Day after day, week after week, month after month, I have never been disappointed in the trucking industry's ability to give back. When I first started this blog, I was overwhelmed by the trucking community's support during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were out of work or struggling from loss and sickness. I am pleased to say that support has not died down. Here are five good things that happened in trucking this week.
Truckers for Troops launches 15th annual campaign
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is launching its annual Truckers for Troops care package campaign scheduled for the week of Veterans Day, Nov. 8-15.
The fundraising effort has been an OOIDA tradition since 2007 and is dedicated to sending care packages to service personnel stationed in combat zones. Truckers for Troops also has helped a variety of veterans' facilities in the U.S., including those assisting or housing wounded, disabled, or homeless service members. To date, the effort has raised $697,196.
Truckers for Troops also benefits the Veterans Community Project (VCP), which provides housing for homeless veterans through a community of “tiny houses.” VCP also provides comprehensive services such as navigating the Veterans Administration and its benefits, identification services, mental and physical health referrals, and financial counseling. In addition, veterans can receive hygiene kits and access to a food pantry. All services are free of charge. In December 2020, OOIDA donated $24,520 to VCP.
To contribute, join, or renew throughout the campaign, call OOIDA’s main phone number, 816-229-5791.
Transflo sponsors coast-to-coast motorcycle ride for Truckers Final Mile
Endurance rider and former truck driver Shawn Kitchen will attempt to drive 5,000 miles in five days to raise awareness and funds for Truckers Final Mile, which provides support for drivers and their families in times of crisis. Transflo’s sponsorship, in conjunction with Geotab, will fund expenses such as fuel and lodging for Kitchen's five-day journey.
Truckers Final Mile helps reunite truck drivers with their families in the event of a major medical event or a severe injury while a driver is on the job, or helps facilitate and cover the costs of transporting a driver’s body in the event of loss of life. Truckers Final Mile assists in the travel, lodging, and ground transportation needs of drivers and their families when these crises happen, and it relies on financial donations to help perform these functions.
“As a driver, I wondered a lot of times what would happen if something happened to me on the road, how my family would handle the strain and stress,” Kitchen said. “So, Truckers Final Mile’s mission of providing dignity and support to America’s truck drivers and their families is something I’m really fond of. This nation relies so heavily on truck drivers to keep our economy moving. That’s especially true today, as you hear so much in the news about supply chain issues as we’re coming into the holiday season. We need to do whatever we can to support a charity that has such an important, yet unspoken, mission in this industry.”
Individual donations to Truckers Final Mile can be made at truckersfinalmile.org, with the note “5Kin5” to designate it as part of the fundraiser. Kitchen’s goal is to raise $5,000 in donations for Truckers Final Mile—a dollar per mile—while riding his Honda Gold Wing.
Pilot Flying J awards $10,000 to Road Warrior Contest winner
Pilot Flying J revealed the winners of its annual Road Warrior Contest, which recognizes professional truck drivers who go the extra mile. Pilot Flying J selected Eric Curlett of Crossville, Tennessee, as the $10,000 grand prize Road Warrior winner. Eduardo Andrade of Yonkers, New York, and David Rosenquist of Monon, Indiana, have been named the second- and third-place Road Warrior winners.
"We are honored to host our annual Road Warrior contest and give back to the professional drivers who have such a significant impact on our economy and who work so hard to serve our communities," said Shameek Konar, CEO of Pilot Flying J. "This recognition is one way we say, 'thank you' to the professional drivers we get to serve each day. Congratulations to Eric, Eduardo, and David for being our top Road Warriors this year—we appreciate your dedication, commitment to safety, and passion for helping others."
Each year, the Road Warrior is selected based on story submission, including contributions to the trucking industry, safe driving history, miles driven, and community involvement. This year, Pilot Flying J received thousands of nominations with diverse stories about hard-working haulers from across the country.
"After 20 years of faithful service in the Marine Corps, I knew the trucking industry had plenty of opportunities in any direction and found that open-deck trailers were the best fit for me," Curlett said. "To those that are looking to get into the industry, I recommend they research everything and don't hesitate to call companies and other drivers to get the information needed to make the decision that is right for you.”
In addition to the $10,000 grand prize, Pilot Flying J awarded $5,000 to second-place winner Andrade, a father, grandfather, U.S. Army veteran, and master driver for Baylor Trucking who has logged more than 2.5 million safe miles. Third-place winner Rosenquist received $2,500 in recognition of his 40 years as a professional driver with 5 million accident-free miles.
TA’s Register RoundUp campaign raises over $100K for drivers
TravelCenters of America (TA) has raised nearly $102,000 for the St. Christopher’s Truckers Relief Fund (SCF) through its Register RoundUp campaign from July 1 through Sept. 6. The campaign offered guests the opportunity to round up their check to the nearest dollar on purchases at TA, Petro, and TA Express locations nationwide.
“We are committed to supporting the SCF team in their noble work of providing crucial resources to professional drivers when they are in need,” Jon Pertchik, CEO of TA, said. “We are pleased to serve these heroic men and women who sacrifice so much to keep our economy moving and thank our guests for their generosity in helping support professional drivers.”
TA has been a supporter of SCF since 2010, raising nearly $3 million in total contributions.
“Customers and staff of TA and Petro have once again shown their generosity and support of truck drivers,” said Donna Kennedy, executive director of SCF. The annual fundraising campaigns sponsored by TA have been instrumental in ensuring the St. Christopher Fund’s ability to provide support to truck drivers experiencing an illness or injury. We are so appreciative of everyone that helped make this year’s RoundUp a success.”
The Wall That Heals trailer gets modern update
Razor International, a global company, provider of Razor Drive, has donated a Razor Drive electric landing gear system to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF), the nonprofit organization that founded the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The Razor Drive electric landing gear system was installed on the trailer that hauls The Wall That Heals mobile exhibit of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“When we heard that the landing gear on the trailer for The Wall That Heals was in need of upgrading and modernizing, we were honored to be able to provide our Razor Drive system to make the driver’s job easier when moving the display from location to location,” said Chris Guttormsson, VP of sales and marketing at Razor International USA. “We are not only committed to being an active member of the North American trucking community, we are proud to support VVMF and its traveling display.”
