Deadline for Transition Trucking nominations is July 31

The deadline for nominating America’s top rookie military veteran driver is July 31.

Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence is a yearlong competition open to veterans, guard members and reservists who have made the successful transition to the trucking industry following military service.

It is presented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Program, Kenworth and Fastport.

The top driver will be determined by an expert panel of judges, and must meet three eligibility requirements:

• Must have been active military or member of the National Guard or reserve.
• Graduated from PTDI-certified, NAPFTDS or CVTA member driver training school with a valid CDL.
• First hired in a trucking position between Jan. 1, 2021, and July 31, 2022.

Selection process

After the nomination period ends, a top 10 will be revealed. That will be followed by the announcement of the final three in the fall.

Public voting will open after the final three are announced and the winner will be recognized during a ceremony featuring industry professionals, military officials and media outlets.

The winner will be handed the keys to a fully loaded Kenworth T680 provided by Kenworth, valued at approximately $155,000.

Transition Trucking will also recognize the employer or CDL credentialing institution that hired and trained the winner.

The Transition Trucking website estimates more than 30% of America’s trucking industry are military veterans.

For more information about the program, go to TransitionTrucking.org.

Previous Transition Trucking honorees

After 22 years of service in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, Jimmy Reddell won the 2021 Transition Trucking honor.

Ivan Hernandez, a U.S. Army veteran, won the honor in 2020.

In 2019, Joseph H. Campbell Jr. was the Transition Trucking winner. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marines and U.S. Army. LL