TA announces recipients of 2024 Citizen Driver Award

Three drivers are being honored with an award that recognizes truckers for their contributions to the industry.

On Friday, March 22, TravelCenters of America announced Tim Taylor, along with team drivers Steve and Gina Jones, as the recipients of the company’s annual Citizen Driver Award. According to TA, these three were selected from a pool of over 140 professional drivers nominated for the honor.

The winners were honored during a ceremony held at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. TA has said the award was created to recognize truckers who “demonstrate a high level of respect to the truck driving profession through leadership, good citizenship, safety, health and wellness, and community involvement.”

“It’s an honor to recognize such extraordinary individuals who demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism, safety and citizenship on the road and off,” Debi Boffa, TravelCenters of America CEO, said in a statement.

Taylor, a company driver and trainer with FedEx from Valdosta, Ga., has logged over 2.8 million “safe driving miles” in his trucking career. On top of driving between 100,000 to 150,000 miles each year and mentoring young drivers, Taylor also hosts a weekly podcast about the trucking industry.

Husband-wife duo Steve and Gina Jones, team drivers for Werner Enterprises from Peoria, Ariz., have traveled a combined 2.5 million accident-free miles together. Steve is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served from 1998 to 2005, including a tour of duty in Iraq.

This past August, the pair was selected as part of the team to deliver the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. The driving duo hauled over 14,000 ornaments, along with 84 companion Christmas trees, and helped hand out the cargo to members of the Armed Forces and their families at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Recipients of the Citizen Driver Award are given the opportunity to select a TA, Petro Stopping Center or TA Express location to be dedicated in their name with a ceremony marking the occasion. A bronze plaque with the driver’s image and story is installed on the front of the building to commemorate his or her “career and contributions.” Additionally, the company makes a $2,500 donation to each recipient’s charitable organization of choice. 

Taylor selected the TA Atlanta South site, located in Jackson, Ga., to be dedicated in his name, with a $2,500 donation going to Adopt Together – which describes itself as a nonprofit, crowdfunding platform that bridges the gap between families who want to adopt and children who need loving homes.

The Joneses chose the TA in Tonopah, Ariz., to bear their names. Operation Noble Watchman, an organization that aims to raise funds and awareness for military veterans “facing mental health challenges and homelessness,” will receive the couple’s $2,500 donation.

Since its inception in 2013, TA has presented 44 professional truck drivers with the Citizen Driver Award.

OOIDA members William McNamee and Lamar Buckwalter received the honor in 2023. The pair joined a host of other Association members to receive the accolade in recent years, including:

• Dan Porter and Don Talley in 2021
• Life members Steen Gronlund and husband-wife team Kenn and Beth Zelten in 2019
• Ingrid Brown in 2018

Marty Ellis, the driver of OOIDA’s tour truck, “The Spirit of the American Trucker,” received the honor in 2017. LL