Transition Trucking Award names 2026 Elite 11 semifinalists

Veteran hiring has become one of trucking’s steadiest talent pipelines. Once a year, the industry puts 11 names and a new truck behind that idea. Kenworth, Fastport and the U. S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative on Wednesday named the semifinalists, the “Elite 11,” for the 2026 Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award.

The Transition Trucking award enters its 11th year, and the grand prize has not changed: a new Kenworth T680. For fleets, the program doubles as a recruiting showcase. Nominations arrived from carriers, driver training schools, a private fleet and individuals across the country, and the resulting class spans four branches of the U. S. Armed Forces.

“This year’s ‘Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence’ Elite 11 semifinalists exemplify the dedication, leadership, and commitment to service that military veterans bring to the trucking industry,” said Kyle Kimball, Kenworth director of marketing. “Kenworth is honored to celebrate 11 years of partnership with Fastport and the U. S.

Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative, and we look forward to recognizing this exceptional class of semifinalists.” window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag.

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push(function() {googletag. display('div-gpt-ad-1709668545404-0'); }); Apprenticeship Is Now the On-Ramp Registered apprenticeship supplied most of this year’s field. Six in 10 nominations came from drivers completing or already finished with a U. S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship program. Five of the Elite 11 are apprentices today.

That matters for carriers still building driver-development programs from scratch. The apprenticeship route is no longer experimental. It has become the dominant path into the cab for this cohort of veterans. Who Made the Transition Trucking Award Roster The 2026 Elite 11, with employer and training provider: Jeffrey Barber, U. S.

Army Sergeant First Class (E-7), Prime Inc. , trained by Prime Inc. Brandon Ward, U. S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), Werner Enterprises, trained by Roadmaster Drivers School, Orlando, Fla. (Registered Apprenticeship) Mohammad Arzola, U. S. Marine Corps Sergeant Major (E-9), HEB, trained by California Career Schools Juan Rosado Lozada, U. S.

Marine Corps Lance Corporal (E-3), Roehl Transport, trained by Troops Into Transportation, Fort Benning Kishawn Forbes, U. S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8), Melton Truck Lines, trained by Florida State College at Jacksonville Gary W. Williams, U. S.

Army Command Sergeant Major (E-9), Stevens Transport, trained by Southern Careers Institute Monica Brooks-Buck, U. S. Army Sergeant First Class (E-7), Werner Enterprises, trained by Truck Driver Institute, Saucier, Miss. (Registered Apprenticeship) Jenn Wilken, U. S. Army Staff Sergeant (E-6), Prime Inc. , trained by Prime Inc. Daryus Jones, U. S.

Army Private First Class (E-3), Anheuser-Busch, trained by Tulsa Technology (Registered Apprenticeship) Daniel Doss, U. S. Air Force Staff Sergeant (E-5), Melton Truck Lines, trained by Troops Into Transportation, Fort Benning (Registered Apprenticeship) Michael R. Bivens, U. S.

Marine Corps Staff Sergeant (E-6), Stevens Transport, trained by Tennessee Truck Driving School (Registered Apprenticeship) What the Winner Drives Home For the 11th consecutive year, Kenworth is supplying the grand prize.

The T680 comes with a 76-inch sleeper and the full PACCAR Powertrain: the MX-13 engine, TX-12 automated transmission and DX-40 tandem rear axles. The spec sheet leans on safety and driver retention features rather than raw hardware.

It includes Kenworth’s DigitalVision Mirrors, Bendix Fusion Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Auto Go, and Lane Keeping Assist with Torque Assisted Steering. Inside, the sleeper carries a Diamond VIT interior in charcoal, heated and cooled leather seats with titanium accents, a factory-installed refrigerator and a rotating work table.

The Road to West Point Semifinalists will be honored Sept. 22 and 23 with a recognition dinner at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, followed by a tour of Kenworth’s Chillicothe plant, where the finalists will be announced. window. googletag = window. googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag. cmd. push(function() {googletag.

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