GREEN BAY, Wis. — Joseph Morning, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and California National Guard service member has been honored by Schneider as this year’s Ride of Pride driver, the company announced June 1.
Schneider’s Ride of Pride program features specially designed Freightliner trucks that serve as rolling tributes to the nation’s military. Through the program, Freightliner has presented Schneider with a total of 14 U.S. Ride of Pride trucks — the most awarded to any carrier — since the program began in 2001.
Morning received his new truck, which honors the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force, May 27 and immediately set out to travel throughout the U.S. behind the wheel of the truck.
“When I saw the truck roll down the line, especially with many veterans there, it was one of my top life experiences,” Morning said. “It was surreal. I had a lot of mixed emotions.”
Throughout the next year, the public will see Morning and the Ride of Pride truck on the road and at the annual Wreaths Across America event in Washington, D.C.
“I look forward to meeting other veterans at Schneider and across the country,” Morning said. “Most importantly, I’ll get to be a part of Wreaths Across America. My first Sergeant Major is at Arlington. One of the greatest honors would be to be able to deliver wreaths there to honor him and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
Schneider has been independently ranked as a top military-friendly employer in the trucking industry, with nearly 14% of its associates having military experience.
“Being a truck driver is almost the equivalent of being in the military, to an extent,” Morning said. “You have to be able to take care of yourself and other people around you, and you need to be aware of your environment. I feel that having those skills and transferring them over to truck driving worked out very well.”
Morning has worked for Schneider for three years. He spent four years in the Marine Corps and currently serves in the California National Guard. Morning has been deployed overseas five times.
Outside of his work with Schneider and his California National Guard duties, Morning enjoys creating videos with his drone and sharing the clips on social media.
“We are incredibly proud to have someone as highly regarded as Joseph Morning behind the wheel of this year’s Ride of Pride truck,” said Rob Reich, Schneider’s executive vice President and chief administrative, who is a veteran of the U.S. Army.
“Adding a new Ride of Pride truck to our fleet is always an exciting time and displays our dedication to those who serve,” he continued. “We are committed and honored to provide opportunities for veterans and current service members.”
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.
Rest In Peace brother