Five good things that happened in trucking this week—Sept. 16

Last week, we relaunched our Five Good Things blog in anticipation of this week’s National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. As the industry rounds out these final days of celebration for these workers who make modern life possible, we want to deliver more positive news from the industry.

If you want to contribute ideas for this weekly roundup of positive industry news, please email us.

Truckstop.com sets a Guinness World Record

Truckstop Guinness World Records Title 2

Truckstop.com set a Guinness World Record by spelling the largest sentence ever made out of toy trucks. Using 2,098 branded big rig toy trucks, the sentence spelled “Truck drivers are the rockstars of the road!” at the company’s Boise, Idaho, office, according to a Truckstop press release. The sentence stretched more than 65 feet wide and almost 14 feet tall. It took over 30 Truckstop employees to construct.

The toy trucks will be donated to Western Idaho Community Action Partnership (WICAP), a nonprofit serving several counties in Idaho since 1965. The toy trucks will be donated to local children in need ahead of and during the holiday season.

Army & Air Force Exchange Service driver wins NPTC All-Star Award

Eric Hoff has notched about 2 million miles as an Army & Air Force Exchange Service driver, and while his normal route often takes him to Florida, his trip to Orlando last week was special—he was there to receive a National Private Truck Council All-Star Award.

Hoff works out of the exchange service’s Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Virginia, delivering merchandise to exchanges up and down the East Coast.

Hoff (left) with Exchange Fleet Operations Manager Jonah Thomas.

“My motto is ‘Happy to be here. Proud to serve,” Hoff said.

Hoff is the seventh exchange driver to be named an NPTC All Star since the awards were introduced in 2009. The award recognizes private fleet drivers who exhibit an exceptional commitment to safety, compliance and customer service. The Army & Air Force Exchange, the Defense Department’s largest retailer, operates the 10th largest private retail fleet in the U.S. Its products are sold to military service members and veterans. All of exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, the exchanges have provided $3.5 billion in earnings for critical military quality-of-life programs.

“I enjoy the camaraderie between drivers and the people we serve whom I get to meet when I deliver at the exchange,” Hoff said. “It gives me great joy to do this not just for myself but for my family. That’s what drives me.”

Kwik Trip, Kwik Star join TCS Fuel Discount Network

Truck stop chain Kiwk Trip | Kwik Star is joining the TransConnect (TCS) Fuel Discount Network. Kwik Trip and Kwik Star bring 300 locations to the TCS network, meaning drivers can now save on diesel at more than 1,500 locations using a TCS fuel card.

TCS fuel card users save an average of 42 cents per gallon, according to a TCS press release. Drivers can also use the TCS mobile app to access savings without needing a physical card.

“We are happy to welcome Kwik Trip and Kwik Star into our TCS Fuel Discount Network,” says Chris Courts, TCS president and managing director. “This addition greatly expands our fuel discount program, so our clients can easily find more opportunities to save money at the diesel pump. All of us at TCS continue to level the playing field between small- to medium-size trucking companies and larger fleets by providing ways to reduce fuel expenses for truckers.”

Sentry Foundation donates $5,000 to the Women in Trucking Foundation

The Sentry Insurance Foundation has donated $5,000 to the Women in Trucking Foundation (WIT), an organization dedicated to advancing and empowering women in the trucking industry through education.

This donation will support scholarships to help women with financial need grow their skills by providing access to classroom and vocational training. Applications are currently being accepted for the fall 2022 scholarship cycle through September 30, 2022.

The donation was presented to Ellen Voie, president, CEO, and founder of the Women in Trucking Association, at the 2022 Sentry Transportation Agency Conference in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. This annual event brings together Sentry agents from across the country to discuss the latest issues impacting the commercial trucking insurance industry. Voie, a native of nearby Amherst, Wisconsin, was a keynote speaker at the conference.

“The trucking industry benefits from a diverse and well-trained workforce that has continuous opportunities for development,” Voie said. “We value Sentry’s support of our mission to strengthen the legacy of education in trucking.”

“We share the Women in Trucking Foundation’s passion for creating a more diverse, educated workforce,” said Kalynn Pempek, executive director of the Sentry Insurance Foundation. “And we’re proud to support WIT’s efforts to move the transportation industry forward by providing more opportunities for women to participate and succeed.”

Father-daughter team drivers take family life on the road

Jim Sanchez and his daughter, Raquel, made UPS Inc. history by being the first father-daughter sleeper team drivers on the West Coast.

Read the full story here.

Jim and Raquel’s route is a 3,000-mile round-trip journey to UPS facilities in California, Kansas, and Texas.

“I never expected my little girl to be my sleeper team partner,” Jim Sanchez said. “Having Raquel as my driving partner is the highlight of my career.” Jim is a 38-year safe driver, making him a member of the UPS Circle of Honor, an elite group of drivers who have achieved 25 years or more of accident-free driving.