A veteran with 22 years of combined service in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves received the annual “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” award during a special ceremony recently held at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Washington, D.C.
For the sixth consecutive year, Kenworth 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 made the successful transition from active duty to driving for a commercial fleet.
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Professional truck driver Jimmy Reddell of Stevens Transport also received the keys to a Kenworth T680, the top award in the recognition program.
The T680 is equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and features the complete PACCAR Powertrain with a PACCAR MX-13 engine, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission, and PACCAR DX-40 tandem rear axles.
Reddell entered the trucking industry after he retired from the U.S. Army. Shortly after earning his CDL in 2020, he was hired on with Stevens Transport. Reddell recently became an independent contractor through the Stevens Transport Contractor Division, where he currently leases a truck.
“This is a very special moment for me. I’m very honored to receive the 2021 Transition Trucking award out of all the deserving veterans nominated,” said Reddell. “I can’t wait to the truck out on the road.”
"It was an honor to present Jimmy Reddell with the keys to the Kenworth T680 on behalf of Kenworth and our employees. We thank him for his long military service to our country, and wish him all the best in his trucking career,” said Genevieve Bekkerus, Kenworth director of marketing.
Among the featured speakers at the event were Elisabeth Barna, executive vice president of industry affairs and senior advisor to the president and CEO, American Trucking Associations (ATA); Eric Eversole, Hiring Our Heroes president; Brad Bentley, FASTPORT president; and Kenworth’s Bekkerus.
Eversole said that Hiring Our Heroes was honored to recognize both Riddell’s military service and his commitment to excellence in the transportation industry.
“Kenworth's tremendous contribution of a T680 will ensure Jimmy’s continued success as an owner-operator,” he added.
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Under the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence program, runner-ups James C. Rose (U.S. Marines/Prime Inc.) and Christopher Slindell (U.S. Army/Knight Transportation) were each awarded with a check for $10,000.
Other professional truck drivers who achieved the prestigious Top 10 status, are: Steven Brown/U.S. Navy/EPES Transport System; Lacresha Daniels/U.S. Navy/Prime Inc.; Marcus Ellis/U.S. Air Force/Stevens Transport; William Gamez/U.S. Army, Army National Guard/Roehl Transport; Scott McFadden/U.S. Navy/Melton Truck Lines; Brad Stonebraker/U.S. Army/Melton Truck Lines; and Justin Utt/U.S. Marine Corps Reserve/Swift Transportation.
The top driver was determined by an expert panel of judges. To qualify, drivers had to be nominated by their motor carrier and meet three eligibility requirements:
-- Must have been active military or member of the National Guard or Reserve.
-- Graduated from PTDI-certified, NAPFTDS or CVTA member driver training school, with a valid CDL.
-- First hired in a trucking position between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.
For further information on the “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” award program, visit here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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