Nominations being accepted for third annual Transition Trucking award

For the third consecutive year, Kenworth, Fastport, and Hiring Our Heroes are teaming up to discover America’s top rookie military veteran driver.

The nomination process for the third annual Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award begins Thursday, March 15. Nominations will be accepted until June 30.

Just in past years, Kenworth will provide the winner a new Kenworth T680 Advantage equipped with a 76-inch sleeper, PACCAR MX-13 455-hp fuel-efficient engine and PACCAR 40,000-pound tandem rear axle.

“Kenworth recognizes the importance of our veterans, and the donation of our on-highway flagship Kenworth T680 – the driver’s truck – is one way to thank them for their military service,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. “We encourage those transitioning from military service to consider the trucking industry as their future career and urge fleets in America to nominate their best drivers who have served to protect our country.”

The annual award aims to encourage military veterans to make the transition into the trucking industry. About 200,000 service members transition out of the military into the private sector each year.

“Hiring Our Heroes helped more than 16,000 new veterans make the transition into trucking last year,” said Eric Eversole, U.S Chamber of Commerce vice president and Hiring Our Heroes president. “The 2018 Transition 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.”

To be nominated, the driver:

• must be a military veteran or a current or former member of the National Guard or Reserves;
• must have graduated from a certified driver training school and be a current CDL holder;
• must have been employed by any for-hire carrier or private fleet that has pledged to hire veterans through TruckingTrack.org; and
• must have been first employed as a truck driver between Jan. 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018.

Full criteria and nomination forms can be found here.

Gregg Softy won in 2017, and Troy Davidson won the inaugural award.