NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Maverick Transportation has announced their 2023 Drivers of the Year.
Sam Landrum was named the 2023 Over-the-Road (OTR) Driver of the Year and Thomas Sholar the Dedicated Driver of the Year.
“This honor is awarded each year to Maverick drivers who not only demonstrate a strong dedication to safety but also exemplify exceptional integrity and professionalism in every facet of their responsibilities,” according to a news release.
Landrum and Sholar will also serve as ambassadors for all professional Maverick drivers going forward, company officials said.
“I’m incredibly impressed and encouraged by Sam Landrum after hearing his comments immediately after being announced as our OTR driver of the year,” John Coppens, Maverick’s vice president of Operations, said. “After more than 30 years with Maverick, his four Driver of the Month nominations, a 2023 Lytx Driver of the Year award and 3 million safe miles, he still has a fresh perspective on his career and Maverick. As much as anyone in the company, he knows how far we’ve come and how far we can go if we continue to work together and strive to make the driving job better. Sam is a great addition to the driver of the year group, and I look forward to working with him as part of our ongoing advisory councils.”
Landrum, a 31-year Maverick veteran, said he feels honored to have received this award.
“I had so many people come up to me and tell me how much they appreciated me last week and it meant so much,” he said. “The fact that people thought that much of me, you know? I would tell these up-and-coming drivers to continue with this career. Everything won’t always go your way but take the bad with the good and it’s always worth it in the end.”
As for Sholar, he said he’s just proud and honored that his company thinks so much of him.
“To all the younger drivers, don’t take any shortcuts,” Sholar said. “Do everything right and complete. When you love what you do, it shows.”
Maverick’s Vice President of Dedicated Operations Justin Brown said of Sholar: “Congratulations to Thomas on this well-earned honor. He has been instrumental with feedback over the years for all areas of the company and is a trusted voice for the Dedicated Services Team.”
Maverick’s Dedicated Operations Manager Chris Coombs said he is proud of Sholar.
“He has a 20-year career with Maverick and has racked up multiple awards, including the TCA Driver of the year award in 2022, is a 3-time Dedicated Driver of the Month, a 2019 Trainer Finalist and a 19-year safety award to highlight just a few,” Coombs said. “Beyond all of this, Thomas just cares so much. He cares about his work, his safety record and about his fellow drivers on the road. Congratulations, Thomas!”
Founded in 1980, based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and operating over 1,600 units, Maverick provides OTR and Dedicated services to the flatbed, glass and specialized transportation markets throughout North America.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
