Kenworth has teamed with the FASTPORT Trucking Track Mentoring Program and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes Program to find America’s top rookie military veteran, who has made the successful transition from active duty to driving for a commercial fleet.
For the third consecutive year, Kenworth will donate a fully-loaded Kenworth T680 Advantage with a 76-inch sleeper and a PACCAR MX-13 engine to serve as the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” recognition program award.
The top 10 drivers, listed by their military branch of service and current truck fleet, include:
- Mordaunt “Platt” Brabner / U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy / TMC Transportation
- Summar Hanks / U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard / US Xpress
- Toby Hunt / U.S. Army and U.S. Navy / Prime, Inc.
- Jeremiah King / U.S. Navy / PAM Transport
- Tilford Serea / U.S. Navy / TMC Transportation
- Ricardo Sumrall / U.S. Navy / Melton Truck Lines
- Phillip “Tom” Vargo / U.S. Navy / Roehl Transport
- Brian “Kelley” Ward / U.S. Navy / Veriha Trucking
- Quinton Ward / U.S. Army / Werner Enterprises
- Christopher Young / U.S. Army / Stevens Transport
“Our 10 finalists represent a wide variety of military branches and occupations and are excellent examples of what military talent can bring to the trucking industry,” said FASTPORT President Brad Bentley.
The three finalists in the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence recognition program will be announced as America’s Top Rookie Military Drivers at the upcoming Great American Trucking Show (GATS) in Dallas.
In conjunction with GATS, all 10 drivers will receive special recognition at the President George W. Bush Library during a tour and reception.
Drivers were nominated by trucking companies that made a hiring commitment and pledge to hire veterans on truckingtrack.org or, by members of the National Association of Publically Funded Truck Driving Schools, or Commercial Vehicle Training Association-member school.
