Kenworth to again provide top award for Transition Trucking recipient

The partnership between Kenworth, Fastport and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes initiative will enter into its sixth year as it was announced Kenworth will again provide Transition Trucking’s top prize.

This year’s winner of the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award will receive a Kenworth T680 equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the Paccar powertrain.

“Kenworth’s ongoing participation in the Transition Trucking program is one way to recognize the importance of our veterans and thank them for their service,” said Laura Bloch, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “We urge trucking fleets to nominate their best rookie drivers who have served our country, and encourage service members transitioning from the military to consider the trucking industry as their future career.”

The award, which recognizes the top rookie veteran driver serving as a commercial driver, will be determined by an expert panel of judges.

Army veteran Ivan Hernandez, a driver for Werner Enterprises, was named the 2020 Transition Trucking award winner.

To qualify, drivers must meet the following requirements:

• Must have been active military or member of the National Guard or Reserve
• Graduated from PTDI-certified, NAPFTDS or CTVA member driver training school with a valid CDL.
• First hired in a trucking position between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.

“The trucking industry thrived last year despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, proving its position as a sustainable career pathway,” said Eric Eversole, vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and president of Hiring our Heroes. “The 2021 Transition Trucking award campaign is another opportunity to highlight the impact veterans are making in the transportation industry and introduce a new generation of veterans to the real economic opportunity a career in trucking can represent.”

Nominations will be accepted through July 31.

Full criteria, as well as nominations forms, can be found at TransitionTrucking.org.

For more information, visit the Fastport or Hiring our Heroes websites. LL