Vicenza, Italy — FASTPORT CEO Bill McLennan galvanized hundreds of transitioning service members to seek out careers in the trucking industry at the U.S. Army Garrison Career Summit that ran from April 22 – 23 this week. Hiring Our Heroes hosted the event where transitioning service members, veterans, and spouses heard from military leaders, federal and state agencies, and employers who support the troops by helping them find long-lasting careers.

One of the troops’ staunchest supporters is FASTPORT’s Bill McLennan. Soldiers affectionately refer to McLennan as “Mr. Trucking” because of his relentless promotion of trucking industry careers for veterans.

McLennan dedicated his time in Vicenza to show over 400 transitioning service members that their military experience “hard-wired” them for successful careers in the trucking industry. “Soldiers have nearly unlimited career opportunities awaiting them back at home,” said McLennan. “They already have experience working for the most complicated supply-chain in America (the military), and trucking companies are eager to get that expertise on the road.”

Inspired by Mr. Trucking, dozens of veterans applied for jobs and connected with expert industry mentors through The Trucking Track Mentoring Program at http://truckingtrack.org. FASTPORT and Hiring Our Heroes work in tandem to supply veterans with access to The Trucking Track so soldiers can learn about the trucking industry’s best jobs. With just a few clicks, they found thousands of career opportunities in over 39,000 cities and towns all over the country.

Mr. Trucking also underscored that veterans don’t need to have a commercial drivers license (CDL) before using The Trucking Track. The site is there to help them learn about how to become successful in addition to finding a specific job. “We have industry mentors who will help veterans transition into trucking, and part of that transition is obtaining a CDL,” said McLennan. “The Trucking Track gives veterans the knowledge necessary to get licensed and to start their careers quickly.”

The trucking industry values military experience, regardless of a soldier’s branch of service or occupation. FASTPORT, Hiring Our Heroes, and military-friendly carriers are rallying together on the Trucking Track to post and fill the 185,000 jobs committed to veterans by the trucking industry.