The search for one of the trucking industry's top rookie drivers gets under way later this week.
Kenworth, FASTPORT and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative announced today they are again partnering in the search for America’s top rookie military veteran driver who successfully transitioned to the trucking industry following military service.
Nominations for the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award open Thursday, and the final deadline to submit applications is June 20. Award semi-finalists will be announced Aug. 4. Finalists will be invited to Columbus, Ohio to tour the National Veterans Memorial and Museum and attend a reception, followed by a tour of the Kenworth Chillicothe manufacturing plant, where the finalists will be announced. Public voting on the finalists will occur from Nov. 1 through 11. On Dec.12, finalists will gather at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where the final award announcement will be made.
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Kenworth will provide the grand prize for the tenth consecutive year. This year’s award is a 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. The truck will be shown at the Mid-America Trucking Show beginning Thursday at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville at the Fastport booth, #39001.
“The transportation industry is a natural fit for veterans looking to continue a purpose-driven career that leverages the critical skill sets, specialized training, and leadership gained during military service – all highly coveted attributes that make them a strategic asset,” said Eric Eversole, U.S. Chamber of Commerce vice president and Hiring Our Heroes president “Hiring Our Heroes is proud to partner with FASTPORT and Kenworth for the tenth year to help service members successfully transition into the commercial trucking industry.”
The top driver will be determined by an expert panel of judges. To qualify, drivers must meet eligibility requirements as specified in the official Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award rules, including:
- Be a legal resident of the continental United States and military veteran or current/former member of the National Guard or Reserves.
- Graduated from PTDI-certified, NAPFTDS or CVTA member driver training school, with a valid CDL.
- Have been employed by any for-hire carrier or private fleet that has pledged to hire veterans and hired as a CDL driver after Jan. 1, 2024.
Full criteria and online nomination forms are available now on the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” website (www.transitiontrucking.org).
For more information, visit the websites of FASTPORT (www.fastport.com) and Hiring Our Heroes (www.HiringOurHeroes.org).
