March 13, 2018 — Lowell, MA — Nominations for the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award open today and will run until June 30, 2018. Employers and training institutions are encouraged to nominate rookie drivers with military experience who would be excellent ambassadors of the trucking industry to win a fully loaded Kenworth T680 truck.

Transition Trucking was launched in 2016 by Kenworth, FASTPORT, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Program in an effort to educate veterans and America about the support from leading manufacturers and service providers that enhance the safety and comfort of the 3.5 million professional truck drivers while performing their duties — and provide an incredible head start to one veteran’s entrepreneurial career.

Sponsors for the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award include the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and Combined Insurance. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please click here. 

The winner will be selected following a year-long competition among veterans, guard members and reservists who have made the successful transition in the trucking industry following military service.

The winner’s T-680 truck boasts a stamped aluminum cab and integral sleeper, and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of approximately $155,000. Additionally, the campaign will recognize the employer and CDL credentialing institution that hired and trained the winner. Runners up will receive a cash prize of $10,000 each.

“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. 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,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. 

“About 200,000 service members transition out of the military into the private sector annually. A key part of FASTPORT’S mission is to inform veterans about the trucking industry’s excellent career opportunities. We also like to showcase the best equipment available, and the Kenworth T680 Advantage is certainly a quality truck that receives more attention from our military community,” said Brad Bentley, president of FASTPORT. 

“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 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.”

2017 winner Gregg Softy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point spent more than 28 years of distinguished active duty in the Army before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel to begin a second career at Stevens Transport after receiving his MBA degree.

2016 winner Troy Davidson is a Navy Veteran from Pensacola, FL who drives professionally for Werner Enterprises. During his military service, Troy was an E-5 Jet Engine Mechanic and received the Navy Good Conduct Medal (twice), the National Defense Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal. Since his nomination, Troy was promoted to become a driver trainer to help guide the newest members of the trucking industry become excellent drivers.

To learn more about the award and nominate up to five drivers for consideration, visit transitiontrucking.org.