The Dalai Lama said, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.” Every week, the trucking industry continues to show its love and compassion for its community, proving that even a small deed can make the biggest difference. Here are five good things that happened in trucking this week.
UPS drivers surprise toddler with a mini delivery truck
Two-year-old Marco Elizondo received his own, mini UPS truck from the delivery drivers he waves to each day.
Elizondo was surprised with the gift in early March, though his love for the big, brown trucks started around Christmas when he'd see them drive by his California home, mom Clarissa Alcazar told Good Morning America.
Alcazar said that after she noticed Marco's fondness for UPS, she would take him on jogs to its nearby facility. "He was in the stroller and was like 'Wow!' His whole world came to life," said Alcazar.
Elizondo and his mom have made it a morning routine to wave as the drivers leave for their daily routes. As a "thank you," the workers created a special UPS truck for Elizondo. Mike Thornberry, a 24-year-old UPS worker, and his automotive team assembled the truck.
"Anytime we do something like that for a child it kind of warms your heart," Thornberry told "GMA."
Thornberry and his team gave Elizondo's truck a special "serial number" of 5218, which is the toddler’s birthdate.
"It was just out of the kindness of their hearts…seeing how committed we were to going up there every day," said Alcazar.
Now, Elizondo is having fun "delivering" his own, mini UPS boxes from his truck.
First truck stop 'pop-up' vaccination clinic
On April 7, the first truck stop turned pop-up vaccine clinic in Irving, N.Y. began offering COVID-19 vaccines to truck drivers, motorists, Natives from the Allegany and Cattaraugus Territories and residents from surrounding communities.
The owner of Native Pride Travel Plaza in Seneca's Tallchief Territory, J.C. Seneca, partnered with G-Health Enterprises to make it happen.
"We have to reach a certain percentile to make sure that as a nation, we can get through this period of this pandemic, and come out on the other side better off," Seneca said.
Four hundred people signed up for this pop-up vaccine clinic, where they received the one-dose J&J COVID-19 vaccine.
"We have our mobile van so figured we'd work out this partnership to help the Native American population," said Dr. Chet Fox, Chief Medical Officer for G-Health Enterprises.
"I'm glad that you know this was offered to people in the community, especially for the Seneca Nation residents but also in the surrounding area,” said Kim Dunlop. “I am a Seneca Nation member, but I drove here from Amherst."
Seneca said for their next pop-up clinics, they hope to have more at local truck stops, and offer vaccines to truck drivers.
"They stop, they fuel up, they get something to eat, they take some time to rest, now like with this, they're available to get a vaccination," Seneca said.
Ivy Tech awarded $85,000 by FMCSA for free CDL training, increasing road safety
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has awarded Ivy Tech Community College a Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) Grant, in the amount of $85,071, to offer free CDL-A training to West Central Indiana residents with the intention to increase road safety and reduce crashes involving commercial motor vehicles on U.S. roads.
Grant funding will cover 100% of CDL-A training costs, permit and license costs for 20 individuals. Residents of Clay, Greene, Knox, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties are eligible to apply for training. Current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including National Guard and Reservists, their spouses and children, will be prioritized for consideration. Ivy Tech Community College is one of 20 educational institutions nationwide to be awarded a Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training (CMVOST) grant for the 2020 fiscal year.
“Ivy Tech is fortunate to receive a grant that will allow us to provide free job training, while also increasing road safety in West Central Indiana,” said Lea Anne Crooks, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Terre Haute. “The Terre Haute campus is well-positioned to offer this opportunity to military members, with six military installations within a 10-mile radius of campus. We plan to work closely with these organizations and our partners in workforce development to identify those in our community who will benefit from free training in one of Indiana’s most in-demand careers.”
2021 Ram 1500 TRX auctioned for $410,000 to benefit United Way helpline
On March 26, the first 2021 Ram 1500 TRX built has been sold for $410,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction to benefit the United Way for Southeast Michigan’s 2-1-1 helpline, which provides services to veterans and their families, receives all proceeds raised from the auction.
“When Ram 1500 TRX VIN 001 rolled off the assembly line, it instantly became an incredibly exciting one-of-a-kind collectible truck, and that was reflected by the winning bid,” said Mike Koval Jr., Ram brand CEO Stellantis. “More importantly, we’re thrilled that the first Ram 1500 TRX raised significant funds that will go directly to the United Way for Southeast Michigan’s 2-1-1 helpline to provide services to veterans and their families.”
The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX VIN 001 winning bid included a unique authentication kit that includes a presentation box with a bound book custom-developed by the Ram brand team, which highlights the vehicle’s design development, exclusive photos and video, a speed-form model and a Ram truck cover developed by the vehicle’s design team.
“Ram continues to honor all of those who serve or have served in the United States armed forces with distinction through our ‘Built to Serve’ editions,” Koval added. “For Ram truck owners, whether military or civilian, ‘Built to Serve’ is a maxim that they can be proud to stand behind. This auction is another way we can honor our veterans by supporting them when they come home.”
Carrier donates $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity
Carrier has donated $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity International’s Home is the Key campaign, aimed at unlocking more families’ futures with homeownership – a fundamental stepping stone to better health, more financial freedom and security. The company will continue to raise awareness throughout the month of April.
Launched in 2017, Home is the Key takes place every April, and with support from Carrier, as well as funds raised through Home is the Key, more families can partner with Habitat to secure the strong foundations a safe, decent, and affordable home provides.
“Habitat for Humanity is an organization that is very dear to us at Carrier, and we have been fortunate enough to be able to support its efforts for the last several decades,” said Justin Keppy, president of North American residential and light commercial at Carrier. “The Home is the Key campaign is designed to inspire individuals and businesses to donate to Habitat for Humanity during the month of April to help more families build a decent, affordable place to call home. In addition to the many fundraising and awareness efforts we have planned, we are engaging our employees and distributor and dealer networks to support this campaign.”
Along with its support of Home is the Key, Carrier employees have helped build one Habitat home a year in Indianapolis since 1998, and the company has donated an HVAC system to every Habitat home built in the city since 1995. In addition, Carrier has supported Habitat for Humanity International as a Gold Level Sponsor at the 2018 and 2019 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, and during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Carrier donated 100 ductless units to assist in the re-build. Carrier has provided financial support, product donations – including from Carrier’s Healthy Homes suite of indoor air quality solutions – and countless employee volunteer hours to local Habitat organizations.
“We’re proud to have the support of companies like Carrier as we look to continuously help homeowners create stronger and healthier lives for themselves and their families,” said Julie Laird Davis, vice president of corporate and cause marketing partnerships at Habitat for Humanity International. “Habitat has built a strong relationship with Carrier over the last several decades and we’re grateful for the contributions they’ve made to our efforts. We are looking forward to making an impact together again during this year’s Home is the Key initiative.
Honorable mentions
UPS delivers Easter baskets for local kids in need
While UPS has been focused on delivering vaccines, the company said its employees still wanted to take the time to give back to the community. On April 1, Easter baskets were delivered to the Volunteers of America Emergency Women and Children's Shelter and the Home of the Innocents.
According to WDRB, UPS Air District employees have held an Easter basket drive for 22 years to collect items for kids in need, and this year, they filled more than 200 baskets with books, games, toys, crayons, stuffed animals and clothing.
"Our job is to meet the needs of these kids, and so without UPS support, we'd have to go out and try and really fight hard to get that support," said Julie Spry, director of outreach at Home of the Innocents. "So, having them help us every year is just huge and then obviously, being able to see the smiles on the kids’ faces at the holiday is what it's all about."
Werner celebrates Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month, and Werner Enterprise took to Twitter to share its pride to be “Lighting the Road Blue!”
According to Werner, drivers Vicky and Gary drive the company’s autism wrapped trucks. Vicky has a grandson who is autistic, and Gary has a life-long friend whose children are affected by autism.
