Some feel they can never escape their past, but for many drivers at Schneider, their past is a blessing and a large part of what they now do for a living. For one driver in particular, it’s extra special.
“My past has been the fire and the inspiration that has prepared me for this honor,” Schneider driver and U.S. Navy Reserves veteran David Price said days before he picked up the 11th Ride of Pride, a truck series designed as a rolling tribute to members of the United States military.
Freightliner presented Schneider with this year’s Ride of Pride on May 26, 2017 – the eve of Memorial Day weekend. Price and the truck then made their public debut at Rolling Thunder, a motorcycle demonstration in Washington, D.C., in support of our nation’s veterans, POWs and MIAs over the holiday weekend.
“Schneider is grateful Freightliner has selected us to receive the Ride of Pride for the 11th time,” said Rob Reich, Schneider senior vice president of equipment, maintenance and driver recruiting, and U.S. Army veteran. “We couldn’t be more proud to have David Price and this year’s beautifully decorated Ride of Pride to showcase Schneider’s military support and our commitment to hiring those with military experience.”
Schneider has been independently ranked as the top military-friendly employer in the trucking industry, and more than 28% of Schneider drivers are veterans or actively serving. This figure includes Price, who joined Schneider in 2012 and has been both an Intermodal driver and training engineer in his five years with the company. Now, as the Ride of Pride driver, Price will spend the next 12 months traveling the U.S. to various military-themed events as well as hauling freight, which provides Schneider’s customers an opportunity to see the truck, too.
“I feel so honored to drive this impressive truck, which is detailed with memorials such as the Vietnam Memorial, World War II Memorial, Arlington Cemetery and 13 other monuments,” Price said. “I look forward to meeting all my other brothers and sisters from the military and their families throughout the year and sharing this special truck with them.”
A Fort Worth, Texas, resident, Price entered the military in 2003, his desire to serve inspired by the 9/11 attacks. During his 14 years in the Navy Reserves, he was deployed to Kuwait for one year and Afghanistan for 15 months as a member of the Seabees, a construction battalion of the Navy that goes out in advance of other operations to build sites.
Freightliner’s Ride of Pride tradition began more than 15 years ago when Ed Keeter, Freightliner shift manager and Vietnam War veteran, proposed the project as a way to honor current and prior members of the U.S. military.
“At Freightliner Trucks, we share in Schneider’s appreciation of our brave men and women in uniform throughout the armed forces,” said Steve Mignardi, director of national accounts for Daimler Trucks North America. “We are thrilled to be able to share in this long-standing tradition with an important customer like Schneider.”
Schneider has been presented with U.S. Ride of Pride trucks in 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, as well as two Canadian Ride of Pride trucks in 2011 and 2015.
