KIRKLAND, Wash. — Kenworth, FASTPORT and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative are joining together for the sixth year to discover America’s top rookie military veteran driver, who has made the transition from serving in the U.S. armed forces to driving for a commercial fleet.
“Kenworth’s ongoing participation in the Transition Trucking program is one way to recognize the importance of our veterans and thank them for their service,” said Laura Bloch, Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “We urge trucking fleets to nominate their best rookie drivers who have served our country and encourage service members transitioning from the military to consider the trucking industry as their future career.”
Kenworth will provide the top award for this year’s Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence recognition program — a Kenworth T680 equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain featuring the PACCAR MX-13 engine, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission, and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles.
“An estimated 200,000 veterans transition from the military into the private sector each year,” said Brad Bentley, president of FASTPORT. “FASTPORT’s mission is to educate and inform veterans about career opportunities in the nation’s trucking industry. The ongoing driver shortage makes recruiting from the military more important than ever before. We look forward to awarding a well-deserving veteran with a Kenworth T680 in the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence program this year.”
The top driver will be determined by an expert panel of judges. To qualify, drivers must meet three minimum eligibility requirements. He or she must have:
- Been active military or member of the National Guard or Reserve;
- Graduated from a PTDI-certified, NAPFTDS or CVTA member driver training school and have a valid CDL; and
- First been hired in a trucking position between Jan. 1, 2020, and July 31, 2021.
“The trucking industry thrived last year despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, proving its position as a sustainable career pathway,” Eric Eversole, vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and president of Hiring Our Heroes. “The 2021 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.”
The deadline for nominations is July 31, 2021. Full criteria and online nomination forms can be found on the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence website.
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.
