America’s Road Team Finalists Announced

The American Trucking Association this week announced the finalists for the 2015-2016 America’s Road Team captains.

“Captains are universally respected ambassadors of our industry,” said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Bill Graves. “I wish this year’s finalists luck and look forward to naming a select few of them to America’s Road Team.”

Thirty-one professional drivers, who have “superior safety records.”

America’s Road team was established in 1986 to represent the trucking industry.  Volvo Trucks has sponsored the program since 2002.

America’s Road Team captains travel the country and educate the public on the importance of the trucking industry and highway safety. In addition, the Road Team Captains will work to share the trucking industry’s message of ” safety, essentiality and sustainability with the motoring public, news media, business and community leaders, public officials and their fellow drivers across the nation.”

The ATA says this year’s finalists have a combined driving experience of more than 830 years and have 55-million accident-free miles. They represent 26 states and 15 carriers.

“Over the next three days, a panel of industry officials and trucking news media will judge the contestants on their knowledge of the trucking industry, dedication to safety, ability to communicate the industry’s messages and overall safe driving record, culminating in the announcement of the 2015-2016 America’s Road Team on January 13,” an ATA press release states.

To be nominated, drivers must be employee or leased by an ATA member company.

The finalists include:

• Paul Brandon, FedEx Freight, Oxford, Conn.
• Henry Bruster, UPS Freight, Woodville, Miss.
• RicardoBuitrago, Con-way Freight, Kissimmee, Fla.
• Gary Lee Capps, UPS Freight, Grantsville, Utah
• Kenneth Clark, YRC Freight, Desoto, Mo.
• Charles Demchock II, Walmart Transportation, Cocoa, Fla.
• Eric Flick, FedEx Freight, Dayton, Nev.
• David Green, Werner Enterprises, Hot Springs, Ark.
• Neil Kirk, Penske Logistics, Middletown, N.Y.
• Randall Luschen, Weinrich Truck Line Inc., Merrill, Iowa
• Clarence Wilburn Lyons, YRC Freight, Haltom City, Texas
• Thomas McIntosh, YRC Freight, Aurora, Colo.
• John McKown, UPS Freight, East Berlin, Penn.
• Tim Melody, ABF Freight System Inc., Payette, Idaho
• Chad Miller, ABF FreightSystem Inc., Crown Point, Ind.
• Bill Minor, Con-way Freight, West Milwaukee, Wis.
• Brent Quire, Con-way Freight, New Albany, Ind.
• Eric Ramsdell, Walmart Transportation, Wittmann, Ariz.
• Terry Rankins, Weinrich Truck Line Inc., Tollesboro, Ky.
• Paul Savill, UPS Freight, Hamilton, Ohio
• Gary Schmidt, Cliff Viessman Inc., Fergus Falls, Minn.
• Russell Simpson, Holland Inc., South Vienna, Ohio
• Danny Smith, Big G Express Inc., Shelbyville, Tenn.
• Clarence Taylor, Walmart Transportation, North Chesterfield, Va.
• Stanley Thrasher, Danny Herman Trucking Inc., Boaz, Ala.
• Brian Turner, Old Dominion Freight Line Inc., Newport, Tenn.
• Tim Vogt, Con-way Freight, Loganville, Ga.
• Kirk Weis, ABF Freight System Inc., Rio Rancho, N.M.
• William West, ABF Freight System Inc., Roopville, Ga.
• Derrick Whittle, Cargo Transporters Inc., Fieldale, Va.
• Scott Woodrome, FedEx Freight, Middletown, Ohio

Congratulations, drivers!