• Wilbanks Trucking to haul the 2019 U.S. Capitol Christmas tree

    Wilbanks Trucking hauls oversized, overweight loads, making them a good fit to transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree from New Mexico to Washington, DC.
    Sept. 4, 2019
    2 min read
    Kenworth
    11.05.18 Kenworth W990 US Capitol Christmas Tree Tour.jpg

    Labor Day is past and Halloween merchandise has already been delivered to retailers across the country. But it’s not too early to map out plans for at least one important tree: the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree.

    Artesia, NM-based Wilbanks Trucking Services, will transport the large tree to the Capitol’s West Lawn in Washington, DC, from the Carson National Forest in New Mexico in a Kenworth W990.

    Wilbanks Trucking hauls oversized, overweight loads, making them a good fit to transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree. They will also provide crane support as the tree is cut in early November and prepared for the 2,000-mile expedition, which will include a series of 30-plus community celebrations and culminate with the official tree lighting in early December.

    “Wilbanks is proud to provide logistics services to transport the 2019 U.S. Capitol Christmas tree, and to represent New Mexico and its diverse resources spanning from the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin, to its beautiful national forests in Northern New Mexico,” said Shane Phipps, safety director for Wilbanks Trucking. 

    Wilbanks employees Josh Garcia, Josh Rice, and Brum Stephens will be driving the truck and delivering the holiday cargo. 

    “Kenworth is proud to once again play a part in delivering the ‘People’s Tree’ to our nation’s capital,” said Kurt Swihart, Kenworth marketing director. 

    This is Kenworth Truck Company’s sixth year as a sponsor of the tree, which will be the 55th U.S. Capitol Christmas tree. It will be delivered in a specially marked W990. 

    “The annual journey is only possible with the help of strong partnerships throughout New Mexico and beyond state lines,” said Ricardo Martinez, deputy district ranger at the Carson National Forest. “We’re grateful for the resources Wilbanks Trucking and Kenworth Truck Company are providing.” 

    Additional transportation partners include Spireon Inc., Truckload Carriers Association, Hale Trailer, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Meritor, and LexisNexis VitalChek Network.

    About the Author

    Fleet Owner Staff

    Our Editorial Team

    Kevin Jones, Editorial Director, Commercial Vehicle Group

    Cristina Commendatore, Executive Editor

    Scott Achelpohl, Managing Editor 

    Josh Fisher, Senior Editor

    Catharine Conway, Digital Editor

    Eric Van Egeren, Art Director

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from News

    ID 295563463 © Serhii Hryshchyshen | Dreamstime.com
    truck driver experiencing road rage
    Studies have proven that road rage increases as summer temperatures increase. Here’s how to identify and avoid road rage.
    ID 5495061 © Natalia Bratslavsky | Dreamstime.com
    line of long-haul trucks
    The Pro-Trucker Package seeks to expand parking, remove one-size-fits-all mandates, modernize driver resources, remove red tape, and crack down on bad actors.
    377258485 | Siwakorn Klomwinyarn | Dreamstime.com
    KPIs and fleet maintenance
    Each fleet is going to set different KPIs around key metrics once it evaluates the effectiveness of its PM program. Reduce the number of vehicles being taken out of service during...