KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Professional truck driver Timothy Chelette Monday was named winner of the Pilot Flying J sixth annual Road Warrior contest as part of the company’s kickoff to National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
Chelette, who lives at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, won the $10,000 grand prize.
Rodney Hagan of Webster, Florida, and William McNamee of Christopher, Illinois, were named the second- and third-place Road Warrior winners, respectively.
“Each year, our Road Warrior program allows us to honor the unsung ‘heroes on the road’ who go above and beyond as professional drivers,” said Ken Parent, president of Pilot Flying J. “The trucking community is lucky to have so many hardworking men and women on the road committed to keeping America moving and this year’s winners exemplify some of the most admirable qualities of the industry. Thank you and congratulations to Timothy and the finalists for their hard work and dedication.”
To honor Chelette as the grand prize winner, Pilot Flying J partnered with his employer, Big G Express, to surprise him with the news of his win and present him with his $10,000 check at the Pilot Travel Center in his hometown of Murfreesboro.
A driver at Big G Express for nearly 15 years, Chelette has served as a Tennessee Road Team Captain and currently serves as an America’s Road Team Captain, presenting programs about safety across the nation. Over the years, he has driven more than 1.9 million accident-free miles delivering freight. In the last four years, Chelette has raised more than $30,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through an annual motorcycle ride he created.
“It is a great honor to be named the Road Warrior winner,” Chelette said. “Thank you to Big G Express for nominating me and to Pilot Flying J for putting on this great program that recognizes drivers like me. I will be able to do more charity rides now that my motorcycle will be paid off. I appreciate everyone who voted – it really means a lot.”
In addition to the $10,000 grand prize, Pilot Flying J awarded $5,000 to Hagan and $2,500 to McNamee. Nominators of the grand, second- and third-place winners will also receive a $500 prize. This year, the three finalists were selected from more than 7,500 online nominations for their superior efforts in the U.S. trucking industry.
Through the company’s Thank a Driver campaign launched earlier this month, Pilot Flying J is showing appreciation for professional drivers throughout September and celebrating drivers with free drinks every day in the Pilot Flying J app. To learn more, visit pilotflyingj.com/driver-appreciation. To thank drivers and join the conversation, follow @PilotFlyingJ social media channels and use #thankyoudrivers.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Big G Express’ Timothy Chelette named Pilot Flying J Road Warrior
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