year as finalists in the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence program,” said Laura Bloch, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “We thank them for their military service to the country and appreciate their dedication on the road in pursuing their new profession as truck drivers traveling the highways of North America.”
The top three finalists in the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” recognition program will be announced later this month in an online event. The ultimate winner will be determined by a popular vote and will be announced on December 18, 2020.
For further information on the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award program, please visit transitiontrucking.org.
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.