As July kicks off, the trucking industry isn’t slowing down with its summer efforts to give back. This week, the industry focused on feeding the hungry, providing shelter for those in need, and honoring industry members. Learn more in this week’s Five Good Things.
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Advantage Truck Group’s Haulin’ 4 Hunger program expands its donations of meals to New Hampshire
Advantage Truck Group’s Haulin’ 4 Hunger program expands its donations of fresh meals to New Hampshire, making the first of what will be an annual donation to local food pantry organizations as part of its year-round effort to fight food insecurity in its communities.
Employees at ATG in Manchester delivered 600 “breakfast bundle” meals of egg, sausage, and cheese breakfast sandwiches; fresh potatoes and fruit; English muffins; cereal; and peanut butter to Families in Transition in Manchester. The day prior, ATG hosted a meal-packing event at its Manchester facility. The donation comes at a time when an estimated one in 10 people in New Hampshire, including one in seven children, experience food insecurity.
“We are excited to expand Haulin’ 4 Hunger’s fresh meal donation program to help more people in New Hampshire facing food insecurity have access to fresh food,” Kevin G. Holmes, ATG president and CEO, said. “Haulin’ 4 Hunger was built around the idea of coming together to give back to our communities, and we are grateful to our employees, customers, and business partners for their continued support.”
Over 200 Bendix volunteers help build homes for local families
Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems continued its commitment to community support with its largest-ever Habitat for Humanity framing event. Held at the company’s Avon, Ohio, headquarters, the build brought together over 200 employees to construct the walls of two houses for families in need.
The framing event was conducted in collaboration with the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity and Help Build Hope, a program of CrossRoads Missions that brings homebuilding into communities through volunteer-led events. Over the course of the afternoon, employees constructed 140 wall frames—about 70 per house—and signed each one with messages of encouragement before the frames were delivered to a Cleveland-area neighborhood where the homes will be completed.
“Our community support efforts are firmly rooted in the culture of Bendix,” Maria Gutierrez, Bendix senior director of environmental, social, and governance, said. “This event reflects the values we share across the company—teamwork, leadership, passion, and responsibility—and shows how we continue to invest time and talent in service-related activities that help strengthen our communities.”
The 2025 build marks the 18th and 19th homes framed by Bendix employees in Avon—and at the previous Bendix headquarters in Elyria, Ohio—since the initiative began in 2008. More than 2,100 team members have contributed upwards of 8,200 volunteer hours, turning nearly 10,600 pieces of wood into more than 800 frames.
Saia recognizes employees for commitment to safety
Saia recently announced that nearly 8,000 dockworkers, mechanics, city drivers, and line drivers were recognized for achieving a safety milestone.
Nearly 2,400 dockworkers and mechanics were presented with a Safe Work Award this year, collectively contributing more than 15,000 years of injury-free service. These awards recognize employees who demonstrate operational excellence and prioritize safety protocols in every aspect of their work. Saia honored individuals across a range of service milestones, including three employees who have achieved more than 40 years of safe work without a recordable incident.
Standout recipients included:
- Houma, Louisiana: Lead Dockworker Harold Castell, Jr.
- Lafayette, Louisiana: Lead Mechanic Lawrence Benoit
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Mechanic Darryl Gay
Saia also honored over 5,500 city and line drivers with a Safe Drive Award, recognizing a total of nearly 40,000 years of accident-free driving. Drivers were celebrated for reaching safety milestones ranging from one to more than 40 years without a preventable accident. This year, six drivers were recognized for achieving 40 or more years of safe driving:
- Dallas, Texas: Line Driver Jack Ikey
- Hattiesburg, Mississippi: Line Driver Frank Lee III
- Jacksonville, Florida: Line Driver Charles Layman
- New Orleans, Louisiana: City Driver Joseph Dominguez, Jr.
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Line Driver Michael Shumake
- Las Vegas, Nevada: Line Driver Roy Coleman
Driver Resource Center expands Future of Trucking Scholarship
Driver Resource Center recently announced the expansion of its Future of Trucking Scholarship to include all schools within its network. This initiative, designed to support individuals pursuing careers as commercial truck drivers, will now be available to eligible applicants from Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
Launched as a way to reduce financial barriers and increase access to high-quality CDL training, the scholarship awards $1,000 quarterly to one applicant to help offset tuition costs at a Driver Resource Center network school.
Originally limited to students attending MTC Truck Driver Training in St. Louis, the expanded program reflects the Driver Resource Center’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The scholarship continues to emphasize support for women and individuals from underrepresented communities in the trucking industry.
“Truck drivers are the backbone of our economy, ensuring goods are delivered safely and efficiently across the country,” Brock Bauza, director of enrollment at Driver Resource Center, said. “By expanding this scholarship, we’re investing in more people across more communities who are ready to take the wheel and drive our industry forward.”
Fleetio awards Automotive Service Excellence scholarships to advance careers in fleet maintenance
In celebration of National Automotive Service Professionals Day, Fleetio announced the recipients of its first Automotive Service Excellence Scholarship program.
The ASE Scholarship grand prize winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship to cover the registration and testing fees for three ASE professional-level certification tests, plus funds for tool upgrades or other supplies. With this support, technicians can continue to develop their skills and contribute to the success and sustainability of the automotive industry.
The 2025 Fleetio ASE Scholarship grand prize winner is Michael Hairston, Life Ride.
“I am most honored to be a recipient of this scholarship and extend my sincere gratitude to Fleetio for their generous support of my continued education and professional development,” Hairston said. “This financial assistance will be invaluable as I continue to advance my career as a maintenance technician at Life Ride.”
The ASE Scholarship runners-up will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to cover the registration and testing fees for three ASE professional-level certification tests, plus funds for tool upgrades or other supplies.
The 2025 Fleetio ASE Scholarship runner-ups are:
- Alex Palma, Quarry Management
- Andrew Cureton, AAA Oregon/Idaho
- Angel Gonzalez, General Pavement Management
- Chase Statter, Student Nominee, redbox+ Dumpsters
- Katherine Daniel, St. Johns County School District
"We are proud to partner with Fleetio to support deserving technicians in earning their industry credentials and building their expertise," Dave Johnson, president/CEO at ASE, said. "Especially during a time where qualified technician shortages are impacting the fleet industry, we are grateful for Fleetio's dedication to investing in technician development."
About the Author
Jenna Hume
Digital Editor
Digital Editor Jenna Hume joined FleetOwner in November of 2o23 and previously worked as a writer in the gaming industry. She has a bachelor of fine arts degree in creative writing from Truman State University and a master of fine arts degree in writing from Lindenwood University. She is currently based in Missouri.