Transition Trucking award nominations open at MATS

Troy Davidson sits in the Kenworth he won through the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award. (Image Courtesy of Fastport)Troy Davidson sits in the Kenworth he won through the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award. (Image Courtesy of Fastport)

Nominations for the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence Award opened during the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky, Thursday, March 23.

The nomination period will run until June 30.

The campaign, which launched in 2016, is meant to help recruit more military veterans into the trucking industry. It’s a partnership between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes Program, Kenworth and Fastport.

The first place winner will receive:

  • A round-trip economy airline ticket to Washington, D.C. to attend the award ceremony
  • Two nights at the Hilton in Crystal City, Virginia
  • $250 in VISA, American Express or Mastercard gift cards to cover other expenses
  • A 2017 Kenworth T680 valued at approximately $155,000

Two runners-up will receive: 

  • A round-trip economy airline ticket to Washington, D.C. to attend the award ceremony
  • Two nights at the Hilton in Crystal City, Virginia
  • $200 in cash to cover other expenses
  • $10,000 in prize money

Last year’s winner was Navy veteran Troy Davidson, a driver for Werner Enterprises. He won a fully-loaded Kenworth T680, valued at $150,000, among other prizes.

“This is a life changing event,” Davidson said when he accepted the keys to his Kenworth prize. “I’m not going to let anybody down. It’s very humbling, and I am honored to be here today to accept the keys of that pretty truck out there.”

Drivers can be nominated online through the Transition Trucking site. 

To be eligible for nomination, a driver must:

  • Be a legal resident of the continental United States
  • Be a military veteran or a current or former member of the National Guard or Reserves
  • Have been employed by any for-hire carrier or private fleet that has pledged to hire veterans through truckingtrack.org
  • Was first employed as a CDL driver between Jan. 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017
  • Agree to all of the Award Rules, which can be read on the Transition Trucking site