WASHINGTON, D.C., Dec. 9, 2019 – A distinguished veteran with 24 years of combined service in the U.S. Marines and U.S. Army received the annual “Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence” award during a special ceremony at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in Washington, D.C.
Kenworth presented winning professional truck driver Joseph H. Campbell Jr. of Roehl Transport with The Driver’s Truck™ – a Kenworth T680 equipped with a comfortable 76-inch sleeper – as the recognition program’s award. Campbell’s special T680 features the complete PACCAR Powertrain with a PACCAR MX-13 engine, PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission, and PACCAR 40K tandem axles.
For the fifth 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.
Campbell comes from a family of military veterans. He achieved multiple accolades for successes while serving stateside and abroad in combat zones. Campbell drives for Roehl Transport’s Flatbed Division. He achieved an accident-free record in his first year of employment, and completed the initial year of a two-year apprenticeship program. He is in training to become a certified trainer, and is a member of the company’s Driver Advisory Group.
“It’s a great honor to receive this award. This Kenworth T680 will provide some exciting new opportunities for my future career in the trucking industry. Thanks to Roehl Transport, Hiring our Heroes, FASTPORT and Kenworth for supporting and encouraging veterans to make the transition into the trucking industry,” said Campbell.
Featured speakers at the special recognition event were Thomas J. Donahue, U.S. Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer; Joe Shamess, Flags of Valor co-founder, Eric Eversole, U.S. Chamber of Commerce vice president and Hiring Our Heroes president; and Brad Bentley, FASTPORT president. Lisa Berreth, Kenworth marketing director, presented the keys to Campbell.
“We appreciate Joseph Campbell’s service to this country and his dedication to achieve growth and success in his trucking industry career. The Kenworth T680 will serve him well,” said Berreth.
“Joseph Campbell is a very deserving, 24-year veteran and we commend Kenworth’s partnership and commitment by once again providing a Kenworth T680 to help service members make these transitions into industry,” said Eric Eversole of Hiring Our Heroes.
Christopher Bacon (U.S. Marines) of TMC Transportation, Wade Bumgarner (U.S. Navy) of Veriha Trucking and Steve Harris (U.S. Marines) of Stevens Transport were the runners-up in the awards. Harris received $10,000 as the first runner-up, while Bumgarner and Bacon each received $5,000.
According to Brad Bentley of FASTPORT, the four finalists were determined by tallying scores from a Selection Committee. The four advanced to an online vote on the Transition Trucking website, where people could view a video of each driver and vote their choice for the top military rookie driver. In the closest competition in the contest’s history, Campbell received the highest overall tally.
Drivers were nominated by trucking companies that made a hiring commitment and pledge to hire veterans on www.truckingtrack.org or, by members of the National Association of Publicly Funded Truck Driving Schools, or Commercial Vehicle Training Association-member school.
“Joseph Campbell separated himself by serving in two branches of the military, then translating those skills as an apprentice in Roehl’s Flatbed Division. He understands that his first responsibility is protecting the motoring public and then picking up and delivering cargo on-time and undamaged. Joseph demonstrated that by completing his first year of employment accident free,” said Bentley. “These military service members who transitioned into careers as professional drivers are hard-working, dependable, motivated, ethical and disciplined team players – an asset to the trucking industry and their companies.”
Other truck drivers who achieved Top 10 finalist status are:
- Thomas Blitch/U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves/Werner Enterprises
- Keso Going/U.S. Army/Epes Transport
- Kevin Lassing/ U.S. Army/U.S. Xpress
- Maliq Melton/U.S. Army, Melton Truck Lines
- Monte Morrone/U.S. Army and U.S. Marines/Prime Inc.
- Timothy Raub/ U.S. Navy/Averitt Express
