June 20 nomination deadline nears for Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award

Kenworth, Fastport, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes initiative continue the search for America’s top rookie military veteran driver who has successfully transitioned to the trucking industry following military service. 

Under the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence recognition program, Kenworth will provide the grand prize for the 10th 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 Kenworth T680 features a Diamond VIT interior in slate gray with madrona accents and includes the latest in driver amenities. Both the driver and passenger seats are GT703 leather seats that are fully heated and cooled. The 76-inch sleeper includes space for a microwave and TV, a factory-installed fridge, and a rotating work table. The T680 also includes the latest in driver assistance systems, including Kenworth's Digital Mirrors, Bendix Fusion Adaptive Cruise Control Stop and Auto Go, and Lane Keeping Assist with Torque Assisted Steering.

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 U.S. 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 January 1, 2024.

The final deadline to submit applications is June 20. Award semi-finalists will be announced on August 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 November 1 through 11. On December 12, finalists will gather at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where the final award announcement will be made, and the winner will drive home in the Kenworth T680.

See also: Kenworth debuts vocational-focused Class 8 EV: The T880E

2024 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award winner

Reefer driver Cory Troxell of Stevens Transport received this year’s Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award during a recent special ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

The grand prize was a brand-new Kenworth T680 tractor, which the distinguished Army veteran plans to use to fulfill his dream of becoming an independent owner-operator and business owner with Stevens. “I honestly thought after coming out of the military that you fade away,” Troxell said in a news release. “No one thinks about you anymore; you’re done. But this is proof that’s not true. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and for doing something for veterans that I didn’t think was possible.”

Troxell was born into service with his grandfather, father, and uncle serving with distinguished careers in the Army. Motivated by a strong sense of family pride, service, and patriotism following 9/11, Troxell enlisted in 2004. In 2009, he was severely wounded in an enemy IED attack, eventually earning him the Purple Heart. He continued to serve until his retirement in 2024. Drawing similarities to his decision to join the Army, he chose to drive trucks—a career path already cut by his family.

“We could not have nominated a better candidate than Cory Troxell,” said Angela Horowitz, Stevens vice president. “Veterans are so important to our country, and Cory brings commitment, discipline, focus, professionalism, integrity, and safety to the job."