EUREKA, Calif. — The holiday season will be a little brighter this year with the help of System Transport, the motor carrier selected to transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree from California’s Six Rivers National Forest to Washington, D.C. Each year, the U.S. Forest Service selects a tree from a national forest to serve as the “People’s Christmas Tree.”
System Transport was selected as the hauler for the 2021 tree at the recommendation of Kenworth Truck Co. and because of the carrier’s reputation in the trucking industry on the West Coast according to Bruce Ward, president of Choose Outdoors. Choose Outdoors is a nonprofit partner that works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to coordinate the annual public engagement initiative.
The tree will be harvested in late October before making the in-state and cross-country journey to Washington, D.C., arriving at the U.S. Capitol in late November. The tree will be decorated with thousands of handmade ornaments made by Californians, and will be lit up throughout the month of December.
System Transport first opened its doors 1972 with only one truck and a trailer. Today, the company employs more than 1,000 people and operates more than 800 trucks. System Transport is headquartered in Spokane, Washington, and has terminals in Caldwell, Idaho; French Camp, Fresno and Bloomington, California; Phoenix; Denver; Olathe, Kansas; Ennis, Texas; and Gary, Indiana.
The carrier transports all types of flatbed freight, primarily throughout the west coast to the Midwest. The company and staff have been recognized with several awards, including Goodyear Highway Hero, Great West Safety Award, Carrier of the Year from USG, Platinum Carrier from Lowe’s, Supplier Excellence Award from General Electric, Western Regional Carrier of the Year from Firestone, Carrier of the Year from Home Depot and Excellence Award from SmartWay.
“As a second-generation family-owned and operated company, Christmas is a special time of year for u,” said Dennis Williams, president and CEO of Trans-System Inc., the parent company of System Transport. “We are proud to be a part of the annual tradition that brings the Christmas spirit to our nation’s capital, and to all the families who gather around their own trees to share the spirit of the season.”
Kenworth returns for the eighth year as a sponsor of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree program. A specially decaled Kenworth T680 Next Generation, equipped with a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper, will be used to transport the 51st U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
“Just like our theme ‘Six Rivers, Many Peoples, One Tree’, this campaign brings together many peoples to prepare and safely deliver one special tree to Washington D.C.,” said Ted McArthur, forest supervisor for Six Rivers National Forest. “This journey would not be possible without the support and assistance of strong demonstrated partnerships making this our greatest tour to date.”
For more information about the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Program, visit www.uscapitolchristmastree.com
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.
