“Every year I feel a little like Oprah.”
Transition Trucking Awards is sending all eleven semi-finalist rookie veteran drivers to Washington DC for an all expenses paid trip!
Top Rookie Military Veteran Will Get a Kenworth T680
Every year FASTPORT, Hiring Our Heroes, and Kenworth team up to build a top of the line truck. They give this $155,000 prize to a deserving rookie who has transitioned out of the military into the trucking industry.
“Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” semi-finalists recently traveled to Columbus and Chillicothe, Ohio, to be recognized as top rookie military veteran drivers. They expected to be narrowed down to just three finalists, but instead they were surprised to find out this year everyone gets to go to Washington DC!
Receiving a truck of this caliber is described as a life changing event. “The team works every year to make the truck better,” Bentley commented. From the refrigerator and flat screen televisions to the seats, the truck is an experience.
The day of the event, one of the drivers stood back in awe, craning his neck as he looked up at the classic blue Kenworth, “Surreal. It’s just so surreal,” he said in hushed but excited tones.
Paccar’s Director Of Marketing, Genevieve Bekkerus commented that, “Every year I feel a little like Oprah.” Bekkerus pointed to each of the drivers smiling as she said, “I wish I could say you get a truck, you get a truck.”
But this sentiment was a perfect segway for a planned surprise:
FASTPORT president Brad Bentley announced for the first time ever all eleven finalists will be recognized at the event.
The Driving for Excellence award winner will be named at a December ceremony. In previous years, the program’s top three finalists earned a trip to the nation’s capital for the final award ceremony.
“Trucking is a big family, and l love being part of that family,” Bekkerus said in closing.
Veterans In Trucking wishes good luck to all the contestants and is thrilled to find out which deserving veteran will be recognized in December!
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