After 22 years of service in the United States Army and in the United States Army Reserves, Jimmy Reddell had his sights set on a career as a commercial truck driver.

When he retired honorably from the U.S. military, he decided that the trucking industry would better align itself with the type of work he wanted to do for the future. As a driver, Reddell would have the opportunity to see the country he helped protect and, at the same time, play an important role in transporting essential goods.

And he couldn’t have asked for a better start to his career.

Reddell received the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award on December 17 in Washington, DC As part of this honor, Reddell received the keys to a whole new Kenworth T680, equipped with a 76-inch or more berth.

“It’s definitely a special time for me,” Reddell said in a press release. “I am very honored to receive the 2021 Transition Trucking Award among all the deserving veterans nominated. Thanks to Stevens Transport and Angela Horowitz for nominating me. I can’t wait to get this Kenworth T680 on the road.

Reddell got his CDL in 2020 and was hired by Dallas Stevens Transport. He is now an independent contractor through the contractors division of Stevens Transport and rents a truck.

“It has been an honor to present the keys to the Kenworth T680 to Jimmy Reddell on behalf of Kenworth and our employees,” Genevieve Bekkerus, Kenworth Marketing Director, said in a press release. “We thank him for his long military service in our country and wish him the best in his career as a truck driver. “

This was the sixth year of the partnership between Kenworth, the Fastport Trucking Track Mentorship Program and the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes program, which aims to recognize the best successful recruiting military veteran from the United States. the transition from active duty to commercial driving.

“Jimmy Reddell’s accomplished military career instilled attention to detail, punctuality, discipline and a keen sense of urgency that helped him succeed as a professional truck driver,” said Brad Bentley, president of Fastport, in a press release. “Jimmy has a great support network at Stevens Transport to start his career. I know he will be a great ambassador for our industry in the future. “

The Transition Trucking program also recognized James C. Rose, a U.S. Marine Veteran and Driver for New Prime Inc., based in Springfield, Mo., and Christopher Slindee, an Army Veteran and Driver for Knight Transportation. , based in Phoenix, as finalists. . They each received a check for $ 10,000.

The best driver was determined by a jury. To qualify, drivers had to be nominated by their road carrier and meet three eligibility criteria:

• Must have been an active military or a member of the National Guard or the Reserve.
• Graduated from a PTDI certified driving school, member of NAPFTDS or CVTA, with a valid CDL.
• First hire in a trucking position between January 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.

For more information on the Transition Trucking: Driving for Excellence award, see the Transition Trucking website. LL