Two truckers with a combined 10 million safe miles to haul U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree on its journey from Alaska to D.C.

An Alaska-based trucking company has been chosen to help deliver this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.

Trucking company Lynden Transport has been chosen as the designated carrier for the Capitol Christmas Tree as it travels from Tongass National Forest in Alaska to the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. This is the second time in less than 10 years that Lynden has been chosen as the carrier to haul the Capitol Christmas Tree.

The tree’s journey will begin on October 26 in Wrangell, Alaska. After a tour event in Ketchikan, the tree will be loaded onto a barge and transported to Seattle, Washington. From there, Lynden will transport the tree over 4000 miles from Seattle to Washington, D.C., stopping at many community events along the way.

Lynden selected veteran truckers Fred Austin and John Schank to transport the tree. Both men joined Lynden in 1975. Austin and Schank have driven for Lynden for a combined 10 million safe miles in Alaska, according to Kenworth, and this will be Schank’s second time transporting the tree after he was selected for the honor in 2015.

From a Lynden news release:

“Schank was recognized as the 2014 and 2017 Driver of the Year by the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA) and received letters of commendation from former Alaska Governors Parnell and Walker for almost 40 years of accident-free driving over the treacherous Dalton Highway linking Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay. At that time, Schank had logged 5 million miles on the highway – more than any other driver in history. Since then, he has logged an additional 1.1 million miles – all accident-free.

Austin started working for Lynden in 1975 at the start of the Alaska oil pipeline construction in Fairbanks. He now serves as driver trainer and mentor at the Lynden Training Center in Fairbanks. He took instructor training in 2015 at age 79, becoming the oldest person to sit for the test in Alaska.“

“Lynden is an Alaska-based company, and our roots run as deep as the Christmas tree that will be harvested in the Tongass National Forest. We are proud that we are again being entrusted with the delivery of the tree and supporting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour with our legendary drivers, John Schank and Fred Austin, both from our Fairbanks Service Center,” says Lynden Transport President Paul Grimaldi. “John and Fred are a dynamic duo of driving experience, leadership, and positive energy which will make the cross-country trip memorable.”

Kenworth announced that it will provide a T680 with a graphics wrap to transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. The truck is equipped with a 76-inch sleeper and the PACCAR Powertrain featuring the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated at 455 horsepower, PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission and PACCAR DX-40 tandem real axles, Kenworth says.

“Kenworth is proud to again provide the truck that will transport the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree for the 11th consecutive year,” said Kevin Haygood, Kenworth assistant general manager for sales and marketing. “Our continuing participation in this celebration that spreads holiday cheer in local communities from coast-to-coast is a program we look forward to every year.”

See the current 2024 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Tour public schedule below:
– Oct. 30: Alaska Marine Highway Terminal, Ketchikan, Alaska
– Nov. 6: Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, Renton, Washington
– Nov. 8: Baker County Fairgrounds & Event Center, Baker City, Oregon
– Nov. 9: The Pocatello Veterans Day Parade, Pocatello, Idaho
– Nov. 9: Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation’s Wheeler Historic Farm, Murray, Utah
– Nov. 10: Cabela’s, Grand Junction, Colorado
– Nov. 11: The Ranch Events Complex, Loveland, Colorado
– Nov. 13: Gene Leahy Mall at The Landing at The RiverFront, Omaha, Nebraska
– Nov. 16: Parkview Field, Fort Wayne, Indiana
– Nov. 17: Center of Science and Industry, Columbus, Ohio
– Nov. 19: The Maryland Theater, Hagerstown, Maryland
– Nov. 21: Andrews Theater, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland (*base access only)
– Nov. 22: Delivery to West Lawn, U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.